Wisconsin Gov. Evers appoints new secretary of state

Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Friday announced he would appoint former state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski to serve as secretary of state, replacing the retiring Doug La Follette, who held the position for more than 40 years.

“It was a privilege to serve the people of Wisconsin as state treasurer for four years, and I am humbled that Gov. Evers has called upon me to serve as secretary of state," Godlewski said, per The Hill.

La Follette was first elected to the post in 1974, and served from 1975-1979. He later reclaimed the job and served from 1983 to the present. His current term expires in 2027. In his announcement, Evers celebrated the veteran civil servant's long career.

"Secretary of State La Follette’s retirement after more than 40 years of state service leaves an incredibly important role to fill, and I want to thank him for his years of dedication to the people of Wisconsin throughout his long career," he said.

Of Godlewski, Evers touted her "experience and values" while serving as state Treasurer and said she would "bring those same qualities to her new role as Wisconsin’s Secretary of State."

She previously sought the Democratic Party nomination for Senate in 2022, but dropped out of the contest before the primary. 

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.