Feingold Opts Out Of Democratic National Convention

Former Democratic U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold will sit out this week’s Democratic National Convention.

Feingold told reporters Monday that he plans to continue meeting with voters in Wisconsin instead of making the trek to Philadelphia for the party gathering.

“That’s how you win elections, by talking to the voters, so I think it’s best that I be here,” he said.

Feingold’s opponent, incumbent U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, spoke last week at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, after first saying he too had no plans to attend. Johnson’s speech focused on national security and included a hit on Feingold for his 2001 vote against the PATRIOT Act.

Feingold also weighed in on the resignation of Democratic Party chair Debbie Wasserman Shultz on Monday, saying she “did the right thing” to step down after leaked emails revealed the committee showed favoritism to the Hillary Clinton campaign and against the campaign of rival Bernie Sanders.

Feingold said he hasn’t had time to review the emails, but said there should never be favoritism of candidates by the national committee. He said Schultz’s continued presence as chairwoman would be problematic for the convention.

“We don’t need any distractions at this point,” Feingold said.

The former senator’s comments came after a Monday afternoon rally encouraging voters to participate in early voting, which kicked off across the state this week for the Aug. 9 partisan primary.