WI-SD08: Rep. Janel Brandtjen, barred from closed caucus meetings, running for state Senate

State Rep. Janel Brandtjen, who last month was barred from attending closed caucus meetings with her fellow Assembly Republicans, is running for a recently vacated state Senate seat.

Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls, announced Monday she plans to run for the seat previously held by Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, to "continue to fight for the principles that every American shares."

"No one has fought harder for Life, Second Amendment rights, keeping your family safe and allowing every family to send their children to a great school," Brandtjen said, adding that her decision to run comes after "long hours of consulting with my family, friends and countless political allies."

Darling announced last month she would be stepping down from the Legislature after 32 years in office. She was first elected to the state Assembly in a May 1990 special election and was reelected in November 1990 before being elected to the Senate in 1992. Darling said she authored more than 200 bills that eventually became law.

Gov. Tony Evers on Friday ordered that the special election to fill the 8th Senate District seat will coincide with the April 4 spring election, which also includes several local races and a high-stakes race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court that will determine whether conservatives or liberals hold a crucial majority on the state's high court. Four candidates, two liberals and two conservatives, are running for the state Supreme Court seat.




https://madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/rep-janel-brandtjen-barred-from-closed-caucus-meetings-running-for-state-senate/article_9d6f689a-0368-58ae-8d74-4514cf160dba.html