‘Tiffany loves billionaires’: Union members protest outside Milwaukee GOP office

One of the country’s most powerful labor unions organized a protest on Milwaukee’s near north side on April 15, Tax Day, against gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany and the Republican Party of Wisconsin. 

Around 40 members of the union stood near the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and North Avenue in the historically Black Bronzeville neighborhood. The GOP has a community office at the intersection. 

Drivers at the busy intersection honked and yelled as a nearly 12-foot puppet of Tiffany lined the road and the group chanted “Tiffany loves billionaires.” 

The message being spread is that Tiffany, a congressman from northern Wisconsin, is bad for residents on the issue of healthcare after he voted in favor of President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” in July. 

As part of the large legislation, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that $1.1 trillion in healthcare funding will be cut by 2034 as a result of the bill’s passage. 

“We’re here to promote and let people know what Tiffany stands for,” said Anthol Farrar, who said he was a Wisconsin voter. “(Tiffany) is against Obamacare.”

The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, expanded health insurance coverage for millions of Americans, but hasn’t been perfect since it became law. Insurance remains expensive for many as an affordability crisis unfolds in the U.S. 

But former President Barack Obama’s signature legislation remains popular amongst a base in the Democratic Party. There are some in the party that lobby for a single-payer healthcare system, like Medicare-for-All, which would bring us up to standard with the rest of the world. 

“We need a governor that’s going to support healthcare,” Farrar said. “It’s hard on people out here. (Tiffany) is promoting giving tax breaks to billionaires by cutting healthcare. That’s unacceptable.” 

No viable candidate is opposing Tiffany in the Republican primary for governor. He is expected to be the nominee unless there is a late entry. His campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin did provide a statement. 

“Working Wisconsinites are fired up about the race for governor and know Tom Tiffany is responsible for raising costs and gutting health care to pay for tax breaks for billionaires,” said Emily Stuckey, a spokesperson with WisDems. “Tiffany thinks he can get a promotion playing the D.C. politics he learned in Congress, but voters will hold him accountable for his record of working for the rich and powerful at the expense of working class Wisconsinites at the ballot box.”

The Dems have an open primary after Gov. Tony Evers decided to retire. The primary election is August 11 and the general election is Nov. 3