MONROE - For more than 20 years a Republican has represented Green and Lafayette counties in the 80th Assembly District.
With Brett Davis' announcement Monday that he will be a candidate for lieutenant governor, the seat will be open for the first time in six years. Davis will not be a candidate for the Assembly.
Davis held the position since his election in 2005. Prior to Davis, Mike Powers, R-Albany, and David Deininger, R-Monroe, represented the district.
The lack of an incumbent could make an interesting race this November between Republican and Democratic candidates.
Green County Republican Party Chairman Gary Luhman said November's election will be similar to the 2004 election.
"It doesn't concern me anymore than when Brett ran the first time," Luhman said.
There will be a challenge for anyone who runs for Assembly this year, he said.
"When you're an incumbent you have name recognition," he said.
Davis had a slight advantage when he ran for the Assembly in 2004 because he was from Monroe and had experience in government. Davis worked for former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson in Madison and in Washington.
Luhman said he's looking forward to whoever runs for Davis' Assembly seat. No Republican has formally announced his or her candidacy yet, he said.
No Democrat has announced his or her candidacy, either, according to Green County Democratic Party co-chair Kris Wisnefske.
Wisnefske said an open seat could mean either party could win. The Assembly race and other local races are based more on personality rather than political affiliation, she said.
Green County Democratic Party co-chair Carol Mixdorf said Democratic candidates have been willing to challenge Davis in the past, despite the fact he was an incumbent. If someone is going to declare his or her candidacy, she expects them to do so within the next few weeks.
According to the Green County Clerk's office, any candidate for the Assembly must wait until June 1 to take out nomination papers. The candidate then has until July 13 to return the papers to the clerk's office.
With Brett Davis' announcement Monday that he will be a candidate for lieutenant governor, the seat will be open for the first time in six years. Davis will not be a candidate for the Assembly.
Davis held the position since his election in 2005. Prior to Davis, Mike Powers, R-Albany, and David Deininger, R-Monroe, represented the district.
The lack of an incumbent could make an interesting race this November between Republican and Democratic candidates.
Green County Republican Party Chairman Gary Luhman said November's election will be similar to the 2004 election.
"It doesn't concern me anymore than when Brett ran the first time," Luhman said.
There will be a challenge for anyone who runs for Assembly this year, he said.
"When you're an incumbent you have name recognition," he said.
Davis had a slight advantage when he ran for the Assembly in 2004 because he was from Monroe and had experience in government. Davis worked for former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson in Madison and in Washington.
Luhman said he's looking forward to whoever runs for Davis' Assembly seat. No Republican has formally announced his or her candidacy yet, he said.
No Democrat has announced his or her candidacy, either, according to Green County Democratic Party co-chair Kris Wisnefske.
Wisnefske said an open seat could mean either party could win. The Assembly race and other local races are based more on personality rather than political affiliation, she said.
Green County Democratic Party co-chair Carol Mixdorf said Democratic candidates have been willing to challenge Davis in the past, despite the fact he was an incumbent. If someone is going to declare his or her candidacy, she expects them to do so within the next few weeks.
According to the Green County Clerk's office, any candidate for the Assembly must wait until June 1 to take out nomination papers. The candidate then has until July 13 to return the papers to the clerk's office.