Patrick Marley

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Madison — Wisconsin’s top three Republicans are skipping Donald Trump’s visit to Green Bay.

The billionaire GOP presidential nominee's trip to the Badger State is coming just days after he declined to endorse House Speaker Paul Ryan and praised Ryan's primary opponent, Paul Nehlen.

On Wednesday, Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, told Fox News he was backing Ryan in next week's Republican primary. He said he was doing so in part at the behest of Trump.

Also Wednesday, Gov. Scott Walker made clear where he stood in the feud between Trump and Ryan.

"I'm 100% with Paul Ryan," Walker said in a brief interview in a state Capitol hallway.

Walker, Ryan and U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson are all taking a pass on appearing with Trump on Friday.

Walker will be viewing flood damage in northern Wisconsin. Ryan plans to be in the southern part of the state, where his district is. And Johnson has "prior commitments," according to his spokesman.

All three have backed Trump but distanced themselves from many of his controversial comments.

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Walker campaign spokesman Joe Fadness left open the possibility the governor would attend future Trump events. Walker spoke at a Waukesha rally last week with Pence.

"As always, Governor Walker will participate in future political events for Mr. Trump provided they don't interfere with his work for the citizens of Wisconsin, as he did when Governor Pence visited Waukesha a week ago,” Fadness said in a statement.

Johnson, who faces a challenge from former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, hasn't announced where he will be on Friday.

Johnson's spokesman, Brian Reisinger, said Johnson will be working to help Republicans "up and down the ballot."

While other Republicans were dodging the Trump event, state Sen. Frank Lasee of De Pere said he was going.

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Lasee is running to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble, who has been critical of Trump for months. Lasee faces former Walker adviser Mike Gallagher in the Republican primary on Tuesday.

Gallagher won't be at the Trump rally and will instead attend a previously scheduled event in Shawano County, according to a spokeswoman for Gallagher.

Rep. Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield), a captain in the U.S. Army Reserves and Iraq War veteran, said Wednesday that he couldn’t endorse Trump.

Kooyenga said he was disturbed by Trump’s aggressive response to the Khan family, saying that the sacrifices of soldiers and their families should be treated with "reverence and respect and humility." Trump has criticized Khizr and Ghazala Khan, the parents of fallen Gold Star Army Capt. Humayun Khan, who appeared at the Democratic National Convention last week. Trump implied that Ghazala Kahn may not have been allowed to speak because of her religion.

“We’re looking for statesmen, not politicians,” Kooyenga said.

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A bone-deep understanding of the losses that come with war is one component to being an effective commander in chief, he said, citing past presidents who wrestled with the toll on their troops.

“Look at history. Look at Abraham Lincoln,” Kooyenga said, pointing to the author of the Gettysburg Address.

Philip Shulman, a spokesman for the state Democratic Party, said voters should get used to Republicans claiming they have scheduling conflicts when Trump comes around.

"It's no surprise Wisconsin Republicans are running as fast as they can from Donald Trump's horrendous economic agenda and deeply concerning history of fraudulent and exploitive business dealings," he said in a statement.

Jason Stein of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.