Laura Manriquez Enters Race To Unseat State Representative JoCasta Zamarripa

State Representive Zamarripa will most likely face challenger Laura Manriquez in the Primary Election.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

June 1, 2016

Milwaukee, WI - On Tuesday, Laura Manriquez announced in her Facebook page that she has acquired 286 nomination signatures to be place on the ballot for the August 9 Primary Election and filed her candidacy papers to unseat Democratic State Representative JoCasta Zamarripa. Zamarripa is running for re-election in the 8th Assembly District in Wisconsin.

Manriquez challenged Zamarripa as a write-in candidate in 2010 after being defeated in the primary election and in 2012 and 2014, Manriquez attempted once again to unseat Zamarripa, but Zamarripa defeated Manriquez again.

Manriquez attributes her prior unsuccessful attempts to unseat Zamarripa due to personal obstacles and tragedy in her life. According to a press release, Manriquez says that in 2010, the Manriquez campaign was derailed by a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (MJS) report falsely identifying her for having state warrants against her for back taxes. The false report clearly hurt her chance of winning the campaign that year. MJS recanted the story issued a correction and public apology to Manriquez for the false report.  However, damage to Manriquez' reputation was done and there was no way to recover because the report was released weeks before the election.

In 2012, tragedy befell Manriquez when her son was tragically killed by a hit and run driver. "The loss of my dear son was more than I could bear that year", said Manriquez. The campaign was suspended.
In 2014, despite having broken her ankle in three places, while working as a city forestry division trainee, Manriquez filed once again to run for the 8th Assembly seat. Walking around in crutches with a metal plate and screws affixed to her ankle and nursing a broken rib, Manriquez filed her nomination papers after collecting the required signatures to be placed on the ballot. 
But once again tragedy struck. Walking down a flight of stairs Manriquez lost her balance and fell down 15 steps hitting her head causing a major concussion, swelling to her brain, hemorrhage and a blood clot to the brain.  After two weeks in the hospital to be stabilized, Manriquez returned home unable to care for herself and function as individuals normally do, therefore the campaign was once again suspended.  "I really wanted to be out there. Knocking on doors. Meeting with the voters. Surrounding myself with my community like I usually do. But I was unable to even care for myself", said Manriquez

Zamarripa has been re-elected multiple times and has been an advocate against the Republican controlled legislature anti-immigrant bills targeted at the Wisconsin immigrant community.