MADISON, Wis. – A University Wisconsin law professor and political scientist, Ryan Owens, announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for state attorney general. Owens is the second Republican, after Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney, to announce. It is widely understood that current Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, wilk seek reelection. In announcing, Owens, age 44, laid out his conservative credentials, including endorsements from former state Supreme Court justices Michael Gableman, Daniel Kelly and David Prosser. He vowed to “stand up to government overreach.” As attorney general, Owens said he would champion police and treat them fairly. He faulted Kaul for a “leadership deficit,” pointing to protests in Madison and Kenosha last summer.
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Owens. UW-Madison law degree. Doctorate in political science from Washington University at St. Louis. Taught at Harvard Law School. Worked in former Governor Tommy Thompson’s legal office.