As his re-election looms, U.S. Senator Ron Johnson is making a desperate attempt to fix his image of being Senator Snipe-- the Senator who is rumored to exist, but who nobody ever actually sees.
So, his staff came whipped up the idea to do a "Supper Club Tour," which is described as a two-fer: It gives his constituents the opportunity to verify that he is actually real and it gives Johnson the "opportunity to showcase local businesses." After all, what says, "I am not the elite gazillionaire that married into ridiculous wealth" more than going out for a beer and burger at the local supper club?
You know what I'm talkin' about --some place like the Kall Inn near Hazel Green, that has been in the Kahle family since 1945. It doesn't get any more local than that!
Yeah, well... that's not quite what Johnson had in mind.
The next stop on his Supper Club Tour will be at a place called the Thunder Bay Grille in Pewaukee. This would be the same Thunder Bay Grille that is found in Illinois. And Iowa. And owned by Mike Whalen, the Iowa millionaire who owns 31 restaurants and hotels in six states. (That would also be the same Mike Whalen who ran against then-Congressman Bruce "The guy who lost to Joni Ernst" Braley in 2006-- small world, eh?)
Nothing says "local Wisconsin business" like a chain restaurant that is owned by some rich guy in Iowa.
Well played, RoJo. Well played.
Update: An earlier version of this story said that the space was rented at the Thunder Bay Grille with tax payer dollars. According to a representative of Senator Johnson's office, while this an official constituent outreach event, no taxpayer dollars were spent to rent space at the restaurant.