Ron Johnson’s spokesman won’t run for Congress

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson’s spokesman says he won’t challenge the state Senate’s top Republican for an open congressional seat next year.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald announced in September that he’s running to replace retiring Republican Jim Sensenbrenner in southeastern Wisconsin’s conservative 5th Congressional District.

Johnson’s spokesman, Ben Voelkel, was among a host of Republicans considering their own bid for the seat. But Voelkel said Friday that now isn’t the right time to run. He didn’t elaborate beyond saying that he’s confident voters will have a good choice in 2020.

Other Republicans weighing a run include former U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson; state Sen. Chris Kapenga; and Vince Trovato, President Donald Trump’s first state director in 2016.

Tom Palzewicz, who lost to Sensenbrenner in 2018, is running as a Democrat.

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