Mark Honadel’s resignation from the Wisconsin Assembly has set into motion a Republican free-for-all to fill the 21st District seat on the south side of Milwaukee County.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has scheduled a special election for the seat for Nov. 19. A primary election, which will likely be needed, will be held Oct. 22.
The district covers Oak Creek, South Milwaukee and a small portion of Franklin.
According to Oak Creek Patch, the declared Republican candidates so far include: South Milwaukee resident Jason “Red” Arnold; Larry Gamble, an officer in the Tea Party group Wisconsin Grandsons of Liberty; Oak Creek Alderman Ken Gehl; Jessie Rodriguez of Hispanics for School Choice; and KEI executive Chris Kujawa of South Milwaukee.
The candidates had one week to gather the 200 voter signatures needed to be on the primary ballot. As this magazine was going to press, Elizabeth Coppolla was the only Democrat who had filed enough signatures to be on the ballot.
Honadel said he resigned to take a job in the private sector, although he has not publicly announced his specific plans.
Notably absent from the Republican field is Oak Creek Mayor Steve Scaffidi, who had announced he would seek Honadel’s seat but then announced he had changed his mind three days later.
