Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany recently took the stage with former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre during a campaign event in Waukesha County. The move sparked criticism online, however, as many Wisconsin residents disliked the association between Tiffany and Favre, who has a controversial past.
As reported by The Wisconsin Examiner, the event was part of the candidate’s push to mobilize Republican voters, particularly hunters and outdoor enthusiasts, to turn out for Wisconsin’s November 2026 gubernatorial election. Waukesha County has leaned slightly less Republican in recent years, which could have motivated the event.
Brett Favre is a former American football quarterback who played for the Green Bay Packers. Despite his star status, however, he has faced several controversies, including allegations that he sent a reporter unsolicited explicit messages and photographs, as well as a controversy involving Mississippi’s welfare funds scandal.
At the time, he reportedly received $1.1 million for speaking engagements he did not attend. He later returned the money but reportedly failed to pay interest.
Tom Tiffany Criticized After Having Brett Favre on Stage
Wisconsin residents on r/Wisconsin were irritated to see Tiffany teaming up with Favre and cracked jokes at the duo’s expense. One person wrote: “Is that Brett Favre the sex pest or Brett Favre who steals welfare funds?” Someone else added: “For the love of Christ, was there no other option?”
Another issue some locals had was how Favre had tarnished his reputation with the Packers at the end of his career: “Putting aside all of other the things that make him a terrible human being, his retirement retraction and then signing on with the Vikings should make him a nonstarter for anyone who would have been otherwise moved by his endorsement.”
Some seemingly irritated users also noted that “the ‘athletes should stay out of politics’ crowd sure loves their MAGA athletes.” Another person wrote: “Isn’t this where Republicans tell us that they don’t care what some athlete or movie star has to say about politics? Brett Favre should just shut up and play, right? In this particular case the man certainly wasn’t valued for his intelligence.”
This is not the first time Tiffany has shared the stage with a controversial figure during his campaign. Earlier this month, for example, Tiffany was criticized for campaigning with musician Ted Nugent, who admitted to having sex with underage girls in 1998. It remains to be seen whether the campaign will continue to generate controversy.
