Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Open race in Wisconsin 91st District draws a crowd

By CHRIS HUBBUCH / La Crosse Tribune

With the retirement of Rep. Barbara Gronemus after nearly three decades in the state Assembly, the 91st District race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in the state.

Eight candidates had filed as of Tuesday, making it the most crowded field of the state’s 99 districts. One district has seven candidates and several have six.

A dozen people filed preliminary candidacy papers in the 91st District. Two — Democrat Jeff Hauser and Republican Tom Bice — dropped out, while two others, including Arcadia Mayor John Kimmel, were disqualified because they did not meet the state’s nomination requirements.

Five Democrats, two Republicans and an independent now will vie to replace Gronemus. Libertarian candidate Ted Burleson of Fountain City did not muster enough signatures.

Candidates need at least 200 signatures to qualify for the ballot. They had until 5 p.m. Tuesday to file nomination papers.

Kimmel’s nomination papers were ruled invalid because his petition did not include the date of the election he planned to run in, said Kyle Richmond, spokesperson for the Government Accountability Board’s Election Division. Kimmel could not be reached Tuesday evening, but Richmond said Kimmel planned to appeal the ruling.

It is uncommon for an Assembly seat to draw so much attention, said Richmond. “That particular seat is in the spotlight.”

That tends to happen when an incumbent is not running, and the 91st is considered a swing district, political experts said.

“I’m not totally surprised,” said John Medinger, a Democrat who represented the 95th District from 1977 to 1993. “She’s had it for a long time. There’s a lot of pent-up enthusiasm.”

Medinger, who twice ran for La Crosse mayor in a field of nine, said the challenge is for candidates — most of whom start with little name recognition — to separate themselves from the pack.

The key, he said: Hard work.

That’s not easy in a rural district like the 91st, which sprawls across Buffalo and Trempealeau counties as well as parts of Pepin, Pierce and Jackson counties.

Medinger thinks that after the Sept. 9 primary, the 91st will draw statewide attention as the Republicans attempt to hold onto their narrow majority in the Assembly. Though represented for years by a Democrat, the district could just as easily go Republican, Medinger said.

“In my district, and I still consider it my district … They vote on the person,” Gronemus said. “People don’t care what party you belong to. They want the best voice they can have.”

Gronemus first was elected to represent the district in 1980. Now 76, she has a shelf of Blue Books with her name in them. The children she used to see while campaigning at parades now have kids of their own.

She said she will miss the work and the people but is glad she isn’t running this year. She advises those seeking her seat to work hard — and watch their step.

“I’ve told everybody that’s running I will be watching you,” Gronemus said. “And I won’t hesitate to call you if you screw up.”

AREA State Assembly races

91st District

David Anderson, Whitehall (R)

Dave Hegenbarth, Galesville (R)

Marge Baecker, Independence (D)

Steve Boe, Taylor (D)

Remy Ceci, Pepin (D)

Chris Danou, Trempealeau (D)

James Kraft, Durand (D)

Paul Beseler, Ettrick (Independent)

92nd District

Curtis Miller, Sparta (D)

Mark Radcliffe, Black River Falls (D)

Dan Hellman, Onalaska (R)

94th District

Cheryl Hancock, Holmen (D)

Mike Huebsch-x, West Salem (R)

95th District

Jennifer Shilling-x, La Crosse (D)

96th District

Dale Klemme, Prairie du Chien (D)

Lee Nerison-x, Westby (R)

State Senate

32nd District

Tara Johnson, La Crosse (D)

Dan Kapanke-x, La Crosse (R)

x-incumbent

Chris Hubbuch can be reached at chris.hubbuch@lee.net or (608) 791-8217.