A plane carrying Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is running for governor in Wisconsin, crash-landed in a lake Saturday night, forcing Mr. Tiffany and the pilot to swim to safety.
Mr. Tiffany, a Republican, and the pilot suffered minor injuries. The lawmaker recounted the incident in a post on X.
“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,” Mr. Tiffany said. “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.”
The post drew responses on social media from well-wishers.
“Grateful to God no one was hurt in this accident and my good friend Tom Tiffany is safe and back on the trail!” Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, said.
Conspiracy theorists also chimed in. One posted that the crash “was sabotage by the liberal Democratic party deep operatives.”
Mr. Tiffany’s post also drew skepticism from a local reporter who posted on X that the lake was “only” between 7 feet and 30 feet. The reporter quickly took down the post.
The pilot of the plane was Lenny Boltz, chairman of the Langlade County, Wisconsin Republican Party. Mr. Boltz is a former military pilot.
An Aug. 26 Marquette Law School poll of Wisconsin likely voters found Democrat and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley leading Mr. Tiffany 49% to 44%, with 7% undecided.
Mr. Tiffany has served in the House since 2020.
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