Just because Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) is pulling back on ads in Wisconsin doesn’t mean that national GOP leaders have given up on winning the 8th district.

In fact, Republican challenger John Gard got a boost for his campaign coffers Wednesday when former Massachusetts Gov. and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney headlined a morning fundraiser at Brett Favre’s Steakhouse in Green Bay.

“He spoke a lot about how important it was to get John Gard elected,” Gard’s campaign spokesman Mark Graul said. “Obviously, Gov. Romney and John Gard share a lot of the same positions on a lot of the same issues.”

The former state Assembly Speaker is looking to unseat first-term Rep. Steve Kagen (D). Kagen edged out Gard in a 2006 open-seat race by fewer than 6,000 votes.

Romney is the first national politician to raise money for Gard this cycle.

“It’s the most we’ve raised at any event so far,” said Graul, who declined to give a specific dollar amount raised at the 250-person event.