Milwaukee County Board Chair Marina Dimitrijevic will run for the East Side state Assembly seat being vacated by longtime Democratic state Rep. Jon Richards as he runs for state attorney general.
She’s already earned the endorsements of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, SEIU State Council and the Milwaukee County Deputy Sheriff’s Association.
Dimitrijevic told the Shepherd that if elected she would focus on public education, job creation and environmental sustainability.
“If we want our state to rebound from our economic situation like our Midwestern neighbors have, we need to take this three-pronged approach,” she said.
Dimitrijevic, who will run as a Democrat, has served the Bay View neighborhood on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors for nine years; Assembly District 19 includes Bay View, as well as the East Side, Downtown, Riverwest and Third Ward.
She said her experience at the county—where she developed the Green Print, fought for transit funding and helped to create domestic partnership benefits for employees—would help her tackle tough issues at the state level.
“It’s a natural transition,” Dimitrijevic said.
She said she would serve out her term on the board, which ends in April 2016, but if elected to the Assembly it’s unlikely she would remain as chair while serving in the state Legislature.
Only one other candidate—attorney Sara Geenen—has officially announced their candidacy for this district, but Dimitrijevic said she expected a crowded Democratic primary next year.
