Former Republican State Sen. Dan Kapanke April 18 announced his bid to regain the 32nd Senate District seat he lost to incumbent State Sen. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) in a 2011 recall election.

Kapanke’s was one of nine Senate recall elections held in the summer of 2011.  Voters attempted to recall eight Democrats and seven other Republicans because of Gov. Scott Walker’s budget bill, which significantly limited public employee collective bargaining, and the protests surrounding it.

“The Coulee region needs a strong, common sense voice in Madison working to grow jobs, train and retrain our workforce, and bring steady leadership without the finger pointing we see all too often today in the political arena,” Kapanke said in a statement.

“I am excited to roll up my sleeves and get to work for the 32nd Senate District.  I look forward to visiting with people in every city, village, and town – from Mindoro down to Prairie du Chien, La Crosse over to Hillsboro, and every place in between.”

Kapanke was born in La Crosse and raised on a dairy farm in La Crosse County. He graduated from Luther High School in Onalaska in 1965 and later graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

He has also worked as a district sales manager for Pride Seed Company and Kaltenberg Seed Farms.

Kapanke is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps Reserve and the Wisconsin and South Dakota National Guard.

Along with his wife, Ruth, he is the co-owner and founder of the La Crosse Loggers minor league baseball team. The Kapankes have been married for 46 years and have four children and 13 grandchildren.