Tommy Thompson, the former Wisconsin governor and ex-Bush administration Secretary of Health and Human Services, is set to announce tomorrow just whether or not he will run for Senate against incumbent Democrat Russ Feingold, his spokesman confirms to TPM.
It was reported this morning by WTMJ radio in Milwaukee that Thompson had decided against a run — but then Thompson himself denied it, saying he had not made any decision. Thompson spokesman Jason Denby told TPMDC: “The accurate report is that he had a call last night with his close confidantes. And at the time, at the end of the call, he was undecided completely. He is going to give a speech tomorrow at this rally, this Tea party rally in Madison. And by the end of the speech, he’ll have laid out his decision. So he’s kind of finalizing everything in his head, whichever way he’s leaning today.”
A Republican source in Wisconsin told TPMDC that it is believed that Thompson wants to run, and pointed to the polls showing Thompson ahead of Feingold. However, the source said, family considerations have argued against it: “I think his family would just prefer to have him not run. They’ve been in public life for a long time.”
Thompson was first elected to the state Assembly in 1966, eventually becoming the Republican minority leader. He was elected governor in 1986, then re-elected in 1990, 1994 and 1998, before joining President George W. Bush’s cabinet in 2001. He left the cabinet after the 2004 election, and briefly sought the Republican nomination for president in 2007.
Thompson is probably the GOP’s best shot at beating Feingold, with the TPM Poll Average showing him ahead of the incumbent by 45.3%-41.9%. By contrast, Feingold is ahead of the two Republicans who are already in the race, leading businessman Terrence Wall by 50.7%-37.0%, and leading businessman Dave Westlake by 49.4%-34.2%. Former state Commerce Secretary Dick Leinenkugel, of the Leinenkugel beer family, is expected to enter the race as well, after resigning from the administration of Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle.
