State Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, announced Wednesday that she’ll end her 32-year political career and retire Dec. 1.
In a letter to Senate President Chris Kapenga, Darling said it “has been my honor and privilege to represent the great people of Wisconsin. I am especially fortunate to have been surrounded by a supporting family and staff. I thank them for their patience and dedication to the state of Wisconsin.
“Serving requires many sacrifices and I look forward to giving family and friends my full attention,” Darling said.
First elected to the state Assembly in 1990, Darling has served in the state Senate since 1992 and authored more than 200 bills that became law.
As co-chair of the powerful joint finance committee, Darling’s office said she helped deliver “more than $20 billion in tax relief since 2011.”
In a statement, Darling said, “as the longest-serving woman to co-chair the Joint Committee on Finance, I made sure each and every dollar was spent prudently knowing this money comes from the hardworking people of our state. Our state finances went from massive projected deficits to real surpluses. This was not by chance or accident. I followed the same principles my parents taught me and the same ones Wisconsin families follow every day.”
Darling added she was “proud to be one of the original authors of the first school choice program in the nation. I fought to make sure every child in the state has access to a quality education.”
Darling, 78, was last re-elected in 2020. A special election will have to be called by Gov. Tony Evers to fill out the remainder of her four-year term.
