Republican Madison businessman Eric Hovde told “UpFront with Mike Gousha” he will not run for the U.S. Senate.
In an interview to air Sunday, Hovde cited “a number of different factors” both personal and professional, including the pregnancy of his eldest daughter, the serious illness of another family member, and the impact on his businesses.
“It really weighed on me,” Hovde said on the show, which is produced in conjunction with WisPolitics.com. “On one hand, I really wanted to get into the race. I so desperately wanted to debate Tammy Baldwin because we have absolutely different philosophies.”
“But when I looked at it, for my life right now and my wife, we just finally — after a lot of prayer and a lot of discussion — said it’s just not the right time for us at this point in time.”
Hovde held out the possibility that he could run again for Senate at some point in the future.
Hovde said he decided against running before Tuesday’s election for Wisconsin Supreme Court, in which Judge Rebecca Dallet defeated Judge Michael Screnock by a double digit margin.
He said he would hold off on endorsing at this time. Former Marine and business consultant Kevin Nicholson and state Sen. Leah Vukmir, of Brookfield, are seeking the GOP nomination to face Baldwin, D-Madison.
