Wisconsin GOP Governor Candidate Swims to Safety After Plane Lands in Lake

Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Representative Tom Tiffany and a pilot swam to safety after their small plane made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau on Saturday night, September 12, 2026. Both sustained only minor injuries and were transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital. Tiffany, who represents Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District, described the incident in a statement posted on social media early Sunday. He said the four-seat Bonanza aircraft lost power as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport while he was returning home from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner in Onalaska, Wisconsin. "The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau," Tiffany wrote. "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." Emergency responders from the Wausau Fire Department and other agencies reached the pair by boat and transported them to the hospital. Tiffany expressed gratitude to the pilot and first responders for their swift action.