Former Packer Mark Tauscher not interested in run for governor

Former Green Bay Packer Mark Tauscher says he's not considering a 2018 run for Wisconsin governor. 

"It really is humbling that somebody put that out there, and that we got the reaction that we did," Tauscher said Friday on his ESPN radio show with Jason Wilde.

A Facebook page, "Mark Tauscher for WI Governor," was started to push Tauscher into taking on Gov. Scott Walker as a Democrat.

"Scott Walker is not getting past this mountain of a man. Not when the whole state needs protection," wrote Milwaukee Ald. Nik Kovac, a die-hard Packer fan.

The page identifies itself as a "grass-roots effort to encourage Mark to run for Governor of Wisconsin."

"We are not affiliated with Mark Tauscher, yet," it reads.

Tauscher added Friday that he was humbled by the Facebook page, but has no plans to run in 2018 - or 2022.

He said he was overwhelmed by how fast the rumor spread.

"It was a really nice gesture, I really appreciate, you know, when people do nice things," Tauscher said of the Facebook page. "It went from that to then, 'I may be thinking about running.' That's when I was like, 'Wow. It's amazing how quick things can spread."

Radio host Keith Gaustad said he created the Facebook page just a few days ago but has been thinking about trying to recruit Tauscher to run since 2014 when he was a poll worker and noticed many college students knew little about then-Democratic candidate Mary Burke.

Tauscher said he got some funny texts and messages from friends and former teammates about the rumors.

"One of my favorites was, 'Good luck on your run. If you get elected I'm moving out of the state,'" he said.