State Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, announced Tuesday he will not be running for the 2nd Congressional District seat, saying in a letter his time would better be served in Wisconsin politics.
Erpenbach was widely speculated to run after he said in August he was ""taking a really close look and, in all likelihood, would run for Congress"" on the Wisconsin political news show ""Here and Now.""
According to Political Science Professor Charles Franklin, Erpenbach's decision allows him to remain a ""long serving voice"" for the Democrats in the legislature, assuming he stays in the state Senate and wins reelection in 2014.
In his letter, Erpenbach criticized Wisconsin's Republican administration for ""pitting neighbor against neighbor.""
""Our state has been torn apart,"" Erpenbach said. ""The promised bipartisanship on the part of the governor and Republican leadership has consisted entirely of the opposite.""
Erpenbach said he plans to remain in Wisconsin to offset and oppose what he called ""Walker's administration on the middle class.""
""The fight to protect our state's programs and people is here in Wisconsin,"" Erpenbach said.
As of yet, three politicians have announced their candidacy for the 2nd Congressional District seat, which Tammy Baldwin currently holds—state Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, state Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison, and Dane County Treasurer Dave Worzala.
Franklin said he expects a ""competitive democratic primary,"" explaining that both Pocan and Roys are ""experienced politicians in the area that can draw on existing supporters for the congressional race.""
