For weeks, Michael Alfonso — the 26-year-old Trump-endorsed candidate for Wisconsin’s open 7th Congressional District — dodged a seemingly simple question: what do you do for a living?
The day after Wisconsin Right Now highlighted the controversy, Alfonso posted on Facebook that he works as a parish accountant for St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Hayward. But the church’s own secretary told Wisconsin Right Now that Alfonso is only part-time.
“He is a part-time employee, though. He does work in the accounting department,” said secretary Mary Costley on March 17.
Alfonso’s name doesn’t appear on the church’s staff page, and the job is nowhere on his campaign website — which highlights only construction work and podcast production. Just one week earlier, Alfonso told WSAW-TV his work history consisted entirely of construction and media production, with no mention of the parish role.
The revelation sits uneasily alongside Alfonso’s campaign brand. An Alabama-based PAC called “Northwoods Future PAC” — funded with $1 million from his father-in-law, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy — has marketed Alfonso as a “working-class fighter.” Alfonso lives in a Hayward home owned by Duffy.
Conflicting details have also emerged about his construction background. Alfonso told WSAW he worked construction for six years; his wife Evita told a podcast it was seven. The campaign has refused to clarify, declining four interview requests.
The questions have sparked real friction within the party. Sawyer County GOP Chair John Righeimer — whose county Alfonso calls home — publicly criticized him for “minimal life experience and job experience,” accusing outside forces of engineering “a coronation versus competing.” The 7th District’s coalition of 20-plus county parties declined to endorse any candidate despite Alfonso’s Trump backing.
Alfonso also previously revealed he had secured a Treasury Department position that never materialized, as he pivoted to the congressional race when Rep. Tom Tiffany announced his gubernatorial run.
“What has experience ever gotten us?” Alfonso said in his WSAW interview. “Character and conviction matter — not age and experience.”
Whether 7th District Republican voters agree will be decided at the ballot box.