MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is asking Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to lower the U.S. and Wisconsin flags on state buildings in honor of conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh, who died Wednesday after a battle with cancer.
Limbaugh has been lauded as a towering figure in conservatism and and media and has been inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame and the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He was also a highly divisive figure, criticized for making derogatory comments about marginalized communities, including the LGBT community, AIDS patients and women.
“While some individuals may only see him as a popular radio host, he was a pioneer in talk radio, a best-selling author and a commentator who inspired generations to become active in politics,” Vos said in his request to Evers. “No doubt, there are people who did not agree with him, but there is no question that he made a lasting impact on political discourse and conservativism in our nation.”
An Evers spokeswoman didn’t immediately respond to a request seeking comment, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
Limbaugh was awarded the presidential medal of freedom by former Republican President Donald Trump.
