WI-Sen: Thompson (R) probably won't challenge Feingold

Final decision coming tomorrow:

Former Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) will not challenge Sen. Russ Feingold (D) for re-election this year, reports a Wisconsin media outlet.

The Web site of Milwaukee radio station WTMJ said Wednesday morning that an unnamed source "who is close with Thompson's family" said "he believes Thompson's decision is not to run."

Though Thompson is pushing back against the report, telling the Associated Press: "The only person who knows what I'm going to do is myself and I don't know what I'm going to do," a GOP source tells CQ Politics that Thompson will not run.

Thompson is the only Republican who could make this race competitive. With George Pataki bowing out of a challenge against Kirsten Gillibrand in New York this year, Wisconsin is the last real chance Republicans have of putting a safe Democratic Senate seat into play.

The confusion is likely because at a meeting yesterday, Thompson didn't seem eager to make the bid:

A spokesperson for former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson says while a final decision has not been made, it is "unlikely" Thompson will run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Russ Feingold.

The spokesperson says after a meeting Tuesday night, the final decision hadn't been reached, with Thompson saying he wanted to sleep on it and talk to his family one more time.