Sure Looks Like Mahlon Mitchell’s Run to Be Wisconsin’s First Black Governor is Going to Start Monday

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    Mahlon Mitchell, who was the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor in the 2012 recall of Governor Scott Walker, looks set to launch his own bid for the governor’s office on Monday.

    Mitchell, a Madison firefighter and president of the Professional Fire Fighters Association of Wisconsin, said Friday that he would make a “major political announcement” at events in Green Bay, Milwaukee and Madison on Monday.

    Mitchell says he will be joined at the events by local firefighters, workers, educators, students and small business owners “who believe it’s time for a change in Wisconsin.”

    Mitchell became a favorite among union activists and progressives during the 2011 protests of Act 10, which gutted public employee unions. Mitchell led firefighters in emotional marches on the Capitol to protest, despite assurances from Walker that firefighters and police unions would not be affected.

    In August, a campaign to draft Mitchell to run was launched on Facebook.

    If he does announce a run for governor, Mitchell would join a number of candidates already declared including Milwaukee businessman Andy Gronik and Madison activist Mike McCabe, as well as a number of people considering a run including State Senator Kathleen Vinehout and Madison Mayor Paul Soglin. If he were to win, he could become the first black nominee for governor, the first black governor and only the second black statewide elected official, following former Secretary of State Vel Phillips.