Republican Senator Alberta Darling announces she's running for re-election

MADISON — Republican Senator Alberta Darling says she is running for re-election next year.

The 71-year-old Darling announced her plans to run for a seventh Senate term Wednesday, December 9th.

Darling says she had originally planned to retire, but that changed after her husband died in March.

Darling says in her job as co-chair of the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee, she is at the peak of her career in the Legislature.

Darling is from River Hills, outside of Milwaukee, and represents the 8th Senate district which includes parts of Washington, Waukesha, Ozaukee and Milwaukee counties.

Darling was first elected to the Assembly in 1990 and then the Senate in 1992.

Wisconsin Democratic Party spokesman Brandon Weathersby says Darling is running again "just to carry more water for Governor Scott Walker."