Steven Potter:
Here we are at the Hovde campaign and Wisconsin was just called for Donald Trump. What's your reaction to that?

Tommy Thompson:
I am so excited. You know, Donald Trump is now the president, going to be the president of the United States, and we got a good chance to have two Republican U.S. senators from Wisconsin that will help him get his programs through through the Congress, which will help the country and Wisconsin start solving problems. I want the Republicans now to reach out to the Democrats and say, "We're in charge, but let's work together and start coming together and have bipartisan solutions." That's what I'm hoping will be able to take place.

Steven Potter:
Donald Trump did lose Wisconsin four years ago. What do you think pushed him over the edge this time?

Tommy Thompson:
He asked me, "How do I win Wisconsin?" And I told Mr. Trump, I said, "There's four things you have to do." He said, "What are they?" I said, "You have to go and hold a rally in southwestern Wisconsin because Republicans don't go out there and the Democrats win. You got to come into Dane County and hold a rally," which he did. And then he said, "What else do I do?" I said, "You have to go to Green Bay, hold a rally there in the city, and then you have to go into Milwaukee and hold one there," which he did last Friday night. And once he did that, because my thinking is, if you're not going to come into the places where the Democrats are, they're going to run up the votes and you're not going to win. So you have to go where the Democrats are, reduce their majority, you're not going to win, but you'll reduce the majority and help bring up the Republican Party. And that's what took place in Dane County. For instance, Madison, four years ago, only 18% of the votes went for Republicans. This year, it's going to be 25%. That's a huge increase.

Steven Potter:
What do you think that the Trump victory means specifically for Wisconsin in the next four years?

Tommy Thompson:
I think when you got two U.S. Senators and the fact that Wisconsin was one of the key states and we had the Republican National Convention here, Donald Trump loves Wisconsin and I'm going to be able to talk to him, the senator's gonna be able to talk him, the congressman. I think it's going to be great for Wisconsin. Wisconsin's going to do well under Donald Trump.

Steven Potter:
Thank you.