State Rep. Jessie Rodriguez, R-South Milwaukee, won a special election against Democrat Elizabeth Coppola for the 21st Assembly District Wednesday. Rodriguez is the first Hispanic Republican woman and second Hispanic representative elected to the state Assembly.
Rodriguez will replace former state Rep. Mark Honadel, R-South Milwaukee, who resigned from the Assembly in September.
State Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa, D-Milwaukee, the first Hispanic woman elected to the assembly, congratulated Rodriguez in a statement.
“Long have I hoped for the day that we would elect another Latino to the State Legislature,” Zamarripa said in the statement.
Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Brad Courtney also commended Rodriguez in a statement.
“Jessie will be a staunch advocate for lowering taxes on Wisconsin families, and will be a leader in the efforts to provide each and every child in Wisconsin access to a world-class education,” Courtney said in the statement.
Rodriguez won 4,546 votes to Coppola’s 3,520, according to the preliminary results.
