(The Center Square) – Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu announced Thursday afternoon he will not seek reelection.
He joins Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Republican Sens. Van Wanggard, Steve Nass and Rob Hutton as key Wisconsin legislative Republicans who will not run again.
LeMahieu was criticized by fellow Republican Senators this week for pushing through a sports wagering bill and University of Wisconsin name, image and likeness bill despite a lack of 17 Republican Senators supporting the bills.
“The time has come for a new chapter in my life,” LeMahieu said in a statement. “I am looking forward to spending more time with my wife in our new Madison-area home and, for the first time since 2006, rooting for bold conservative reform from the sidelines.”
The Wisconsin Senate finished its session Tuesday. Vos announced he would not seek reelection on the final day of the Assembly’s session.
LeMahieu has been Senate Majority Leader since 2020 after jointing the Senate in 2015 after serving on the Sheboygan County board.
“All four will leave behind some rather big shoes to fill, but I am confident that our caucus is up to the challenge of forging ahead and continuing our work of making state government more efficient and less costly for taxpayers,” Sen. Patrick Testin, R-Stevens Point, said in a statement. “I consider them close friends and I wish them well in their future endeavors.”
Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, has worked with LeMahieu on bills including NIL and sports wagering.
“Senator LeMahieu is a dedicated public servant whose tireless service to his constituents has spanned more than 10 years,” Hesselbein said in a statement. “I have found him to be a man of his word and I wish him and his family the best as he begins this next chapter.”
