WISCONSIN — Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos defeated Adam Steen in the Wisconsin primary. But the Donald Trump-endorsed challenger is not backing out of the election.

Steen announced Thursday evening that he is launching a write-in campaign for Wisconsin’s 63rd Assembly District after losing to Vos on Aug. 9. Per the Associated Press, Vos won the primary for the State Assembly seat with 5,084 votes. Steen trailed behind with 4,824 votes — a 260-vote difference.

“I am announcing that I will be running as a write-in candidate,” Steen said. “I want the people to be able to choose their elected representative…”

Steen, who originally hails from Indiana, grew up on a farm. He studied at Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Watertown, Wisconsin. He later attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison to obtain another bachelor’s degree. Steen has worked as an applications engineer, service manager and welder. Steen said he believes people “need to stop blindly following career politicians.” Steen has not previously held political office.

“I was endorsed by [former] President Donald Trump on Aug. 2, 2022,” he said. “Approximately 2,500 people in this district did not know that endorsement had happened when they had voted on Aug. 9.”

In a statement, Trump called Steen a “motivated patriot, dedicated to making Wisconsin great again.”

“Adam will bravely serve the people of Wisconsin, and bring with him strength, wisdom and a new patriotism. Adam Steen has my complete and total endorsement,” Trump’s Aug. 2 statement said.

On his website, Steen lists “change the election system,” “education system choice” and “2nd amendment rights” as his top key issues.

“This is not just an assembly seat. This is the direction of our country,” Steen said.

Steen also expressed his support for Michael Gableman, the former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice hired to investigate the 2020 election, on Thursday.

“I said we can solve our elections in eight words… It was in person, on paper, hand count, one day. I am trying to create solutions to these problems,” Steen said. “My opponent [Vos] chose to ignore these problems.”