WDH Fall 2012 Elections Overview

June 2, 2012 Fall election papers filed for Wisconsin state legislature By Jeff Starck Wausau Daily Herald Just days before the contentious, closely watched gubernatorial and Senate recall elections, candidates for the fall elections turned in nomination papers before Friday's deadline. A Democratic primary will be needed to trim the field for the 85th Assembly District to replace current Rep. Donna Seidel. Seidel, D-Wausau, filed for non-candidacy because she is seeking the open 29th Senate District seat in Tuesday's recall election. Democrats Jeff Johnson, the chairman of the Marathon County Democratic Party, and Mandy Wright, a sixth-grade English teacher at Horace Mann Middle School in Wausau, both are vying for the seat. A primary will be Aug. 14. Mandy Wright, 34, of Wausau, said her priorities include developing small businesses, creating access to quality and affordable education and health care and protecting the environment. She sees the primary as a chance to express her viewpoints and listen to voters. "(A primary) gives voters more chances to find out what kind of representative they really want," Wright said. Johnson, 53, a retired probation and parole officer, said he would change laws to end the practice of charging unreasonable interest rates on loans and would find ways to drive business and agriculture development. Johnson said voters have told him state government needs to find a way to work better. "They don't necessarily want to hear about government. They just want it to be functional," Johnson said. The winner of the primary will take on Republican Pat Snyder, a radio host for WSAU radio, 550 AM and 99.9 FM, of Schofield, and Libertarian Jim Maas of Rothschild. Maas ran for the seat in 2010 but was defeated by Seidel. Seidel's opponent in the Senate race, Jerry Petrowski, R-Marathon, is giving up his 86th Assembly District seat. Democrat Dennis Halkoski, a retired Everest Metro Police officer from Weston, will oppose Republican John Spiros, a Marshfield City Council member. Spiros ran unsuccessfully in 2010 for the seat held by Amy Sue Vruwink, D-Milladore, in the 70th Assembly District. Other local races » Republican Lincoln County District Attorney Don Dunphy will have a challenger in Democrat Sidney Brubacher. Dunphy of Gleason was first elected district attorney in 2004. Brubacher of Wausau is a prosecutor in the Marathon County district attorney’s office. » Three candidates have filed nomination papers for the 12th Senate District after Jim Holperin, D-Conover, filed for noncandidacy. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, filed for noncandidacy in the 35th Assembly District to run for Senate. Paul Ehlers of Rhinelander, an Independent, and Susan Sommer of Phelps, a Democrat, also are in the race. Lisa Theo, a Democrat from Tomahawk, took out nomination papers, but the status of her paperwork was unknown as of press time. » Three candidates have filed nomination papers for the 35th Assembly District. Mary Czaja of Irma, a Republican, Kevin Koth of Tomahawk, a Democrat, and Patrick Tjugum of Tomahawk,  an Independent, all seek to replace Tiffany. » Marathon County District Attorney Ken Heimerman is running unopposed. » U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Weston, is running for a second term. He is being challenged by Pat Kreitlow, a former Democratic state senator from Chippewa Falls, and Independent candidate Dale Lehner of Prairie Lake. Republican Mike Krsiean of Holton announced his intention to run for the seat, but the status of his paperwork was unknown as of press time.