Sources: Leinenkugel to seek GOP Senate nomination vs. Feingold

Outgoing Doyle administration Commerce Secretary Dick Leinenkugel is expected to announce later this month that he’s running for the U.S. Senate as a Republican, sources say.

Asked for a comment Tuesday night, Leinenkugel responded Wednesday morning: “I will be making an announcement on my future plans within the next two to three weeks. Thanks for checking back with me.”

Leinenkugel announced Tuesday that he was leaving his post at the end of this week to pursue a new opportunity. Leinenkugel said in an interview late Tuesday afternoon that he couldn’t announce what he was doing next for another two to three weeks, but said he was “tremendously excited” and it was something he couldn’t finish out his term and pursue.

At that time, Leinenkugel declined to comment on speculation that he may run for public office.

But sources told WisPolitcs that Leinenkugel will run for the Senate, seeking the GOP nomination to take on U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Middleton. He’d join Madison-area developer Terrence Wall, Watertown businessman David Westlake and maybe former governor and national health secretary Tommy Thompson if he decides to jump in. Thompson would still be the favorite — even with Leinenkugel’s entrance into the field, political observers said.

Prior to his appointment to the Commerce post in September 2008, Leinenkugel most recently served as the vice president of sales and marketing at the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company. He joined the family business in 1987 Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle thanked Leinenkugel for his service as Commerce secretary.

“My last budget created powerful new tax credits to help manufacturers create and retain jobs, new tools to help investors create start-ups, and new incentives to spur research and development,” Doyle said. “The Department of Commerce has put these to good use in a tough national economic downturn, which has resulted in attracting and retaining numerous businesses and creating thousands of jobs.” .

See Leinenkugel’s bio: http://www.commerce.state.wi.us/com/COM-LeinenkugelBio.html

— By WisPolitics.com staff