Alderman May Soon Announce Candidacy In Milwaukee’s Mayoral Election

Bob Donovan Will Make Special Political Announcement On Tuesday

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Milwaukee Alderman Bob Alderman speaking at a press conference last October. Photo: City of Milwaukee (CC-BY-NC-ND).

Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan may announce on Tuesday if he’ll challenge Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in the 2016 mayoral election.

Donovan said he plans to make a special political announcement at a local hall.

Mordecai Lee, a professor of government affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said that any challengers to Barrett may have a difficult time.

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“The rule of thumb about Milwaukee mayors is the same as we would say about just about all elected offices in Wisconsin: That’s that in Wisconsin, when an incumbent runs for re- election, the incumbent has at least a nine out of 10 chance of getting re-elected,” said Lee.

Lee also said it takes a significantly large amount of money to run a serious mayoral campaign.

Milwaukee Alderman Joe Davis and County Sheriff David Clarke are also reportedly considering running for mayor.