Gov. Tony Evers labels Dean Phillips bid to get on Wisconsin presidential ballot 'ridiculous'

MADISON – Democratic presidential candidate Dean Phillip's effort to be listed on Wisconsin's presidential primary ballot is "ridiculous," Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said Tuesday.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court will consider taking up a challenge from Democratic presidential candidate Dean Phillips as he seeks to be included on the state's April 2 primary ballot.

Phillips, a Minnesota congressman, filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Monday over the state's Presidential Preference Selection Committee's exclusion of Phillips' name from the primary ballot. The court then issued an order directing the Wisconsin Elections Commission and the selection committee to respond to Phillips' complaint by Wednesday afternoon.

The Democratic governor, who is backing President Joe Biden's reelection bid, characterized the challenge as "a distraction."

"I think the party can figure it out. I can't believe that this is going forward. That seems ridiculous to me," Evers told reporters following an event in Madison hosted by Wispolitics.com. "To me, it looks like (the committee) followed the process. I don't know what his position will be in court but it's just another distraction, frankly."

Phillips has challenged similar decisions in Florida and North Carolina.

WEC chairman Don Millis, a Republican appointee, suggested Monday Phillips' challenge could be successful.

“While the Wisconsin Elections Commission has no role in selecting candidates for the presidential preference ballot, even the most casual observer has to admit that Rep. Phillips is generally advocated and recognized in the national news media throughout the nation as a candidate for president for the Democratic Party. Therefore, he meets the statutory criteria," Millis said.

The elections commission does not place candidates on the ballot in Wisconsin. That decision is up to the bipartisan state Presidential Preference Selection Committee, which is made up of state Democratic and Republican party chairs, majority and minority leaders in the state Legislature, and others. The committee met in the state Capitol earlier this month to determine which presidential candidates will appear on the state's primary ballot.

The six candidates named by the state Republican party include: Trump, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy. Every candidate on that list but Trump and Haley has since suspended their campaign.

The state Democratic Party presented only one name for the ballot: President Joe Biden. Phillips and author Marianne Williamson are also running as Democrats.

The committee is required by state law to include all names "whose candidacy is generally advocated or recognized in the national news media throughout the United States," and is allowed to include additional names.

Candidates left off the ballot may obtain access by collecting signatures in support of their petittion.

Attorneys for Phillips argued in their complaint that the congressman is a nationally recognized candidate, noting that he received nearly 20% of the vote in New Hampshire's Democratic primary. Biden did not appear on the ballot, but with write-ins received about 64% of the vote.

"As we fight (Republican former President Donald) Trump's attacks on democracy we must also be vigilant against efforts by people in our own party to do the same," Phillips said in a statement. "Voters should choose the nominee of our party without insiders trying to rig the process for Joe Biden."

Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Evers calls Dean Phillips bid to get on primary ballot 'ridiculous'