Weatherston Announces Bid For 62nd State Assembly Seat

Tom Weatherston, a resident, today announced he will run for the 62nd State Assembly District.

The position will be up for election on November 6 and is a two-year term.

Cory Mason (D-Racine) currently holds the job, but hasn’t officially said he’s going run for his seat again. Late last year, Mason said he might run for the office of Lt. Governor, but he has not made any decisions.

“It is premature to comment on any opponent when we don’t know the outcome of redistricting,” Mason said. “I am still considering options, but until we know where the lines will be, it’s hard to make any comment.”

The current district comprises part of the City of Racine, most of Mount Pleasant and all of Sturtevant. The Republican-drawn maps, which are being challenged in federal court, would make most of Caledonia, a small piece of the City of Racine and part of Mount Pleasant part of the new 62nd District.

“Anyone could end up running against anyone else at this point,” Mason said. “This is the challenge, considering the courts and when the decision will come down.”

The trial over the redistricting proposals begins Feb. 21, and it is anyone’s guess when the trial will wrap up or what the decision will ultimately mean. Mason said he did some research and over the last 40 years, whenever the courts have intervened, they almost always reject both the current and redrawn districts and draw completely new ones.

Weatherston, a current Caledonia Village Board member, said he filed the papers because he wanted to make sure everyone in the 62nd District was well represented.

“I want to make sure we’re represented properly,” Weatherston said. “I don’t have any certain goals that I want to accomplish, but I want to continue on the nice path that was already started by Robin Vos and Van Wanggaard.”

Having served on the Village Board for the past two years, Weatherston worked at Modine as the director of facilities management and he is a past president of the Racine Area Vets.

One of the reasons why Weatherston filed papers for the position is that he doesn’t think Mason is going to run.

“I think it’s a new district and it’s going to be wide-open,” Weatherston said. “But I’m also the right guy for the job. I’m geared up to do what’s right for the citizens for the community and make sure they are represented in Madison.”

Mason said he welcomes residents running for office.

“This is a free country and I’m glad to see residents who want to serve,” he continued. “We’ll just have to wait for the courts to answer and adjust accordingly.”

Residents who want to run for state office can officially file their notice for candidacy on April 15. Nomination papers with the appropriate supportive signatures are due by June 1.