Pasch Makes Formal Announcement of Senate Bid Against Darling

Dozens of people braved the rain at Whitefish Bay's Cahill Park Friday afternoon to hear directly from Rep. Sandy Pasch that she is launching a campaign to challenge Sen. Alberta Darling for her 8th District Senate seat in a July recall election.

Both Pasch, of Whitefish Bay, and former state Rep. Sheldon Wasserman had considered running against Darling in the election, but Pasch emerged as the Democratic challenger when .

Wasserman introduced Pasch at Friday's event, saying he could not think of a better candidate to run against Darling, a Republican from River Hills.

"We're going to go all the way from here in Whitefish Bay to Madison and replace what we've got," Wasserman said.

Pasch said she believes it will be an intense, brisk campaign leading up to the  election, which is expected to be held July 12. She said she believes the state and the Senate district have been divided by Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill, and she said she hopes to "repair the breach."

"We need a senator who listens. We need a senator who represents the district and not special interests. We need a senator who really understands what the needs of this district are," she said. "I'm going to be your senator, and I'm going to listen to you. And we're going to work together."

In an interview with Patch Thursday, Darling said the campaign will show clear differences between her and Pasch.

"Sandy stood very much with Governor (Jim) Doyle on all of his tax increases and the spending that created the $3.6 billion deficit. That will be contrasted with my record of working to get our spending under control so we can grow jobs and the economy," Darling said.

The 8th Senate includes Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Fox Point, Bayside and Menomonee Falls.