Alderman May Soon Announce Candidacy In Milwaukee’s Mayoral Election

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.

“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.