Ladwig won't seek re-election to Assembly

By Tom Sheehan

Thursday, April 15, 2004 12:00 AM CDT

MADISON - She's survived breast cancer, had a knee replaced and made it through nearly a dozen years of sometimes punishing political battles in the state Assembly.

But come November, Rep. Bonnie Ladwig, R-Mount Pleasant, won't seek re-election at the advice of her physician, she said Wednesday.

"I went (to the doctor) last week. He said my blood pressure's high and it's time to look at a less stressful life," Ladwig said Wednesday after announcing her decision.

The news was welcomed by family members, who say they are looking forward to spending more time with her, Ladwig said. But the word was greeted with sadness by legislators who admire Ladwig.

Ladwig served as a role model in the Legislature, said Rep. Samantha Kerkman, R-Powers Lake, who was elected to the Assembly in 2000 at the age of 26.

"You see that you can come up here and make a difference, and you definitely see that in Bonnie," Kerkman said.

Ladwig, 64, said she has been on medication for treatment of high blood pressure and cholesterol for three or four years. But the doctor's advice hit home in light of her age, she said.

She'll spend more time working at her family's mini-golf course and with grandchildren and other family members, Ladwig said.

Ladwig faces a misdemeanor charge in Dane County Circuit Court for allegedly using her state Capitol office as a processing center for some political campaign work. But the charge, filed in 2002 and not yet set for trial, didn't lead to her decision not to seek re-election, Ladwig said.

"There's stress from that, but that isn't the main cause of the stress - the job is. I think when I get my day in court, they'll find out that I didn't do anything wrong. At this time, I haven't been interviewed by the district attorney or his office, or the Justice Department or anybody in their office. So they really haven't heard what I have to say," Ladwig said.

Ladwig, who served as Assembly assistant majority leader from 1997 until 2002, has been elected and re-elected to represent the 63rd Assembly District since 1992. She took over the seat of her husband, E. James "Jim" Ladwig, who also decided not to seek re-election after serving six terms in the Assembly.

"I always said I was going to do more (years) than my husband. He was concerned that I would want to quit, and he said you can't quit midterm. But once I got in, I loved it," Bonnie Ladwig said.

Assembly Speaker John Gard, R-Peshtigo, said Ladwig's leadership ability will be missed.

"She was one of the people that if things got really tough, she would rise up and lead us to a resolution," Gard said.

Ladwig's grandmotherly appearance - and she'll tell you she's proud to be a grandma - sometimes belied her political shrewdness.

"I think Bonnie was as feisty as anybody because she had deeply held beliefs and cares about getting things done," Gard said.

Ladwig chose her battles carefully, but typically didn't let give up until she got what she wanted, said Rep. Dean Kaufert, R-Neenah, who serves as co-chairman of the Legislature's joint budget-writing committee.

Ladwig said she decided first to run for office when she witnessed a woman trying to buy dog food with food stamps. When a grocery store clerk told the woman she couldn't use the food stamps for dog food, the woman threw the dog food on the floor and picked out a steak for her dog, Ladwig said.

When she came home complaining about the incident, her husband suggested she run for the Racine County Board. She served on the County Board for 10 years, until 1995, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer and decided holding the County Board and Assembly seats at the same time was too difficult.

Ladwig said she most enjoys helping constituents, and is most proud of her work helping rewrite the juvenile justice code during the 1995-96 legislative session, when she headed the Assembly Committee on Children and Families. She currently serves as vice chairwoman of the committee.

Being a legislator, even when fellow Republicans are in the majority, can be stressful, however, Ladwig said.

"It's very frustrating when the governor vetoes your bills, your bills get stuck in the Senate. Or, all of a sudden you have 2,700 chiropractors and their patients beating up on you. That's a little bit stressful," Ladwig said.

Earlier this year, Ladwig drew the ire of chiropractors by introducing a bill that would have allowed some employers to offer group health plans that could exclude certain state-mandated coverage. She eventually withdrew the bill after being inundated with faxes, calls, e-mails and office visits.

Ladwig said she fully intended to run again until her physician's recommendation.

If your name is Ladwig, and you want to run for Assembly, she has 1,000 campaign signs in her basement, she said.

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