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Democrat Cheryl Hancock launched her campaign May 29 to unseat Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, in the 94th District.

“Doing the work of the people is really what today is about,” said Hancock, surrounded by family, friends and local Democratic Party leaders.

Hancock, president of the Holmen School Board and executive director of the American Red Cross Scenic Bluffs Chapter, has been considering a run in the 94th, which includes most of suburban La Crosse County, for about a year.

In that time, Hancock said, people have told her they’re concerned about the economy, the environment, schools and health care.

However, “time and time again I was struck by the frustration of those (people) regarding the tone in Madison,” Hancock said. “Seemingly unwillingness to cross over the aisle to find common ground. The blocking of bills from even being heard or debated. I know a school district couldn’t function like that, nor could a family, and certainly our state shouldn’t.”

Hancock said she’d get to know fellow legislators from both sides of the aisle personally to help improve the tone in the Legislature.

Huebsch, who has represented the 94th District since 1994, said he’s proud of “changing the demeanor” of the Assembly since becoming speaker in 2007.

“If that’s the one point she’s going to bring up, that may have been the case a few years ago but not with me as speaker,” Huebsch said. “It hasn’t been the case, and it’s one of the things I’ve worked hard to change.”

Huebsch also issued a statement Thursday saying he’s proud of Republican efforts during his tenure to get Wisconsin out of the top-10 taxed states and warned taxes will go up again if Democrats take control of the Assembly in November.

“The importance of steady leadership and common sense in Madison has never been more important than right now,” said Huebsch, whose party has a 52-47 majority in the Assembly.

Hancock acknowledged they’ve had to raise taxes in the 12 years she’s been on the Holmen School Board. “We’ve balanced the needs of the taxpayers with the interests of the students,” she said.

Joe Heim, a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse political science professor, said Huebsch has been able to work with Democrats in Madison, especially Gov. Jim Doyle.

Heim said Huebsch “does what he can to moderate” some very conservative members of the Assembly Republican caucus, though he wouldn’t call Huebsch moderate.

Huebsch easily has handled all Democratic comers so far, winning approximately 58 percent of the vote in the last two elections, though his margins were 60 percent and higher in 2000 and 2002.

Huebsch had $51,285 in his war chest at the end of 2007.