Attorney Veenstra is first to announce for La Crosse circuit court seat in April election

The November election is in the spotlight right now, but a La Crosse election after that already is attracting candidates.

La Crosse attorney Joe Veenstra launched a campaign Thursday for circuit judge in the spring election next April.

Veenstra has applied for a couple of open court seats in recent years, which went to other people.

“I think Abe Lincoln lost a couple of races, and then he eventually did okay, ” Veenstra told reporters, “so we should all learn from failure.”

Veenstra is running for the Branch 1 seat held by Judge Ramona Gonzalez since 1995.

Gonzalez has chosen not to run again, saying “30 years is enough.”

La Crosse County has three elections for circuit judge scheduled in the spring.

Veenstra has been endorsed by several current and retired judges in the area. Among the active La Crosse judges backing Veenstra is Elliott Levine, who says the candidate knows how the court system works and is liked by court staffers.

“Joe is one of those people they look forward to,” Levine, whose seat is also up for election next year, said. “Somebody they look forward to working with, somebody who knows the courtroom, and takes care of business.”

Veenstra has presided over court occasionally as a court commissioner, and he served three terms on the La Crosse County Board. The judges elected in April will serve six-year terms, and will take office next summer.