Former Gov. Tommy Thompson said he will not challenge U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, D-Wisconsin, for his seat, he said during the Tax Day tea party rally at the capitol Wednesday.
""You can tell I want to run, ladies and gentlemen, boy do I want to run,"" Thompson said. ""But I told my family last night that it's time for new voices, and new faces.""
Although he declined the run, Thompson assured the crowd he would support them wholeheartedly through November.
""I am going to be with you in the small cities and the large cities, taking the message wherever I possibly can, to make sure that we start electing conservatives to public office who will listen to the people,"" he said.
The rally, which was attended by a crowd numbering in the thousands, was organized by the Executive Director of the Wisconsin chapter of Americans for Prosperity and Thompson's former campaign manager Mark Block.
Speakers at the event included tea party organizers from across the state, a civil lawyer, a reverend, and even a Thomas Jefferson impersonator, among others. They all share a similar demand for smaller government and political turnover in the state and in the nation's capitol this fall.
""This election is so important,"" Thompson said. ""I not only want you to talk to your neighbors to get out the vote, I want you to talk to your relatives, get them all out to vote.""
Now that Thompson is out of the race, student activists from both ends of the political spectrum anticipate recently resigned Wisconsin Secretary of Commerce Dick Leinenkugel will become the Republican frontrunner in the coming weeks.
""One thing about Tommy Thompson not running is Feingold will have an easier re-election,"" said Evan Giesemann, a UW student and supporter of Feingold attending the rally. However, he said Feingold supporters are looking out for Leinenkugel.
""It'll be interesting to see how that plays out, especially in the larger sense of the Republican primary because he is a moderate,"" Giesemann said.
President of College Republicans Crystal Lee said she saw Leinenkugel as a strong candidate, along with businessman Dave Westlake and real estate developer Terrence Wall.
""Regardless of who it is, a Republican is better than Russ Feingold,"" Lee said.
