Former Wisconsin gas station chain owner Tony Wied expected to announce run for Gallagher’s seat

Tony Wied, a former Wisconsin gas station chain owner, is expected to announce a run for Rep. Mike Gallagher’s (R-Wis.) seat Monday, two sources familiar told The Hill.  

Wied, who previously owned six Dino Stop gas station and convenience stores, is expected to announce a run for Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District, which covers the northeastern corner of the Badger State.  

Trump-aligned GOP consultant Alex Bruesewitz, whom The Hill first reported was mulling a run for Gallagher’s seat, is expected to opt against running and instead back Wied. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported last week that Wied was weighing a run of his own, with Bruesewitz likely backing him.  

“I feel that in this time that Tony Wied is the strongest candidate to win. Despite me being up 21 points, Tony Wied is the strongest candidate to win this race in the primary and the general election,” Bruesewitz told The Hill. 

“A part of putting America first is not putting yourself first,” he added. 

Bruesewitz was referring to a Cygnal poll released last month that showed him leading the GOP primary field for Gallagher’s seat at 36 percent, followed by state Sen. André Jacque (R) at 15 percent and former state Sen. Roger Roth (R) at 12 percent. About 37 percent were undecided.

A source close to former President Trump’s family told The Hill that the Trump orbit encouraged Bruesewitz to run in the district. Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Trump adviser and fiancee to Donald Trump Jr., told The Hill that Bruesewitz is “selfless and always puts what’s best for President Trump and the MAGA movement as a whole ahead of what’s best for himself.” 

“We will be behind whatever decision he makes 100%,” she added. 

Meanwhile, a source close to Wied told The Hill that there was a “big announcement coming Monday.” 

“Tony is humbled by the outpouring of support from patriots in the district encouraging him to run for this seat and [he’s] grateful for Alex Bruesewitz’s friendship and desire to get WI-8 the America First representation they deserve,” the source said.  

The announcement is set to take place at an event hosted by Bruesewitz in Green Bay, according to a source familiar.

Gallagher, a rising star within the GOP, announced earlier this year he would not be seeking another term in the House. But he sped up that retirement last month when he said he would resign April 19. 

“… the Framers intended citizens to serve in Congress for a season and then return to their private lives,” Gallagher said in his initial statement in February. “Electoral politics was never supposed to be a career, and trust me, Congress is no place to grow old.” 

Gallagher made the statement just days after he and two other House Republicans voted against impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, blocking House Republicans’ efforts to oust the Biden administration official. Roughly a week later, House Republicans impeached Mayorkas in a second attempt.

Gallagher’s early retirement means that his spot will be vacant. Jacque and Roth are also running in the GOP primary, while OB-GYN Kristin Lyerly is running on the Democratic side.  

Trump won the district in 2020 by more than 15 points, meaning whoever wins the GOP primary is considered the heavy favorite to represent the district.  

A source familiar with the Trump-aligned GOP consultant noted that among the people slated to be in attendance include CEO of AmeriLux International Kurt Voss, furniture retailer Jim Greene, and one of the executives of Plexus Corp.