GOP Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson is holding up his political split with his parents over their ideological differences in Wisconsin as a way to urge others born into Democratic families to join the #walkaway movement and abandon “the intolerance of a political philosophy that stands on the false platform of tolerance.”
Mr. Nicholson is running for the party’s nomination against state Sen Leah Vukmir in the Aug. 14 primary, and the winner will take on Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin.
Mr. Nicholson, a former Marine, also is running in a way against his Democratic parents, who he says have turned their back on him and his family over his embrace of conservatism and says each of them cut the maximum $2,700 checks for Mrs. Baldwin’s re-election.
“I don’t enjoy talking about this highly personal experience, but as I see the #WalkAway movement gain momentum, I feel compelled to share my story,” Mr. Nicholson said in a Fox News op-ed. “As #WalkAway grows, conservatives need to reach out to those who were raised to believe in a Democrat Party and a liberal political philosophy that does nothing to make them more successful.”
The hashtag is part of an online campaign that serves as a platform for people to share their stories of why they have left the Democratic Party.
The campaign’s Facebook page says it also is a venue for “the silent majority” on the right to challenge the “narrative that everybody on the right is a bigot, a racist, a homophobe, a misogynist, etc.”
In his op-ed, Mr. Nicholson said a lot of people are worried about the pushback they would face if they ditch the Democratic Party and says conservatives should welcome those people with open arms.
“If you’ve decided to #WalkAway or plan to, I encourage you to find strength in those who have already walked the path,” he wrote. “Find strength in the principles of conservatism that are founded in faith, liberty, and the Constitution.”
Mrs. Baldwin is favored to defend her seat, according to political handicappers. President Trump won Wisconsin in the 2016 presidential race.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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