4-16-14 petri-wispolitics react

Political observers will be closely watching what is expected to be a wide open battle for Wisconsin's 6th District congressional seat.  WisPolitics.com editor J.R. Ross admits he was surprised that Fond du Lac Republican congressman Tom Petri decided against running for another two year term rather than face a primary challenge.  "Congressman Petri had almost a million bucks in the bank, we saw his first quarter fundraising totals they were like $68,000 the first three months of 2014 which isn't a huge amount of money but it was more than he raised the previous two quarters,"  Ross told AM 1170 WFDL's Between the Lines program.  Ross says it will be interesting to see who gets into the race and whether Republicans nominate a more conservative candidate than Petri.  "If you get a really tea party type, kind of a far right candidate that doesn't appeal to the middle that could make it a more competitive race."  Ross says Petri was viewed as a gentleman congressman who was able to work across the political aisle.