U.S. Rep. Tom Petri Won’t Seek Re-Election

U.S. Rep. Tom Petri, R-Fond du Lac, says he’s not running for re-election. The House Republican says he’ll elaborate on his reasons at a town hall meeting Monday in Neenah.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee governmental affairs professor Mordecai Lee served with Petri in the state Legislature in 1978. Lee says in the House Transportation Committee at least, Petri has been a fiscal moderate.

“He believes in infrastructure, and he believes in highway construction and other modes of transportation, and he realizes that if one wants to expand investment in infrastructure, perhaps there’s a need to increase revenues,” said Lee.

Recently, state Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, said he’d challenge Petri in a Republican primary this summer. With Petri now instead retiring, other Republicans, including state Sen. Joe Leibham, R-Sheboygan, say they’re also considering getting into the race in the Sixth Congressional District.