MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Former two-term Republican congressman Mark
Neumann says he will run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democrat Herb Kohl.

Neumann is the first candidate to officially announce he's running for the seat in
2012.

Republican Tommy Thompson and Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin are also expected to run and a number of others are also considering entering the race.

According to Neumann, "Wisconsin is at the forefront of a new breed of fiscal conservatism, with Republicans including Gov. Scott Walker, Rep. Paul Ryan and Sen. Ron Johnson leading the way." The Badger State is poised to show the rest of the nation that we know how to put a stop to the reckless spending that threatens to send our economy off the rails."

Neumann served in Congress from 1995-1999.