Wisconsin candidate for governor Joel Brennan denies reporting that he is courting support while touting that he is the ‘white centrist’

A candidate for Wisconsin governor is denying reporting that says he touts himself as the only white man in the race. 

A column from Bruce Murphy with Urban Milwaukee on April 30 discusses how Joel Brennan may have a “possible advantage” because like outgoing Gov. Tony Evers, Brennan is a centrist Democrat and also a white male. 

Wisconsin has never not had a white man as governor and the state is 86% white people. 

Murphy quotes an anonymous Democratic consultant that told the outlet “both Joel and Chuck use that language — white centrist — directly in pitching donors.” 

The Chuck being referred to is Chuck Pruitt, a longtime Democratic Party insider who was a friend and advisor of the late U.S. Senator Herb Kohl. Pruitt didn’t respond to a voicemail from the Milwaukee Courier. 

If true, are Brennan and some Democrat insiders touting being white as a reason to vote for him? 

Well Brennan’s campaign issued a statement, denying the reporting and saying unequivocally that he never used that language. 

“No one on our campaign, including Joel, has used that language, and none of us thinks that’s a reason to support him,” said Sarah Abel, Brenan’s campaign manager in a statement. “Joel’s running a campaign focused on the challenges Wisconsinites face and on defending our state against Donald Trump’s abuses of power, and that’s why we’re seeing support for Joel grow as he meets with voters across the state.”  

Murphy didn’t immediately respond to a message from the Courier. 

Brennan previously told the Courier in an interview that he viewed himself as a “pragmatic progressive.”

Pruitt told Murphy that electability with the other candidates is something to consider. All the other candidates are non-white men on the Democratic Party side. But Pruitt added that voters are motivated by a broad range of concerns.  

Murphy writes, “Would (being white) help (Brennan) neutralize a possible advantage for Tom Tiffany, the white male Republican candidate?”

Drake Bentley can be reached at [email protected].