Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson will seek reelection

MADISON, Wis. – Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, 1 of erstwhile President Donald Trump’s biggest backers, announced Sunday that helium volition question reelection successful the battleground state, ending months of speculation astir whether helium would spell for a 3rd term.

Johnson announced his determination via email 2 days after a brace of Republicans with cognition of his determination told The Associated Press that helium was adjacent to launching a bid. Johnson, 66, had agelong said his penchant was to service conscionable 2 terms. He pledged successful 2016 not to tally for a 3rd time, but helium rescinded that committedness and kicked astir moving again for months, saying circumstances person changed.

“In 2010, I promised I would ever archer radical the information and that I would ne'er ballot with re-election successful mind,” Johnson said successful a statement. “An hold of that committedness is that I don’t behaviour myself worrying astir re-election. When re-election is not your superior motivation, those are casual promises to support -- and I person faithfully done so.”

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Johnson said helium did not marque the determination lightly.

“Having already experienced a increasing level of vitriol and mendacious attacks, I surely don’t expect amended attraction successful the future,” helium said successful his announcement.

The contention is definite to beryllium 1 of the astir hotly contested successful the state adjacent twelvemonth successful purple Wisconsin. President Joe Biden won the authorities by less than 21,000 votes successful 2020 aft a likewise constrictive triumph by Trump successful 2016. Johnson won by astir 5 points successful 2010, his archetypal contention for office, and past by conscionable implicit 3 points successful 2016. Both times helium defeated Democrat Russ Feingold.

Johnson’s hostile won’t beryllium known this clip until aft an Aug. 9 primary. Several high-profile and well-funded Democrats are running, including Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who is seeking to go the state’s archetypal Black senator; Milwaukee Bucks enforcement Alex Lasry; authorities Treasurer Sarah Godlewski and Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson.

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Johnson’s determination besides has ripple effects connected Wisconsin’s governor’s race. Kevin Nicholson, a erstwhile Marine who ran for U.S. Senate and mislaid successful the GOP superior successful 2018, has said helium would tally for politician if Johnson sought reelection. Earlier this week, erstwhile U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy bowed retired of moving for Senate oregon governor.

History is connected Johnson’s broadside successful the midterm election. The enactment that does not clasp the White House mostly gains seats successful midterm legislature elections. Former President Barack Obama’s Democratic Party, for example, mislaid 63 seats successful the House and six successful the Senate successful 2010.

Johnson, who roseate retired of the beverage enactment question successful 2010, has agelong been aligned with Trump’s hardline policies and politics. The 2 person remained adjacent pursuing Trump’s defeat, with Trump successful April endorsing Johnson for a 3rd word and encouraging him to run.

Johnson was 1 of Trump’s loudest defenders successful 2020, peculiarly aft his predetermination loss, and that enactment continued aft the insurrection astatine the U.S. Capitol connected Jan. 6, 2021. Johnson has espoused conspiracy theories related to the Capitol raid that attempted to displacement blasted for what happened distant from Trump supporters.

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Johnson has since downplayed the violence, saying it “didn’t look similar an equipped insurrection to me.”

Just earlier the U.S. Capitol was stormed a twelvemonth ago, Johnson objected to counting the Electoral College votes from Arizona. Last year, helium told Republicans who power the Wisconsin Legislature that they should instrumentality implicit power of national elections. Republican Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos told the AP connected Friday that determination is “zero chance” of the Legislature taking implicit the awarding of the state’s 10 statesmanlike elector votes successful 2024.

Johnson, who contracted COVID-19 successful October 2020 and is not vaccinated, has formed uncertainty implicit the efficacy of vaccines and pushed for unproven treatments. Just past week, Johnson connected blimpish speech vigor said, “Why bash we deliberation that we tin make thing amended than God successful presumption of combating disease? Why bash we presume that the body’s earthy immune strategy isn’t the marvel that it truly is?”

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