With Democrats in control of the state Assembly for the first time since 1994, four Democratic state representatives announced Thursday their intentions to run for Assembly speaker.
Reps. Pedro Colón, D-Milwaukee, Fred Kessler, D-Milwaukee, Jon Richards, D-Milwaukee, and Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, will all vie for the position.
Assembly Democrats will choose the next speaker at a caucus meeting next Wednesday.
Current Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, announced Wednesday he will not run for minority leader of the Assembly after his party lost the Assembly majority in the election Tuesday.
According to Alec Loftus, communications director for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, the party is not officially taking any sides or making an official endorsement for the position.
In his letter announcing his intention to run, Sheridan said he is proud of Democrats' success in the election, but the important work of turning their ideas into policies lies ahead.
Our most important work has just begun,"" Sheridan said.
Richards said he is happy Democrats have the majority, but it will be a difficult session with a state budget deficit and poor economy to deal with.
""It would be nice to have the majority under different circumstances '¦ but it's going to be nice to be able to control the agenda and hopefully pass some of our Democratic initiatives,"" Richards said.
