4-16-14 petri-fdl county republican party

The Fond du Lac County Republican Party chairman describes Congressman Tom Petri as a quiet leader who did an outstanding job representing Wisconsin and the 6^th District.  Dan Feyen admits he was caught off guard by Petri’s announcement that he was retiring.  Feyen says he thinks Petri may have run for at least another term if he wasn’t facing a primary challenge.  "There's other people that are willing to step up now, he just figured this is the time of my life where I can move on and still be able to do the things I want to do yet in life.  Is it really worth the fight this stage in my life, I've done a lot of good so do I really want to go through a primary challenge,"  Feyen said.  "I think if there was no one out there he would have stuck it out another two years and stuck it out in Washington."  Feyen says Petri will be remembered as a leader in education and a transportation expert.  "He understands transportation in this nation inside and out,"  Feyen said.  "He's been very instrumental in making higher education more affordable for students."   Petri has been labeled as a moderate Repuublican.   Petri describes himself as pragmatic.  Feyen says he always thought of Petri as a quiet conservative.  "When you're in Washington sometimes you have to compromise to get things accomplished,"  Feyen said.  "But overall he's been a very conservative congressman.  People don't realize it because he is that quiet conservative."   Feyen notes that an organization recently rated Petri the most conservative member of Wisconsin's congressional delegation.