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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ron Johnson on Monday offered uncompromising views on climate change and confirmation of Supreme Court justice nominees, during a session with Journal Sentinel editors and reporters.

Johnson, an Oshkosh business owner, also signaled a softer stance on use of federal stimulus and deficit spending as a means to jump-start a recessionary economy.

He hopes to oust Democratic incumbent Sen. Russ Feingold, who is seeking a third term. Johnson also faces small-business man Dave Westlake in the September GOP primary election.

A global warming skeptic, Johnson said extreme weather phenomena were better explained by sunspots than an overload of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, as many scientists believe.

"I absolutely do not believe in the science of man-caused climate change," Johnson said. "It's not proven by any stretch of the imagination."

Johnson, in an interview last month, described believers in manmade causes of climate change as "crazy" and the theory as "lunacy."

"It's far more likely that it's just sunspot activity or just something in the geologic eons of time," he said.

Excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere "gets sucked down by trees and helps the trees grow," said Johnson.

Average Earth temperatures were relatively warm during the Middle Ages, Johnson said, and "it's not like there were tons of cars on the road."

He said he disagreed with any government spending to try to address global warming. A strong economy is the best way to preserve a good environment, Johnson said.

Trying to fix global warming is "a fool's errand," Johnson said. "I don't think we can do anything about controlling what our climate is."

Johnson also said his comments on drilling for oil in the Great Lakes had been misconstrued by Feingold, who ran TV ads criticizing Johnson and calling him a proponent of Great Lakes drilling.

Johnson said when he told an interviewer that "we have to get the oil where the oil is," he didn't hear any reference to the Great Lakes in the interviewer's question.

Besides, the Great Lakes oil reserves are too small to be worth drilling, Johnson said.

On Supreme Court nominees, Johnson said he had no "litmus test" to support or oppose a candidate. However, he said he would vote against a nominee whose views he disagreed with and would filibuster a nominee with views he strongly opposed.

The filibuster is a debate tactic used by the minority party in the Senate to delay or block votes.

"If I would see a justice who I really thought was awful, in terms of judicial you know, what rulings they had in the past, I would certainly be willing to filibuster," Johnson said.

He said he preferred justices who would strictly follow the constitution in their rulings.

He said he would have voted against both of President Obama's Supreme Court appointees, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, as well as both appointees of President Clinton - Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

John Kraus, a campaign spokesman for Feingold, said Johnson's "extreme views on climate change are not only out of touch with the voters of Wisconsin, but they are out of touch with reality."

Feingold has taken a completely opposite position on global warming, saying that "most people think man had some role in it."

It's extreme and irresponsible, Feingold told a Journal Sentinel reporter last month, to completely dismiss man's role.

"Do you notice the heat lately, my friend?"

Kraus also chided Johnson for his stance on Supreme Court nominees, saying Johnson didn't understand the Senate's role.

"It's not about whether he agrees or disagrees with the nominee, or whether the nominee agrees or disagrees with Mr. Johnson," Kraus said. "The issue is whether or not the nominee will be a fair and impartial justice."

Feingold believes in giving deference to the president on judicial nominations, said Kraus. Feingold voted to confirm John Roberts, one of Republican President George W. Bush's Supreme Court nominees, but voted against Samuel Alito, Bush's other nominee to the high court.

Johnson offered a more nuanced view on government stimulus. Though he remains critical of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the bank bailout, Johnson said he doesn't disavow all deficit government spending as a boon during a severe recession.

He said he would have supported a narrower stimulus program that targeted infrastructure projects, in addition to targeted tax cuts as incentives to investment.

"Some stimulus is not a bad thing," Johnson said.

On other issues, Johnson:

• Was critical of the health care and financial industry reform laws passed this year. Both contributed to uncertainty for businesses, which inhibits growth, Johnson said. He favors repeal of both laws.

• Said tax cuts approved during Bush's term should be preserved.

• Said he favors laws to better secure the U.S. borders as a prerequisite to dealing with illegal immigration.