Republican State Senator Mike Ellis won't seek re-election

MADISON -- Republican State Senator Mike Ellis has announced he will not run for re-election following accusations he was plotting illegal campaign activity.

Ellis was the target of two undercover videos released by Project Veritas, a national website dedicated to exposing corruption. In those videos Ellis is heard brainstorming a plan to set up a political action committee to run ads against Democratic Challengers State Representative Penny Bernard-Schaber. This is illegal under Wisconsin State Law.

Ellis said the released videos were authentic, but said the plans were stopped once he realized his idea was illegal.

In a written statement, Ellis says he is senator from a different era, and he values his integrity to compromise it any more.