SouthernWorldwide.com – Kirk Bangstad, a controversial Wisconsin brewery owner, is making a bid for governor and has stated he will win the primary if his party attempts to silence him.
Bangstad, owner of Minocqua Brewing Company, launched his gubernatorial campaign after facing national scrutiny for a social media post on the brewery’s Facebook page. The post appeared shortly after an alleged assassination attempt against then-President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.
The post read, “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. Regardless, we stand at the ready to pour free beer the day it happens.”
This statement drew the attention of the U.S. Secret Service and the FBI. However, Bangstad maintains that his comment was satirical and not an endorsement of political violence.
“It was satire,” he told WISN 12. “I meant it as satire. I’ve said that all along and it was taken out of context in order to create a feeding frenzy by the media, which it did, and allow Republicans to paint Democrats as politically violent.”
Despite some caution from within the Democratic party regarding his rhetoric, Bangstad acknowledges that the federal law enforcement visit, and the subsequent attention, has boosted his campaign and fundraising efforts, though not necessarily his brewery’s business.
He reiterated his point about the post’s dual nature: “Remember there was another half of that post that said, ‘or Donald Trump is trying to fake an assassination attempt to get a better news cycle.’ The first part was satire that was trying to set off the second part.”
Bangstad explained that he resurrected the “free beer day” campaign because “the assassination attempt seemed staged,” and admitted it has helped him gain “name recognition.”
He highlighted his substantial online following, stating, “I’ve got 250,000 followers on Facebook and 170,000 subscribers to our Substack page.”
“Most of those people are progressives and a lot of those are progressives who live in Wisconsin, so I would think I have the best name recognition in the state of Wisconsin right now,” Bangstad continued.
“The Democratic Party who has a terrible approval rating across the country and in Wisconsin can say all they want to about me. I’m a true Democrat, a true progressive Democrat, and I have more name recognition than everybody in this race save for probably Mandela Barnes.”
Bangstad vowed that if he were prevented from speaking at the upcoming Wisconsin Democratic convention, he would still find a way to voice his message. “I’d speak anyway; I’d speak outside the front door.”
“And if they try to not let me speak, they’re going to put me in office,” Bangstad declared. “Let’s be honest.”
“If they restrict my speech as a fellow Democrat, they are going to do so much harm to their appearance, and they’re going to do so much harm to other candidates, I will win the primary if they don’t let me speak. I guarantee you that.”
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He mentioned that he has not yet finalized plans regarding his attendance at the Democratic convention in June.
“I’ve got to get my 2,000 signatures by June 1 – obviously, I’m in the race really late; we’ve got a month to get 2,000 signatures,” he stated.
“I will of course attend the Democratic convention, I’m a Democrat. I want to drag the Democratic Party kicking and screaming to a realistic place that’s not owned by big money, and that’s what I plan to do.
“And I think I can get there in Wisconsin.”
The Wisconsin primary is scheduled for August 11. Bangstad’s immediate priority is collecting the necessary signatures and increasing his public profile. He admitted that the campaign has “raised a ton of money so far,” but did not disclose the exact amount.
“I’ve got oodles of money in Facebook followers, in Substack followers, the equivalent of that in my being able to reach people and give them my message,” he said.
Bangstad’s Minocqua Brewing Company has a history of embracing liberal politics, selling merchandise with progressive themes and promoting itself through anti-Trump messages and apparel that reads, “I wish it was free beer day.”
The controversy intensified following the April 25 security incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Authorities reported that Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, attempted to breach a Secret Service checkpoint with a loaded shotgun and other weapons. Allen is currently being held without bail and faces a potential life sentence for attempted assassination of the president and assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.
Following the brewery’s social media post, the FBI and Secret Service confirmed they investigated the matter and conducted a voluntary interview with Bangstad.
“The U.S. Secret Service follows up on perceived threats against the President of the United States or any one of our protectees,” the agencies stated in a joint release to Fox News. “The FBI and Secret Service together followed up on information received and conducted further investigative steps, which included a voluntary interview with the individual. This is an ongoing matter and we do not have further comment.”
Bangstad livestreamed a portion of his interaction with two men in suits who questioned him about any knowledge of individuals wishing to harm Trump or supporting such actions. The brewery also shared what it claimed was a transcription of a voicemail from an individual Bangstad identified as a Secret Service agent, encouraging supporters to contact the agent.
Bangstad, who previously ran as a Democratic candidate for Wisconsin’s 34th Assembly District, lost his general election bid in 2020. He also founded the Minocqua Brewing Company super PAC, which has focused on opposing Trump and Republicans, and had previously filed a lawsuit to prevent Trump from appearing on Wisconsin’s 2024 ballot.
The recent controversy has also placed other Wisconsin Democrats with past connections to Bangstad under scrutiny.
Michael Alfonso, a House candidate endorsed by Trump, accused Democrats of attempting to sidestep the issue, highlighting Bangstad’s ties to state Democrats.
“This brewery is owned by a man named Kirk Bangstad, and he’s not just some random crazy guy,” Alfonso wrote on X. “Kirk is friends with current Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Francesca Hong. He previously employed Rebecca Cooke, the Democrat currently running against Derrick Van Orden, and was himself the Democratic nominee against my father-in-law, Sean Duffy, in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District—where I am now running for office.”
Cooke’s campaign issued a statement denouncing political violence but did not explicitly name Bangstad in its response to Fox News.
“This rhetoric is dangerous and unacceptable – showcasing just how broken our political system is,” Cooke stated through her campaign manager. “I denounce all forms of political violence.
“We need to bring the temperature down, stop pitting working folks against each other, and come together to solve the very serious problems facing our communities.”
The National Republican Congressional Committee deemed Cooke’s response insufficient and urged her to directly address her former employer.
“Rebecca Cooke needs to stop hiding and immediately denounce her former employer, Kirk Bangstad’s dangerous and unhinged comments,” NRCC spokesman Zach Bannon told Fox News. “Cooke’s previous employment by Bangstad makes her silence even more unacceptable. Voters deserve to know whether she stands with Wisconsinites who reject this rhetoric or with the same extremist voices pushing it.”
Francesca Hong also responded via a series of X posts after being contacted by Fox News Digital, condemning the normalization of political violence but without naming Bangstad. When specifically asked about the brewery or its owner, Hong’s campaign manager, Becky Cooper, referred back to the posts.
“That would fall under the ‘becoming numb’ portion,” Cooper told Fox News, declining to name Bangstad. “MBC’s tweet is intentionally inflammatory and a symptom of the normalization of political violence.”
Wisconsin Republicans and national GOP figures have used the incident to argue against what they describe as overheated rhetoric from the left.
“Wisconsin Democrats are so sick in the head that an attempted murder is funny to them,” RNC spokeswoman Delanie Bomar told Fox News. “All Wisconsin Democrats, including Rebecca Cooke, must immediately condemn this disgusting behavior.”
Bangstad has also faced scrutiny beyond his anti-Trump messaging. Wisconsin Public Radio reported last year that he had been charged in a harassment case related to a dispute with a local newspaper publisher.
“We only give comments to legitimate news organizations, not state propaganda agencies,” Bangstad told Fox News Digital when asked for comment regarding the Secret Service and FBI visit. “However, maybe one of our customers might want to respond to your question.”
Fox News reached out to Bangstad for further comment on Sunday but had not yet received a response. Inquiries were also sent to the campaigns of Hong, Cooke, and Barnes, as well as the Wisconsin Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee.
