Wisconsin Senate President Mary Lazich Won’t Seek Re-Election

State Sen. Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, will not seek re-election this fall, the lawmaker announced Monday.

Lazich was elected to the state Assembly in 1992. She moved to the Senate in a 1998 special election. Last year, Lazich was elected Senate president, a position that allowed her to help set the legislative body’s agenda.

The New Berlin Republican has built a reputation as a strong anti-abortion advocate. Last year, she was the lead sponsor on a bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks.

Lazich didn’t say why she isn’t seeking re-election. In a prepared statement, she reflected on “turbulent times” in the state Legislature, adding that, “While the work was hard, the reward is great.”

Gov. Scott Walker remarked on the lawmaker’s “devotion to her core values” in a statement released Monday evening.

“State Senate President Mary Lazich has left a real mark on state government,” he said. “I appreciate her many years of service to her district and our beloved state.”

Lazich represents a highly conservative district in southeast Wisconsin. Her announcement is likely to set off a competitive Republican primary to fill the seat.