Republican Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Representative Tom Tiffany reported that he and a pilot survived with minor injuries after their small plane lost power and made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau on Saturday night.
Tiffany was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the aircraft lost power near Wausau Downtown Airport. The pilot successfully landed the plane on the lake, according to a statement Tiffany shared on X.
“After landing, we called 911,” Tiffany said. “As the plane started to submerge, we exited and swam to a shallow area to await emergency responders who reached us by boat.”
According to a report from the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, a private plane went into Lake Wausau around 9 p.m. Saturday. Local reports confirmed that two individuals sustained minor injuries and were taken to the hospital.
Tiffany expressed gratitude toward the Wausau Fire Department and other first responders who helped rescue them, ensuring they received care at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. He noted, “Thankfully, both the pilot and I sustained only minor injuries.”
He expressed thanks to the pilot and the emergency teams, stating, “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 of the value of life.”
Who Is Tom Tiffany?
Tom Tiffany is a Republican congressman representing Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District. He is also a candidate for governor in 2026. Tiffany entered Congress after winning a special election in 2020, following his tenure in the Wisconsin State Assembly and State Senate.
Raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm, Tiffany later managed a Northwoods excursion-boat business with his wife, Chris. He currently serves on the House Judiciary and Natural Resources committees.
Politicians and Small-Plane Travel
Small aircraft are frequently used by American politicians traveling between events, especially in large or rural states. Aviation accidents have influenced political history significantly. For example, an aircraft carrying Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone crashed near Eveleth, Minnesota, in October 2002 during its approach to a municipal airport.
In October 2000, Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan perished in a twin-engine Cessna crash on the way to a campaign event. Former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens died in a 2010 floatplane crash after surviving another aviation accident decades earlier.
This news story is ongoing and will be updated as more information becomes available.