Purnima Nath announces candidacy for Milwaukee County executive

MILWAUKEE -- Purnima Nath announced on Tuesday, Nov. 19 her candidacy for Milwaukee County executive.

Nath, an American citizen and immigrant, is not a politician but believes it is her duty to serve the community.

According to a news release prior to her official announcement, Nath received her MBA from Northwestern University and has years of experience in management and strategy consulting. Nath started a non-profit dedicated to building U.S.-India relationships, which has helped Milwaukee area businesses grow, create jobs and bring communities together. Purnima is the creator of IndiaFest -- a popular local ethnic festival in the Bayview.

"I am running for Milwaukee County executive because I'm tired of hearing constantly how broke Milwaukee is. I'm tired of misuse of funds, lack of governance. I'm tired of (the) crime rate in Milwaukee. I'm tired of the reputation of Milwaukee," Nath said.

Other candidates who have announced their plans or filed paperwork to run for the post include State Senator Chris Larson, Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy, Milwaukee County Supervisor Theo Lipscomb, State Rep. David Crowley, and an employee of the Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court Peggy Wittman.

Current Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele announced in October that he would not seek reelection. Abele was first elected in 2011 when he finished out Scott Walker’s term. Abele was re-elected in 2012 and 2016.