Wisconsin Congressman and Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany is hospitalized after the small plane he was riding in made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau and began to submerge, forcing him and the pilot to swim to a shallow area before rescuers reached them by boat. Tiffany and the pilot sustained only minor injuries, according to Tiffany's own account of the incident.
The single-engine, four-seat Bonanza lost power as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport, according to Tiffany's statement reported by WISN. The plane was returning from the La Crosse County Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner, according to the same report. The La Crosse County GOP promoted the event in a Facebook post.
Water Landing, Then a Race to Shallow Ground
Tiffany described the harrowing sequence himself: “After landing, we called 911. As the plane began to submerge, we exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area, where we waited until emergency responders reached us by boat,” he said, per the account WISN published. He and the pilot were then transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital, where Tiffany's wife, Chris, joined him.
“God was watching over us tonight, and I am incredibly grateful to be here in the hospital with my wife, Chris, by my side,” Tiffany said, again per the same account. He also expressed gratitude to the pilot, the Wausau Fire Department and other first responders. The station noted it had reached out to the Tiffany campaign for further information and would continue updating the story as more details emerge.
Why Lake Wausau Wasn't a Death Trap
The geography may have worked in the pair's favor. Lake Wausau was the body of water involved in the landing. Wausau Downtown Airport includes not just two paved runways but an officially designated 8,000-foot water runway on the surrounding river system, per Wikipedia's entry on the airport.
The cause of the power loss remains unclear. The aircraft was identified as a Bonanza.
A High-Stakes Campaign Backdrop
The incident lands in the middle of one of Wisconsin's most closely watched races. Tiffany became the Republican nominee for governor after winning the August 11 primary without major opposition, setting up a general-election matchup against Democratic Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, according to Ballotpedia. A Badger Battleground Poll surveyed likely voters on August 12 and 13 and found Crowley leading Tiffany 48% to 44%, according to Hoodline previously reported.
Campaign appearances like Sunday's Lincoln Day Dinner have become a regular fixture as both sides gear up for the fall stretch. The campaigns are also preparing for the fall stretch.
A Long Career on Wisconsin's Waterways and in Its Capitol
Tiffany is a Wisconsin congressman and Republican gubernatorial candidate. This account does not detail his election history or pre-political employment.
WISN reported it will continue updating its coverage of the incident as more details become available, including any findings from federal investigators or further statements from the Tiffany campaign.
