MADISON — Bernie Sanders has asked his backers to support Democrat Russ Feingold's Senate bid in Wisconsin.



The Sanders campaign announced it sent the request to his list of supporters on Thursday, May 26th. Feingold has not endorsed Sanders or Hillary Clinton and refused to say who he voted for in Wisconsin's April primary. Feingold has said he will back whoever is nominated.



Feingold is running against Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in a rematch of their 2010 race.



In his email, Sanders calls Feingold a friend who joined him in the Senate in fighting to improve President Barack Obama's health care overhaul and pushing for campaign finance reform. Feingold served 18 years in the Senate before losing to Johnson.



Pat Garrett, a Wisconsin GOP spokesman, said Sanders' pledge reinforces Feingold's reliance on out-of-state donors:



“Once again, Senator Feingold has demonstrated he will cast aside promises made to Wisconsin and rely on out-of-state donations to further his political career. Wisconsin cannot trust Feingold to lookout for anyone other than himself," Garrett said in a statement to FOX6 News.



Gillian Drummond, Hillary Clinton's Wisconsin Communications Director said this in a statement to FOX6:



"Hillary Clinton was proud to endorse Russ Feingold. She has and will continue to work to ensure Democratic candidates up and down the ticket have the resources they need to mobilize voters and win in November."