Marc Trager Drops out of Race for WI-8CD

GOP candidate Marc Trager today announced he was leaving the race for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district seat due to health concerns and that he was endorsing candidate Roger Roth. From the press release:

After much deliberation and council from my family and physician, I have decided to withdraw from the 8th District Congressional race due to health concerns,” said Dr. Trager. “I am confident we would have been successful in November, but the physical strain of the campaign trail has caused me to step back and evaluate my priorities....

Over the past eight months, I have gotten to know Roger well, and I feel that his knowledge, character, and values are what the people of Northeast Wisconsin need,” said Dr. Trager

Trager was a serious candidate and had previously surprised me with some larger than expected fundraising numbers. Obviously, this is a boost to the Roth campaign.

By my count, this leaves five candidates remaining in the race: Ribble, Roth, Savard, McCormick, Williams.

Kerry Thomas confirmed to me in an email, he was no longer a candidate. He is a supporter of Terri McCormick.

I'm not sure how active Andy Williams' campaign is. The domain name for his campaign website appears to have switched to unrelated advertising, but he was still mentioned as a candidate on the WPR report I heard today.

Marc Trager Announcement for Tomorrow

**Updated 5/15 - Marc Trager drops out of race for WI-8CD. Endorses candidate Roger Roth.

The press release from my inbox informs me that Dr. Marc Trager, GOP candidate for WI 8 congressional district, has scheduled an announcement for tomorrow morning at the Rock Garden.

I don't have any idea what it will be, but it's billed as "major" and having the ability to "shake up" the race.

I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow to see if the announcement lives up to the billing.

Marc Trager Becomes a Young Gun

Via the Wis Politics DC Wrap:

Wisconsin now has four GOP candidates on the National Republican Congressional Committee's watch list for its "Young Guns" program

Green Bay physician Marc Trager has joined the program's "On the Radar" list -- the first of three steps in the Young Guns program -- after pacing the 8th CD GOP field in fundraising for the first quarter of 2010. Fellow 8th CD candidate Reid Ribble, a Kaukauna roofing contractor, made the "On the Radar" list last year; Ribble and Trager are headlining a crowded field of Republican candidates looking to challenge U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen, D-Appleton.

Here's a link to the NRCC page with the list of the Young Guns.

For links to the websites of all the WI-8 candidates, click the WI-8 2010 tab at the top of this page.

Marc Trager Raises $100,000

Dr. Marc Trager, Republican candidate for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district is reporting his first quarter fundraising. I just got the press release in the in-box (couldn't find the link yet):

Dr. Marc Trager Raises More than $100,000 in the First Quarter; Has More than $127,000 Cash on Hand

(GREEN BAY, WI) Eighth District Congressional Candidate, Green Bay Physician, and former U.S. Air Force Major Dr. Marc Trager reported raising $100,585 for the quarter ending March 31, 2010 with $127,101 cash on hand. Dr. Trager has raised more than $150,000 since announcing his candidacy last November.

I believe today was the filing deadline, but the numbers aren't up at fec.gov yet, so the overall picture will have to wait for now.

Money isn't everything in this race, but this seems like a big deal.

Brief tour of WI-8 Congressional District

Wisconsin's 8th congressional district has been mostly quiet lately. This soon will change as we start the new year and as the 2010 election season gets underway in earnest.

Here are some recent items related to the candidates for WI-8 (in no particular order)

As of 12/17 only Kerry Thomas and Terri McCormick were listed as official candidates by the Government Accountability board.

I couldn't find a website for Joe Stern so I'll link my original post on his candidacy.

Andy Williams For Congress now has a facebook page. Become a fan today.

Marc Trager recently spent three days in Washington meeting with Paul Ryan and others.

Reid Ribble sold his business to campaign full time (H/T Fox Politics), signed AFP's no climate tax pledge, but hasn't yet moved into the district.

Christmas wishes from Roger Roth.

Marc Savard is looking to raise $2,010 for 2010. Doing it $9.14 at a time.

Kerry Thomas offers a strategy for saving money on a Disney vacation. I wasn't really interested so I dove into the archives. His Personal Message to Paul Ryan was scathing but well-written.

Terri McCormick on the issues. She is also featuring a good introductory video on her home page.

New Candidate for Wisconsin's Eighth Congressional Distirct

Press Gazette reports:

The Republican field of candidates running to challenge U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen, D-Appleton, gets bigger today as Howard physician Marc Trager announces his run for Congress....

"Our campaign will target the economic and social issues important to families in the district, bringing new ideas and a fresh approach to the needs of Northeast Wisconsin," Trager said in a release.

This brings the total Republican candidates to five. If this week's special election in NY taught us anything it is that this cycle will definitely be about contested primaries, which it appears we have.

More Trager coverage from Berry Laker here; Lakeshore Laments here (Kevin includes a teaser about the possibility of more candidates.)