Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma)
Kathleen Vinehout decides “after careful consideration” she will not to run for Wisconsin governor in the 2014 election.
Last month the state Senate Democrat from Alma was in a snow-related car crash, in which she suffered a broken arm. Vinehout says the severity of that injury — a splintering of the bone in her upper right arm — and the time required to recover and rehabilitate made it “impossible to mount a grassroots campaign.”
This move gives Democrat Mary Burke — the former Trek Bicycle executive — a clear path to challenge Republican Governor Scott Walker in November.
In her statement, Vinehout thanked those who offered support and wished success to Mary Burke and “others who may offer their time and talents in leading our state.”
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate responds to the news in a statement: “Although she has made the decision not to pursue a run for governor at this time, Kathleen Vinehout remains a vital force in this Party and this movement.”