Finley's successor

So who will run in the special election to replace longtime County Executive Dan Finley? His wife, Jenifer Finley (with an impressive resume and years of County political connections in her own right), has publicly stated that she is considering a run. She would be a formidable candidate.

Here are the other candidates people are mentioning today, by category:

Legislators

Legislators Mark Gundrum (R-New Berlin) and Dan Vrakas (R-Hartland) come up the most. Many people in Waukesha also remember the Vrakas name from Dan's father, Paul Vrakas, who was the longtime Waukesha mayor and a restaurant owner. Ted Kanavas (R-Town of Brookfield) is the other legislator whose name comes up. Dan Vrakas is pictured at left.

Other County Officials

County Board Chairman Jim Dwyer (at left) is considered a lock for a run; he's very networked and respected. County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus is being mentioned. Susan Dreyfus, daughter-in-law of former Gov. Lee Dreyfus, used to be Dan Finley's Chief of Staff with the County, and is being mentioned. However, she now has a very good job that I am not sure she would want to leave. She's Chief Operating Officer for the Alliance of Children and Families and was previously an Administrator with the state Division of Children and Family Services. County Board Supervisor Ken Herro is a possibility. Herro is co-owner of a real estate business who considered running for higher office (Steve Foti's seat) before.

Mayors

I hear Brookfield Mayor Jeff Speaker is out. The other mayors mentioned are former New Berlin Mayor Ted Wysocki (at left) and Oconomowoc Mayor Maury Sullivan.

Wild Cards

Former Lieutenant Governor Margaret Farrow is being mentioned, and she's obviously got a long resume, although her recent service on the museum's much-criticized Board of Directors might come up. More recently, I'm hearing mention of her son as a possible candidate.

Update: People now are already publicly declaring their contentions. First out of the gate: Kanavas tells wispolitics Friday he's out and Gundrum tells the JS he's out in a Saturday story. Dwyer says he's in. Saturday's Journal Sentinel story has the names I gave you here Friday.