Update: Thompson ends speculation about Senate run at Capitol 'tea party'

[shotten99]

Update: Thompson ends speculation about Senate run at Capitol 'tea party'

State Journal | Posted: Thursday, April 15, 2010 11:50 am

Former Gov. Tommy Thompson, addressing a crowd of thousands at a "tea party" outside the state Capitol on Thursday, said it was "time for new voices" in conservative leadership.

Thompson quashed speculation that he would try to unseat longtime Democratic U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold.

After his speech he told the State Journal that he decided Wednesday night against a Senate run after consulting with his family.

The speech capped off an 90-minute lunchtime rally by conservatives that coincided with the April 15 deadline to file federal income taxes.

Yellow "Don't Tread on Me" flags were surrounded by signs reading "November is coming" and "Taxed Enough Already Party."

Rada Nedovic of Racine said she came because the health care reform bill passed recently "stinks." Nedovic said she lived in Communist-run Yugoslavia and "knows what it's like when government gets into health care."

The Madison event mirrored a massive gathering in Washington, D.C., and other activist rallies in Oklahoma, Ohio, Hawaii and Georgia.


http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_260933b0-48af-11df-aa87-001cc4c002e0.html

[Grand Taurean]

1. Though popular (I don't know why) Thompson still trails

Feingold by a few points. Feingold is a senior senator with good standing, even among his opponents, so it would hard to unseat him.

[shotten99]

2. I'd say Feingold's a lock at this point.

[Grand Taurean]

3. Also he is generally pro 2nd amendment.

That single issue can give or cost one many rural votes.

[FBaggins]

5. Not a "lock" by any means... but MUCH safer now than before.

He has clear leads in polling against anyone but Thompson, but fairly regularly still comes short of the magic 50% line. A well known incumbent polling under 50% (in a two-way race of course) is considered to be in some danger... particularly if the opponent is not well known.

We'll know more if/when Leinenkugel gets in the race and a few polls are run. He's obviously got the name recognition, so we should know fairly quickly whether we have a race on our hands.

No question that Thompson taking a pass was good news. There's a chance that our Senate majority rests on this tier of potentially-contested races (Murray/Feingold/Boxer/Gillibrand). If those races start to look competitive, the Senate is truly in play.

[old guy]

4. I suspect his internal polling was not good.

He did not want to go back to Elroy a loser.