Dear fellow Wisconsin Democrats,

Their true colors are showing.

Wisconsin’s six Republican members of Congress—Derrick Van Orden, Brian Steil, Mike Gallagher, Scott Fitzgerald, Glenn Grothman, and Tom Tiffany—all voted for Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House this week.

Not once—twice.

Even more telling is the fact that this was their choice despite it being crystal clear that Jordan’s bid for the Speaker’s Gavel was doomed from the start—long before it officially collapsed in spectacular fashion today.

The House remains in chaos. But one thing is clear: The MAGA crowd is in control. Jim Jordan and Donald Trump are the face of the Republican Party as we edge towards 2024. The contrast between them and the top Democratic leaders—President Biden, Vice President Harris, Senator Schumer, and Leader Jeffries—could not be more stark.

This is who Wisconsin’s Republican Congressional delegation wanted to put into the most powerful position in Congress, third in line to the presidency:

• Jim Jordan has, repeatedly, backed extreme GOP plans to slash Social Security and Medicare. Speaking on his behalf, Rep. Tom Cole praised Jim Jordan’s “courage” in explicitly going after these programs—some of the most successful earned-benefit programs in world history.

• Jim Jordan wants a national ban on abortion. He celebrated the overturning of Roe as a “victory” and says Republicans should “lean into” restrictions on reproductive freedom.

• Jim Jordan is the leading election denier in Congress. After Joe Biden won in 2020, Jordan took the national stage to lie incessantly about the results, and then backed schemes to overturn the will of the people and install Trump in a second term.

When Derrick Van Orden (3rd CD – western Wis.)  isn’t screaming at teenagers, he’s trying to propel a Social Security slashing, abortion banning, election-denying MAGA extremist into the Speakership.

Bryan Steil (1st CD – south eastern) is right there with him.

Mike Gallagher (8th CD – north eastern), who tries to sell an image of moderation? He’s right there with Derrick Van Orden.

And Tiffany (7th CD), Fitzgerald (5th CD), and Grothman (6th CD) —they’re all on Team Jordan as well.

These moments are tests of political character. Any one of them could have stood up and said that this was a bridge too far. Dozens of their colleagues have done exactly that. Wisconsin’s Republican congressman had another choice. They could have lifted a finger to oppose Jordan—or better yet, supported a compromise plan that would minimize the risk of a shutdown or even a national default that could drive the world into a global depression.

Instead, they voted “aye” to Jordan’s extremism. One after another.

Just as these six Congressmen had their choice, voters too will have a choice in 2024. A choice between chaos and extremism on the one hand, and community, decency, and common sense on the other.

Our job, as Wisconsin Democrats, will be to make that choice vivid. We’re gearing up now for our One Year to Win organizing sprint through early November. And then we’ve got twelve months to ensure that Trump and his enablers—like Jim Jordan—never get this close to this much power, ever again.

In solidarity,

Ben