MILWAUKEE – The race for Milwaukee County District Attorney will include a familiar face: current chief deputy Kent Lovern.
The long-time right-hand man to current DA John Chisholm has announced plans to run for the position just days after Chisholm announced he would not run for re-election.
“Milwaukee County deserves a District Attorney who not only understands the complexities of the law but also the intricacies of our community,” said Lovern Wednesday. “My career has been dedicated to keeping our streets safe, fighting against corruption, and advocating for those who need support.”
READ MORE: Milwaukee County DA John Chisholm will not seek re-election
Lovern has been employed by the DA’s office since 1998, and became Chisholm’s chief deputy in 2008 one year after Chisholm replaced long-standing DA E. Michael McCann. Lovern was also on a short list of candidates in 2021 to become President Biden’s U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin; that duty ultimately fell to Gregory Haanstad in 2022.
Lovern is so far the only candidate to officially enter the race, and will run as a Democrat. One area law enforcement expert says whoever replaces Chisholm needs to come to the table with fresh ideas to tackle crime and keep criminals from being returned to the streets.
“We need new innovative blood” 101.7 The Truth host and former Milwaukee Police lieutenant Dr. Ken Harris tells Wisconsin’s Morning News. “We keep putting out the same incestuous system…where everyone comes from the same law school and all of them know each other, the judges know each other…it’s just got to change.” Chisholm studied law at the University of Wisconsin after being honorably discharged from the Army in 1990, while Lovern received his law degree from the University of Iowa in 1995.
A primary for the DA’s position would be held on August 13th if needed, with the general election on November 5th.
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