Less than two weeks from Election Day, state Representative Brett Hulsey has announced an independent bid for governor. The Madison Democrat, who lost resoundingly to Mary Burke in the August Democratic primary (Hulsey received 51,830 votes to Burke’s 259,921), said at the time that he had no intention of running as an independent and would support Burke.
“I thought I could, but the more the campaign goes on, the more I realized we need real change in Wisconsin, and she’s just more of the same failed policies of Governor Walker and past administrations,” Hulsey said. The Burke campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Asked about the possibility that his candidacy could peel off enough votes from Burke to hand what appears to be a close race to Republican Governor Scott Walker, Hulsey insisted that’s not his intent. “It’s not my goal,” Hulsey said. “If it looks like at the end that that’s happening, I’ll pull out. I do not want to reelect Scott Walker.”
Hulsey won’t be on the ballot, but has informed the Government Accountability Board that he will run as a write-in candidate, joining three other write in candidates for governor. Election Day is November 4th.