Adding their names to a growing list of retirements are Senate President Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), Rep. Al Ott (R-Forest Junction) and Rep. Andy Jorgensen (D-Milton).

Sen. Lazich was elected to the Senate in 1999 after serving three terms in the State Assembly. Lazich did not give reasons for retirement but says the state is more fiscally secure and has a better business climate under Governor Walker and Republican leadership.

In addition to serving as Senate President, Lazich also served on the committee on Senate Organization and the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. Lazich also co-chaired the Joint Committee on Employment Relations, the Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, and the Joint Legislative Council.

Since Sen. Lazich’s announcement, Rep. Dave Craig (R-Big Bend) has declared his candidacy to fill the open seat. In a statement, Rep. Craig announced his campaign will be focused on continuing Republican reforms of previous years and repealing the state’s minimum markup law. Craig has been in the Assembly since 2011.

Rep. Al Ott announced his retirement after serving 30 years in the Assembly. This past session, Ott was the chair of the Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage. He also served on the Committee on Agriculture, the Committee on Interstate Affairs, the Committee on Tourism and the Committee on Transportation. 

Rep. Andy Jorgensen also announced he will not be running for reelection as he intends to run for the Rock County Register of Deeds this fall.

Jorgensen, the Minority Caucus Chair in the Assembly, served on the Committee on Agriculture, the Committee on Assembly Organization, the Committee on Colleges and Universities, the Committee on Public Benefit Reform, the Committee on Rules, and the Committee on Small Business Development. Jorgensen was first elected in 2006.

No candidate has announced their intention to run for the open seat.