U.S. Rep. Tom Petri, R-Wis, said he will not endorse Republican candidate Glenn Grothman in his campaign for Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District seat, according to an Appleton Post-Crescent interview published Wednesday.
The move came after Petri learned about negative comments Grothman made during a July 31 debate with other congressional candidates.
"Why would I endorse a person who has said that if in two years people said he was 'just like Petri' he would be insulted?" Petri said in the interview. "I don't want to smother him with love or anything like that."
The reversal of support comes after Petri attended a Washington D.C. fundraiser for Grothman, donating $5,000 to the candidate’s campaign. Petri explained in the article this was following protocol and is “fairly normal”.
"Grothman said if the GOP turns down the path Petri did, he will go against it," Petri said in the interview. "I always feel you want to reach out and work with people — that has been my approach to both parties."
Petri then said in the interview Democrat candidate Mark Harris has done a “fine job” as Winnebago county executive. Petri critiqued Grothman for his lack of public debates with Harris.
At the beginning of the race, Harris challenged Grothman to a public debate in every county in the 6th Congressional District, and Grothman has been slow to participate, according to the article.
"We have a tradition of having debates in each of the counties in the district and this is healthy and helpful," Petri said in the article.
