After two decades in the Assembly, State Rep. Terese Berceau has confirmed she will not seek re-election later this year, leaving much of the student body to consider fresh representation in the fall election.
Berceau, who first announced her retirement to Wispolitics.com on Friday, has represented the western end of the UW-Madison campus since 1998.
The statement makes the Madison Democrat the second state legislator to announce retirement this year, after state Rep. Jesse Kremer, R-Kewaskum.
Berceau was apparently coaxed into running again in 2016, after showing frustration towards the Republican-dominated Legislature, that Democrats have only controlled for a tenth of the veteran representative’s tenure.
The incumbent-less race could set up a contentious Democratic primary in Madison’s West Side, but as of yet, only one campaign has been launched to fill the seat.
On the same day as Berceau made her intentions public, Dane County Supervisor Shelia Stubbs declared she will run to replace Berceau, who also served on the Board of Supervisors prior to
Stubbs, the board’s only African-American member, has been an outspoken critic of Dane County’s persistent racial inequality, recently introducing a resolution to reevaluate programs and policies in county agencies that she says contributes to institutional racism.
“During her 26-year career on the Dane County Board and in the Legislature, Terese Berceau has been a dedicated public servant and a strong voice for women’s health, consumer protection, workers' rights, the environment, health care reform, and education,” Stubbs said in a statement. “Together, we can build on her legacy and continue to fight for the values, issues, and change we need in these challenging times.”
