Story originally printed in the Tomah Journal or online at www.tomahjournal.com
Published - Monday, May 26, 2008
Musser won't seek re-election
MADISON — After 24 years in the Assembly, State Rep. Terry Musser, R-Black River Falls, will not seek re-election this fall.
The announcement, confirmed by his staff this morning, leaves Republican Dan Hellman, of Sparta, and Democrat Mark Radcliffe, of Black River Falls, as the only registered candidates in the 92nd Assembly District election this fall.
Musser’s victories in recent elections have narrowed from a 3,919-vote margin in 2004 over Democrat challenger Michael Taft to 1,495 votes in 2006 over Democrat D. Curtis Miller.
Musser told John Colbert, of WIBA radio in Madison, that he is “fed up” with Capitol politics, which Musser said have become more “nasty, vicious and petty.”
However, the main reason for not seeking re-election was the rough reception he received earlier this year from fellow Republicans for co-sponsoring a bill to require hospitals to provide the morning-after contraceptive to rape victims.
When signing the bill into law, Governor Jim Doyle singled out Musser for praise, to which Musser quipped, “Don’t remind my caucus.”
Planned Parenthood lauded Musser’s role in getting the bill passed. State Democratic Chair Joe Wineke mentioned the Musser’s role in a statement Wednesday.
“Last year, Terry Musser broke from his party to ensure passage of the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Bill n a critical, common sense measure to protect women that Republicans repeatedly batted down,” Wineke said. “It was a bold step away from a caucus that stood in the way of the bill at every step. And without his leadership, it would not have been in signed into law.
“This is why I’ve come to respect Terry greatly over the years. I served with him for 16 years in the State Legislature, and I know he has been a faithful public servant. Unfortunately, the extreme, divisive Republican caucus is not the place for common sense legislator willing to have honest debate and cross party lines to get the job done.”
Musser first won his Assembly seat in 1984, just two years after narrowly losing a race for state Senate against Democrat Rodney Moen. He is the tenth member of the state Assembly who will not run for re-election this fall, and he leaves behind a very competitive seat. Voters in the 92nd Assembly favored Republican George W. Bush by less than two percentage points over John Kerry in the 2004 presidential race. That same year, Democrat Russ Feingold won the district by 9.5 points in his race for re-election to the U.S. Senate over Republican Tim Michels.
Steve Rundio of Tomah Newspapers contributed to this report.
All stories copyright 2006 Tomah Journal and other attributed sources.