Tommy Thompson condemns entry of national Club for Growth in GOP U.S. Senate race

Former Gov. Tommy Thompson hasn't yet endorsed anyone in the Republican race for U.S. Senate, but he just entered the contest in a very big way.

Thompson condemned the national Club for Growth ad push, which includes $2 million in new TV buys, most aimed at state Sen. Leah Vukmir of Brookfield.

Vukmir is running against Delafield businessman Kevin Nicholson in the Aug. 14 primary.

In 2012, Thompson fought a bitter primary campaign against businessman Eric Hovde and emerged victorious but wounded politically. Club for Growth, which backed Mark Neumann in the primary, advertised against Thompson and Hovde.

Thompson lost in the general election to Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

“The national Club for Growth is at it again,” Thompson said in a statement issued through the Vukmir campaign.

"I won the 2012 GOP primary for U.S. Senate despite Club for Growth’s attacks," Thompson said. "Worse yet, the national Club for Growth never offered any help to my campaign in the general election, which gave Tammy Baldwin a huge cash advantage.

"I condemned the Club’s attacks in the GOP primary in 2012 and now in the 2018 primary. They are wasting precious resources that would be better used in the general election to elect a conservative to the U.S. Senate from Wisconsin.”

Club for Growth responded to Thompson in a series of tweets, saying his advice was not needed.

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