Former Wis. Gov. Thompson ends speculation, won’t run for US Senate against Democrat Feingold

Former Wis. Gov. Thompson won’t run for US Senate

MADISON, Wis. — Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson will not be running for the U.S. Senate.

Thompson said at a tea party rally Thursday in Madison “it’s time for new voices and new faces.”

There had been rampant speculation the 68-year-old Republican would enter the race to challenge incumbent Democrat U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold.

Thompson says he’d “love” to take on a Senate race. But he says his family persuaded him not to run.

Thompson served as governor from 1986 until 2001, when he left to serve as President George W. Bush’s health and human services secretary. He held that post until 2005.

Since then he has flirted with re-entering state politics. He launched a brief run for the presidency but dropped out in 2007 after finishing seventh in the Iowa straw poll.