US Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson has received an endorsement from former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton, a one-time potential candidate for president. The endorsement was announced today by Bolton PAC, Bolton’s political action committee.
“As a highly decorated U.S. Marine veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Kevin fundamentally understands what it takes to keep America safe,” said Ambassador Bolton in a statement released by the PAC. “I know he will strengthen our military to eliminate ISIS and keep our adversaries at bay. I support Kevin and look forward to him being the GOP nominee because he is best suited to support policies that protect the U.S. abroad and he can defeat Tammy Baldwin in 2018.”
Bolton served as UN Ambassador under President George W. Bush. Bolton currently serves as a foreign policy senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and is a contributor to FOX News Channel.
“I am honored to have the support of Ambassador John Bolton, one of our nation’s true foreign policy leaders,” Nicholson responded in the same press release. “We both understand that America faces unprecedented threats to our security – and the weak stances that Democrats like Tammy Baldwin have taken against ISIS and countries like North Korea and Iran make us less safe. I understand firsthand the dangers we face as a nation, and will make the safety and security of Wisconsin families my top priority in the U.S. Senate.”
Nicholson will receive $10,000 from the PAC and, perhaps more important to his candidacy, more national attention to his campaign. Already the endorsement was featured in a story in National Review, the nation’s leading conservative magazine.
However, national support has not always translated to support in a Wisconsin Republican primary election as former Congressman Mark Neumann learned in 2012 when he received the endorsement of the national Club for Growth and Erick Erickson, then with RedState. Neumann finished third behind former Governor Tommy Thompson and businessman Eric Hovde.
Nicholson is currently the only declared Republican candidate for senate. However, state Senator Leah Vukmir, R-Brookfield, is expected to run. State Rep. Dale Kooyenga of Brookfield and state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, are also possible candidates.
