State Senator Alberta Darling has announced her resignation from the Wisconsin Legislature. After a career that spanned 32 in the State Capitol, she will step down from her seat on Dec. 1. Darling was initially elected to the Assembly in 1990, but only served a single two-year term. She was elected to the Senate in 1992.

Following the Nov. 8 elections, and heading into the 2023-24 Legislative Session, the GOP was set to hold a 22-11 veto proof majority in the senate. With Darling’s retirement, Senate Republicans will be one seat short of a two-thirds supermajority, at least until Gov. Tony Evers calls a special election to fill the seat.

The 8th Senate District, which Darling is vacating, covers portions of Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington Counties, including the municipalities of Mequon, Cedarburg, Germantown, and Menomonee Falls. The district leans Republican, but the special election could be competitive, especially if it is held in conjunction with the April general election that has a WI Supreme Court race on the ballot.

Darling, who was the first woman lawmaker to co-chair the Legislature’s powerful Joint Finance Committee, helped to shape the state’s finances and budget policies for over two decades. She served on the committee for 22 years, including 12 years as the co-chair.