East Side Activist With Great Background Ponders Legislative Election

I couldn't imagine a better candidate for the state legislature, or a better representative than Sam Rowen, interviewed by WisPolitics.com, about the possibility of running for office.

Not just because he's my son, but because he's smart, talented, dedicated and honest.

Part of the story follows:



Sam Rowen, a legislative assistant for Milwaukee Ald. Mike D'Amato, says he's considering joining the growing field of Democratic candidates vying for the 22nd Assembly District seat being vacated by Rep. Sheldon Wasserman.

Wasserman is giving up the seat in a bid to unseat Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills.

Rowen, a Shorewood native, says his knowledge of the district and his experience at City Hall would make him a good fit for the district.

“I've learned a lot about helping constituents and I enjoy that part of it greatly,” Rowen said of his work with D'Amato.

“I know the district; I know the neighborhoods,” Rowen said. “It's a great place to live and I think I fit the mold of the kind of people those neighborhoods would want to attract and retain.”

Like other candidates who have stepped forward, Rowen said health care would be a priority, but also stressed the importance of maintaining quality schools in the district.

“Schools are about the most important things to those neighborhoods, and that's what attracts people to moving there,” Rowen said.

But Rowen, a father of twin 11-month-old boys, said he's still discussing the issue with his family.

Rowen currently lives on the east side of Milwaukee and would have to move to one of the four Milwaukee wards the district covers in order to run and still allow his wife to continue working as a teacher in the Milwaukee Public School district.

Rowen graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in communications. He is the son of Jim Rowen, a blogger and former reporter who's served as a mayoral staffer in Milwaukee and Madison...

A possible Rowen bid was first reported on the Milwaukee Rising blog: http://milwaukeerising.blogspot.com/