In December — two months before this broadcast — Frank Lassee, Wisconsin State Senator from District 1 and Keith Ripp, state Assembly Representative, District 42, both resigned to take jobs in Governor Walker’s administration. Ordinarily, the departure of two legislators midterms would be followed quickly by the Governor’s call for special elections to fill the vacant seat. But in this case, Governor Walker has announced he plans to keep the two seats, both vacated by Republicans, vacant until the general election in November, essentially leaving constituents in these areas unrepresented in the Legislature for over a year.
Scott Gordon has been following these developments for WisContext, and he joins Eight O’Clock Buzz host Brian Standing by phone.