The third Republican to enter the 8th District race for Congress got Trump’s endorsement before he even announced

Tony Wied owned six Dino Stop gas stations in northeast Wisconsin.

Tony Wied, the former owner of a chain of six Dino Stop gas stations, formally announced his intention Monday to run for Congress in northeast Wisconsin’s 8th District—making him the third Republican in the race, but the only one whose candidacy includes an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.

“Look, I don’t need this job to make a living,” Wied told supporters in his announcement. “I am doing this job to serve, to make a difference — to secure our border, to get our spending under control and to give our next president Donald J. Trump an ally he’ll need in Congress.”

Wied, who attended last week’s Green Bay rally with Trump, had not even entered the race when Trump put out an endorsement of the political newcomer on Sunday. Trump also slammed one of the other candidates, a former state Senate president. 

“After selling his highly successful Oil and Gas Business, Tony Wield has decided to run for Congress in Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, misspelling Wied’s last name. “Tony is running against RINO Roger Roth, who is a ‘clone’ of Paul Ryan, and no friend to MAGA — He should drop out of the Race NOW.”

Roth served in the state Senate from 2015 to 2023. He ran for lieutenant governor in 2022 alongside gubernatorial nominee Tim Michels, who lost to Gov. Tony Evers. Roth previously ran in the 8th Congressional District in 2010 while serving in the state Assembly—losing the Republican primary to Reid Ribble, who would go on to defeat incumbent Democratic US Rep. Steve Kagen.

Roth, in a statement Monday, highlighted his service with the Wisconsin Air National Guard and recommitted his allegiance to Trump despite the insults.

“As the only veteran in this race, I know what it means to serve,” Roth said. “My wife and I Iook at our country, and for the sake of our children, know we have to fight to preserve and protect what makes America great. I will win this race and help win Wisconsin for Donald Trump this November.”

Roth has been endorsed by former Republican Gov. Scott Walker and former Trump Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Also in the race is state Sen. André Jacque, who was first elected to the Senate in 2018 after eight years of serving in the state Assembly. Jacques was hospitalized for weeks in 2021 with COVID-19— including the need for a ventilator to stay alive—after months of publicly opposing COVID safeguards such as mask and vaccine requirements.

Jacque, Roth, and Wied will face off in a primary election August 13, with the winner advancing to the November ballot and a chance to succeed Republican US Rep. Mike Gallagher, who abruptly announced in recent weeks his intention to retire—and later resign outright from Congress after seven years.

Dr. Kristin Lyerly, an obstetrician-gynecologist from De Pere, is running for the seat on the Democratic side, having made her announcement last week on UpNorthNews Radio.

The Associated Press contributed to this story