Donald Trump Urges Ron Johnson to Run for Re-Election in Wisconsin: 'Run, Ron, Run!'

Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin for re-election in 2022

In a statement released by Save America PAC Thursday, Trump encouraged Johnson to "Run, Ron, Run!"

The former president's endorsement comes with more than a year to go until Johnson could be re-elected and even acknowledged that Johnson himself has not announced whether he is running for a third term.

"Even though he has not yet announced that he is running, and I certainly hope he does, I am giving my Complete and Total Endorsement to Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin," Trump said.

"He is brave, he is bold, he loves our Country, our Military, and our Vets. He will protect our Second Amendment, and everything else we stand for. It is the kind of courage we need in the U.S. Senate," the statement continued. "He has no idea how popular he is. Run, Ron, Run!"

In a reaction to Trump's endorsement, Johnson said "I appreciate President Trump's words of support and encouragement," via an email statement to Newsweek Thursday.

It appears that there is some support from the Democratic side for Johnson to run as well, but only because Democrats see Johnson as easy to beat given his support for Trump, according to Politico.

Tom Nelson, the current county executive of Outagamie County, Wisconsin, who is running for a Senate seat in 2022 said, as reported by Politico on April 1: "I would love to run against Ron Johnson. I want to make a statement that in Wisconsin, his behavior is unacceptable — and this is what we're going to do about it."

Johnson has been known to be an avid supporter of Trump. Although he condemned violence of the January 6 Capitol riot, Johnson said during a radio interview in February that it did not seem like an armed insurrection, according to the Associated Press.

After Trump endorsed Johnson, Democratic Wisconsin state Senator Chris Larson tweeted a call for Johnson's resignation on Thursday, alleging that Johnson and Trump both helped incite the insurrection at the Capitol.

This echoed a petition he tweeted January 9, organized by "friends of Chris Larson" where people can sign their name in support of the resignation of Johnson, Congressman Scott Fitzgerald, and Congressman Tom Tiffany.

Johnson was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010 and was re-elected to his seat in 2016.

He is set to appear at the Republican National Committee's spring donor retreat in Palm Beach this weekend, according to Politico.