By Tracy Ouellette
SLN Staff
Brandon White (D-Jefferson) is making another run for the 33rd State Assembly District. Cody Horlacher (R-Mukwonago) beat White for the seat in 2016 and is seeking re-election.
The 33rd Assembly District includes Mukwonago, Town of Troy, Eagle, Palmyra, LaGrange, Sullivan, Jefferson and parts of Cambridge, Fort Atkinson and Whitewater.
Multiple attempts to contact White for an interview were unsuccessful as of press time for printed newspaper. As of Friday afternoon, White had not contacted the newspaper so this article could be updated online.
White, 20, is an attorney and a Jefferson County supervisor. He graduated from UW-Platteville in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2014.
White grew up on his family’s dairy farm near Helenville.
Horlacher, 31, is also an attorney and in addition to his work in the Assembly, recently opened a law office with Dan Necci, a former prosecutor in the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office.
Horlacher is a 2006 East Troy High School graduate and received a Bachelor of Arts in marketing, with a minor in economics, from UW-Whitewater in 2010. He graduated from Marquette University Law School in 2014.
Horlacher said he has enjoyed serving the district and is looking forward to continuing his work in the assembly.
“I want to be able to continue my work as the chairman of the Regulatory Licensing Committee where we work to roll back red tape that is inhibiting small businesses and entrepreneurs in the state,” Horlacher said. “I’m also the vice-chairman of the Judiciary Committee and I’ve been working to establish a victims clinic at the University of Wisconsin Law School to help students get some real-world experience before they graduate.”
According to a press release, the new program will be called the VOCA Restraining Order Clinic. The clinic will provide legal services to victims of crime that are in need of restraining order services. The program will provide services in Dane, Jefferson, Rock and Sauk counties.
“My role has been helping start the clinic, find funding and support the overall mission on behalf of the law school,” Horlacher said. “I’m very proud of the work we’ve done on this.”
The clinic will open early next year and will provide much needed assistance in bridging the service gap for victims.
Horlacher said there are challenges facing the state and no easy fixes.
“Problems with structural funding for infrastructure has certainly been going on for at least the last 10 years and given the new growth in the state over that time, we’re now seeing the need for repair in more areas. Growth is great, but we have to make sure we can maintain what we’ve got,” Horlacher said.
With the strained political climate in the state and country, Horlacher said now is the time for people to start listening to each other and respecting other opinions.
“I started the Around the Neighborhood series on my Facebook page,” Horlacher said. “It’s a take off of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood because I think in today’s day and age we can all use a little more Mr. Rogers in our lives.
“We should be able to disagree on stuff and not hate each other, that’s what the video series is meant to highlight. Often when you think of politicians it’s all about cutting down the other side, but that’s not true and hopefully we can start some more civil dialog on these things and highlight the good work across the district and state.
Horlacher said he was looking forward to more bi-partisan efforts in the Assembly to address some of the serious issues in the state, like education, fixing the roads and health care.
“We need people who are willing to work with other folks, no matter their political affiliation,” Horlacher said. “I try to put my work above politics and get to the heart of the matter. It doesn’t mean I’m less conservative, but it doesn’t mean I have to shut out someone with different opinions or beliefs on the issues.”
