Mark Neumann endorses Tommy Thompson for U.S. Senate

BROOKFIELD -- Wisconsin Congressman Mark Neumann conceded his race for Wisconsin's U.S. Senate seat just after 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 14th -- saying he's endorsing former governor Tommy Thompson for the seat.

Wisconsin's open U.S. Senate seat is being vacated by the retiring Herb Kohl. Democrat Tammy Baldwin is running unopposed in the primary -- and will face one of four men in November's general election.

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Neumann is 58-years-old.  He is from East Troy and now lives in Nashotah. He’s a graduate of UW-Whitewater, and an Evangelical Lutheran. Neumann is married with three kids and four grandchildren. He has a varied professional resume that includes a stint in Congress, when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 as part of Newt Gingrich's Republican Revolution.

Now, he wants to go back to the capitol.

Neumann's wife, Sue, whom he met in fourth grade Sunday school class, dated through high school and eventually married has become a fixture on the campaign trail.

“She came to me and said 'go ahead and do it because we want you to serve the country' and my whole family was behind it -- that service to our country to balance the budget," Neumann said.

Neumann said his campaign is about two things: balancing the budget and repealing Obamacare -- what critics call Obama's Affordable Care Act.

“It's conservative principles that will determine who will win the primary and I believe the general as well. We saw Scott Walker win here a very conservative agenda and he’s doing a great job as governor," Neumann said.

Neumann clashed in a primary battle for governor with Scott Walker back in 2010.

"I think it's important to see after the primary ended, I went to work for Scott Walker. This isn’t about republicans and democrats its about the future of the United States of America. My kids and my grandkids deserve an America where the opportunity to live the American dream is alive and well,” Neumann said.

Neumann has, by far, the most specific plan for government spending.

“We laid out 150 specific line items as to what we would start with interns of wasteful government spending. The plan is here and it is ready to go and there is numbers in it," Neumann said.

Neumann has the endorsement of the national Tea Party movement.

Mark Neumann greeted voters and supporters Tuesday night at the Sheraton in Brookfield.

Neumann calls himself the true conservative in the race and was polling consistently in third place prior to the election. Tuesday, Neumann looked nervous, according to a FOX6 News crew at the event. He headed up to the "War Room" while his family mingled with the crowd.

Neumann said Tuesday as results rolled in he had "no idea" what low voter turnout could mean for him.

The latest Marquette University Law School Poll released Wednesday, August 8th shows the U.S. Senate Republican primary race tightening with less than a week until voters take the polls. Former Governor Tommy Thompson led the poll, but Thompson’s lead was shrinking.

The poll found Thompson led the pack with 28% of likely voter support. Hovde was next in line with 20%. Congressman Mark Neumann had 18% and Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald 13% of the likely vote.

According to the Marquette Law School poll, 21% of likely GOP primary voters are still undecided. In July, 25% of likely GOP primary voters were undecided.

FOX6's Mike Lowe profiled each of the five U.S. Senate candidates leading up to Tuesday's election. CLICK HERE to learn more about Mark Neumann.

CLICK HERE for additional coverage on the race for Wisconsin's U.S. Senate seat via FOX6Now.com.