(The Center Square) – A pair of Republicans have joined Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional race to fill the seat currently held by Tom Tiffany, a Republican running for governor.
Conservative Michael Alfonso, the 25-year-old son-in-law of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, entered the race along with conservative attorney Paul Wassgren.
The candidates join conservative Jessi Ebben in the race.
All three candidates have voiced support for President Donald Trump.
Wassgren called himself a leading advocates for economic development using the federal opportunity zone program and that he intends to prioritize creating economic opportunity, fighting against lawfare, build strong communities and protect Wisconsin’s outdoors.
Growing up in Ashland, his family owned the Mountain Valley Cheese Factory in Bayfield County.
“Growing up in Ashland was the ideal childhood experience – fishing and boating in the summer, jumping in piles of leaves in the fall, and throwing snowballs and skiing in the winter,” Wassgren said in a statement. “Economic opportunities were plentiful, and social problems like homelessness, violent crime, and addiction were scarce,” Paul said. “I’m running for Congress because we need more successful businessmen like Donald Trump and Ron Johnson to shake up the status quo and revitalize our communities.”
Alfonso started in Vilas County and moved to Wausau when he was young before graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Alfonso said he has been inspired by the late Charlie Kirk. He is the grandson of Cuban refugees.
“I was born and raised with the traditional Wisconsin values of faith, community, and hard work – and now I’m ready to give back to the area that gave so much to me,” Alfonso said in a statement. “I’ve watched as the American Dream has continued to slip away from the people who so deserve it,” said Alfonso. “I’ve seen the effects of higher taxes and the increased cost of living on our families and our farms, and the erosion of our constitutional rights.”
