A Reedsburg man announced his candidacy Jan. 26 for the 50th Assembly District seat currently held by state Rep. Ed Brooks (R-Reedsburg).

Art Shrader, who is running as a Democrat, said his will be the most energetic, well-organized, disciplined campaign in the district.

He said about six years ago the state underwent changes, and he decided to run for the seat because of a sense of duty.

“Act 10 was just the beginning of what’s happened, and our state has simply gone the wrong way. There are extreme agendas in Madison that have almost defied logic. I see some of these ideas that come out and ask myself, ‘Who wanted this? Who asked for this?’ and it’s not anyone in the 50th Assembly District.”

Shrader graduated from Ithaca High School, and spent some college years at the University of Wisconsin-Richland before being deployed to the Middle East as a Marine. He completed college at Winona State University with a degree in history and political science. He currently works at the WCCU Credit Union.

Shrader said public education is very important to him and that he has some problems with charter schools, especially when their funding comes out of public school coffers.

Shrader also said he is an advocate of small businesses and agriculture, particularly small businesses and farmers.

He also wants to see infrastructure improvements, especially to rural roads.

The 50th Assembly District is comprised of Greenwood township in Vernon County; parts of Monroe, Richland, and Sauk counties; and all of Juneau County.

For more information, go to www.shraderforwisconsin.com or call 608-415-9043.