U.S. Rep. Tom Petri said Friday he will not run for re-election, giving the tea party an eye-popping victory in forcing out two Republicans decried as moderates on a single day.
Petri, 73, has been a congressman since 1979 representing east-central Wisconsin but was facing a strong GOP primary challenger. He announced the move only hours after state Senate President Mike Ellis (R-Neenah) — another GOP official who spent a generation in office — made a similar announcement.