Senator Agard Retires, who will lead?
Wisconsin Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard, D-Madison, announced that she will leave the legislature in order to run to replace retiring Dane County Executive Joe Parisi in 2024.
History
- Elected to Dane County Board of Supervisors, 2010–14; Assembly 2012-18.
- Elected to Senate 2020. Leadership positions: Minority Leader 2023, 2021 (effective 11/16/22); Minority Caucus Vice Chair 2021.
Senator Agard was one of the first lead elected officials to really push hard for full legalization of cannabis and will be well remembered. Her tireless work advocating for the legislation she wrote and political capital spent on advancing marijuana reform measures sets a high bar for the next Senator.
Who wants the job?
So far Assembly Representatives Jimmy Anderson, Samba Baldeh and Melissa Ratcliff have announced intent to run for Senate District 16. Those are the three assembly representatives that live in this new Senate 16 District. That means we are likely to see totally new faces in the three assembly districts inside SD16. All three of these candidates have co-sponsored Agard’s bill in the assembly during past legislative sessions.
Ten out of eleven sitting Democratic Senators co-sponsored Agard’s bill in the 2023-24 session. We should have no problem finding a lead sponsor on the Democrat side of the isle. Which Democrat has enough political capital to finally make progress in Wisconsin? What changes need to be made in the legislation to draw in a Republican co-sponsor? Will any Republican candidate actually pledge to write an adult use legalization bill if elected? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
The 2024 Wisconsin State Election is important for marijuana reform and I will continue to bring you election coverage as more candidates make their political moves.
No Republican has co-sponsored Agard’s legislation or any marijuana legalization bills, ever! All eyes are still on these Republicans in 2024, with an emphasis on Rep. Clint Moses to do something.
