Former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus has spoken with GOP officials in Wisconsin about a run for statewide office in 2022.
Priebus, who also served as chairman of the Wisconsin GOP and Republican National Committee, communicated with officials about a possible gubernatorial run or possibly a Senate bid should Republican Ron Johnson decide not to run for reelection, a source told WisPolitics.com.
“I think he’s more in the listening stage than a pitch stage,” the source said. “I think it’s more, ‘Why do you think I would be a good candidate? Why are you still looking for a candidate?’”
Priebus was former President Donald Trump’s chief of staff from the outset of his presidency until he was ousted in July 2017. Trump and Priebus have remained close despite the departure, and the former president could give Priebus a boost in a potential statewide run.
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If Priebus decided to run for governor, he may face a competitive Republican primary. One of the most prominent potential candidates is former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch.
A source close to Kleefisch told the Washington Examiner on Friday that “she’s absolutely considering” a run for governor.
“She’s on the ground and has a very heavy presence out there already,” the source said.
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Kleefisch, who served as former Gov. Scott Walker’s running mate, lost reelection in 2018 by a slim margin. Walker touted a potential Kleefisch run back in 2019 and said she would be a “hell of a great governor.”
