Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) will not make an endorsement in the Democratic primary for the state’s gubernatorial recall election. Barrett spoke to a local forum in Madison on foreign policy, WisPolitics reports. He did, however, praise both of the two leading candidates.
“I will not be endorsing anyone, although [Milwaukee] Mayor Tom Barrett and former Dane County Executive Falk are eminently qualified for the job,” said Feingold, adding that he had worked personally with both of them, and considers each of them to have the needed experience.
“There’s literally no transition period,” Feingold said. “Both of them are ready. We’re lucky to have such great candidates.”
Many Democratic supporters throughout the state had wanted Feingold himself to run for governor, as a comeback bid after his defeat for re-election to the Senate in 2010 — and if he had run, then there would likely have been no contested primary at all. However, he announced in August last year that he would not be a candidate for public office in 2012, either for governor or the state’s other Senate seat.
