How This Reporter Reacted to WI GOP Gov Candidate Tom Tiffany's Scary Plane Incident Was Appalling

Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany had a scary incident this weekend. He posted around 1 AM on September 13 that his plane went down. He was traveling back from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when his plane lost power on approach, forcing a water landing in Lake Wausau, as Joe covered this morning. They were able to exit the aircraft and swim to safety:

While returning home from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner tonight, the plane I was traveling in lost power as we approached the Wausau Downtown Airport. The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau.

After landing, we called 911. As the plane began to…

— Tom Tiffany (@TomTiffanyWI) September 13, 2026

While returning home from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner tonight, the plane I was traveling in lost power as we approached the Wausau Downtown Airport. The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau.

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.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to the pilot, the Wausau Fire Department, and all of the first responders who came to our aid so quickly. They got us safely off the water and transported us to Aspirus Wausau Hospital, where we received excellent care. Thankfully, both the pilot and I sustained only minor injuries.

God was watching over us tonight, and I am incredibly grateful to be here in the hospital with my wife, Chris, by my side. An experience like this reminds you just how precious life is.

But some in the media didn't think it was a big deal. Hope Karnopp was forced to delete her tweet about the incident when she said the lake was “only” 30 feet deep. Lady, hitting any water at that speed is like smashing into concrete; it can be fatal, and what take is this — that it’s okay that a GOP candidate for governor was forced to make a water landing. What the hell was this tweet? Amy saved it, of course:

Hey @hopekarnopp — why’d you delete this? Why is a @journalsentinel employee minimizing what happened to Tom Tiffany? pic.twitter.com/czKPMPQdcj

— Amy Curtis (@RantyAmyCurtis) September 13, 2026

A reporter with @journalsentinel is trying to claim that it is no big deal that Tom Tiffany’s plane was forced to make an emergency landing in a lake last night. pic.twitter.com/aaOOuchuLn

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 13, 2026

Just a horrendous take. 

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