Minocqua Brewing Company owner and liberal activist Kirk Bangstad announced his candidacy for Wisconsin governor over the weekend.
Bangstad made the announcement on Saturday afternoon during an event hosted at the brewery and livestreamed on the company’s Facebook page.
This comes just two days after being questioned by the FBI and Secret Service due to comments made on Facebook following the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump.
RELATED: And they’re off: 7 Democratic candidates for WI governor hold first forum
The post, promising free beer on the day that Trump dies, gained national attention and scrutiny from both Republicans and Democrats.
“Well, we almost got #freebeerday. Either a brother or sister in the Resistance needs to work on their marksmanship or he faked another assassination to get a positive news cycle. We’ll never know,” the post reads.
At the Minocqua Brewing Company event and livestream, Bangstad said his experience with the FBI and Secret Service and his feeling of abandonment by the Democratic Party were what led him to declare his candidacy.
“I felt that I was actually scared for my safety, and scared from my own federal government,” said Bangstad, who’s running as a Democrat. “I’m not gonna stand for this anymore, and I’m gonna run for governor of Wisconsin.”
During the event, he also said he has yet to hear the “five alarm fire” from the other Democratic candidates to stand up to President Trump.
He has openly expressed his opposition to President Trump, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, where he said “Republican mismanagement hurt businesses up north.”
This is not Bangstad’s first time as a Wisconsin candidate. In 2020, he ran for the 34th District of the Wisconsin Assembly against Republican incumbent Rob Swearingen.
To officially get on the ballot, Bangstad said on his Substack that he needs 2,000 signatures before June 1.
Wisconsin’s gubernatorial Democratic primary will take place on Aug. 11 with a field that includes Rep. Francesca Hong, Sen. Kelda Roys, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, former Administration Secretary Joel Brennan, and former WEDC chief executive Missy Hughes.
