Via local radio station WTMJ:
Former Governor Tommy Thompson has said that his long consideration of a run for U.S. Senate is over, and the process to run for the Senate has begun.
"I've filed my corporation documents today, which allows me now to build my organization, raise money so I can go out there and tell the story," he said on Newsradio 620 WTMJ's "Midday with Charlie Sykes."
"An announcement will be coming very soon... we're doing it in steps because that's what the federal law requires."
That last line really doesn't make any sense—you can launch a campaign pretty much overnight if you want to. It just looks like another sign to me that Thompson is dragging his feet ... but these kind of remarks are hard to back away from, so it sure looks like he's in the race. He joins ex-Rep. Mark Neumann in the GOP field, though others look likely to join, particularly state Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald.
Thompson will have a hell of a time making it through the Republican primary, since movement conservatives badly distrust him, as well-documented in this recent AP piece. He also has the advantage (due at least in part to name recognition) of performing better than any fellow Republicans in all of the early polling we've seen so far—call it Mitt Romney's lament. Still, it should be an interesting race, since resources should be plentiful and the real wingnutty candidates like Neumann and Fitzgerald won't be able to resist attacking Thompson's conservative bona fides. Pass the popcorn!