A second Republican appears to be making a run for Congress and will make an announcement Wednesday in Wausau.

“I am considering a run for Congress,” Ashland County District Attorney Sean Duffy said in an interview Wednesday. “On Wednesday, I’m going down to Wausau to talk about what the future holds.”

The Republican Party of Marathon County on Wednesday announced an event next week at Wausau Homes featuring a “very special announcement regarding the 7th Congressional District,” expected to be Duffy’s formal announcement.

Duffy is active with the Republican Party of Wisconsin, but he is perhaps best known as a former cast member on the MTV reality show “The Real World: Boston” in 1997. His conservative political views were a source of friction on the show with some of his more liberal housemates. Duffy is married to another former “Real World” cast member, Rachel Campos-Duffy, who starred in a different season of the long-running series.

In 2004, Duffy considered a congressional run but ultimately decided against it.

Rudolph organic farmer Dan Mielke, who unsuccessfully challenged long-time incumbent Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wausau, last year on the Republican ticket, announced his 2010 candidacy in March.

“I believe the reason I did so well last year, when most Republicans did poorly, is because I am not a professional politician,” Mielke said. “I believe the people want true representation by those who do not get their paycheck from our tax dollars.”

Mielke added that a primary could hurt the eventual Republican nominee’s chances.

Obey, who chairs the powerful House Appropriations Committee, this year celebrated his 40th anniversary as the representative of Wisconsin’s Seventh Congressional District, a sprawling district that includes parts of 19 counties. Ellis Brachman, a spokesman for Obey, said Wednesday that Obey was focusing on governing, not his future opponents.

“It’s a free country. Anyone can run who wants to,” said Brachman. “We’ll focus on the next campaign when campaign season starts next July.”

Source: Wausau Daily Herald