Rep. Samantha Kerkman to seek re-election in Legislature; declines to run for Ryan seat

MADISON — Another Republican Wisconsin state lawmaker is declining to run for Congress to replace House Speaker Paul Ryan.

State Rep. Samantha Kerkman announced Monday she intends to seek re-election to the Legislature rather than run for Ryan's southeastern Wisconsin congressional district.

That leaves University of Wisconsin Regent Bryan Steil as the only other Republican still publicly considering a run in addition to two other announced Republican candidates.

Nick Polce is political newcomer and an Army veteran who co-owns a security consulting firm. Paul Nehlen is running against after losing to Ryan in the 2016 primary by 68 points. Nehlen was banned from Twitter earlier this year for posts criticized as racist or anti-Semitic.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus aren't running.