Kent Lovern announces bid to succeed his boss, Milwaukee County DA John Chisholm

Kent Lovern, the chief deputy to District Attorney John Chisholm, formally announced his bid Wednesday to succeed his boss in office in November's election.

Lovern, whose announcement comes days after Chisholm announced he would not seek re-election after 17 years in office and quickly threw his support behind Lovern, said he would campaign on an agenda of addressing violent crime.

"A very basic but important fundamental role that will be continued by me if I'm the District Attorney will be an emphasis on a strong response to violent crime. That's just non negotiable," Lovern told the Journal Sentinel.

"We have to respond strongly to violent crime in this community and that also includes people stealing cars, people carjacking other folks, people driving cars at a high rate of speed throughout the city and county — that just can't be tolerated. It has to be met with a firm response," he said.

Lovern, who is running as a Democrat, also made a promise to the residents to help expand community partnerships and services, including finding new channels to address root causes of crime in Milwaukee outside of the criminal justice system.

Lovern is the first to throw his hat into the ring for district attorney.

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge David Borowski floated the idea in an interview with the Journal Sentinel, adding he could only do so if state lawmakers pass a bill permitting judges to run for nonjudicial posts during their terms.

If necessary, a primary election would be held Aug. 13, with the general election set for Nov. 5.

'There is a lot to build on here'

Raised in Wichita, Kansas, his family later relocated to Sioux City, Iowa, when he was in high school. Lovern received his bachelor of arts in history at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City and a law degree from the University of Iowa in 1995, where he met his wife, attorney Susan E. Lovern.

The couple settled in Milwaukee in 1995, raising two sons.

Lovern joined the DA's office three years later.

During his time with the office, he has worked as a prosecutor in more than 800 cases, ranging from misdemeanors to felony domestic violence, and with the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force.

Lovern became Chisholm's chief deputy in 2008, a role that included overseeing the homicide unit as well as involvement in police misconduct cases and investigating use of force against officers.

In 2021, Lovern was one of five lawyers recommended to become President Joe Biden's pick to serve as the next U.S. attorney in Milwaukee.

Lovern also cited his involvement with community partnerships, including his work with the Sojourner Family Peace Center, which provides domestic violence prevention and intervention services, as well as helping to develop and build MKE Urban Stables of which he serves as the board president.

"I believe so strongly that there is a lot to build on here," Lovern said. "I've had a long history of working with people in the mental health community, professionals, families for years, trying to find better solutions to bring the care that people battling mental illness need, because they can often find it in a better place and through the healthcare system than they can through the criminal justice system," he said.

He cited uncompetitive pay scales for assistant district attorney as a challenge for the office.

"It's been a crisis. There's no question about it. We have lost dozens and dozens and dozens of great attorneys over the years who loved prosecution work, but just simply couldn't afford to stay in our office any longer and that has contributed, I think, to the unsteadiness in our public safety sphere, without question," Lovern said.

He said he hopes to engage lawmakers in Madison on the issue, pointing to breakthroughs Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson were able to make with state government on local government funding issues.

"I would hope to do the same thing in an effort to point out the need to continue to support the criminal justice systems that exist throughout our state because it's been a statewide crisis, to be sure," Lovern said.

Contact Vanessa Swales at 414-308-5881 or at vswales@gannett.com. Follow her on X @Vanessa_Swales.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Kent Lovern announces bid to succeed Milwaukee County DA Chisholm