Mary Burke, the daughter of Trek Bicycle’s founder credited with taking the company global, announced she is running for the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Gov. Scott Walker.
Burke was dubbed “the instant Democratic primary favorite,” by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel newspaper. She may be best known to state residents for a two-year stint at the state’s Secretary of Commerce from 2005 to 2007. Walker has since abolished the agency and handed over economic development tasks to a public-private partnership.
In a three-minute video announcing her candidacy, Burke referred to her experience helping turn Trek into a global brand. Her brother John Burke, who serves as president of Trek Bicycle, has credited her with the company’s successful expansion into Europe.
Burke’s status as a millionaire who invested more than $100,000 to win a seat on the local school board in 2012, and Walker’s status as a Republican firebrand with presidential ambitions are likely to elevate national media coverage of the race.
