Milwaukee Bucks senior vice president Alex Lasry, left, and guard George Hill walk through a Milwaukee neighborhood during a voter canvassing effort Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020.
Steve Megargee | AP
Milwaukee Bucks senior vice president Alex Lasry announced a 2022 run for U.S. Senate in the swing state of Wisconsin. The seat is currently held by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson.
The 33-year old Democrat launched his campaign via YouTube. “We need a new way of thinking and a new perspective,” Lasry said. “We’ve lived through three systemic shocks to the system over the last 20 years: 9/11, the Great Recession and now, this pandemic. And we still haven’t fixed things.”
The video included endorsements from Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Milwaukee Common Council President Cavalier Johnson and other top state politicians.
Lasry, a New York native and son of hedge-fund billionaire Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry, is a senior vice president of the team. He plans to take a leave of absence during his run, according to ESPN.
Lasry has pledged to “invest” in his campaign while also promising a strong fundraising operation to reach out to small donors, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Outagamie County Executive and Democrat Tom Nelson, also running for the seat, has publicly challenged Lasry to avoid using his family’s wealth to fund his campaign.
Lasry did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
Johnson, one of former President Donald Trump’s staunchest allies in the Senate, has yet to announce whether he plans to run for a third term. The 65-year old voted to acquit Trump of inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol riot in his second impeachment trial.
Johnson did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
This summer, in protest of the Kenosha, Wisc., shooting of unarmed Black man Jacob Blake, the Bucks decided not to take the floor for Game 5 in the first round in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, forcing a league-wide postponement. Lasry was among those who supported the move.
Lasry faced backlash last month for perceived favoritism after receiving the Covid vaccine, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Lasry’s pregnant wife got a call from an uncle about unused, available Covid vaccines. Unable to take the shot, she offered it to Lasry in her place.
“I just got lucky,” Lasry said.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee was quick to pounce on Wednesday as it responded to Lasry’s candidacy: “Wisconsin doesn’t need a spoiled rich kid like Alex Lasry who thinks it’s okay to use his wealth and power to cut in line ahead of vulnerable, elderly Wisconsinites to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, as he did last month,” an NRSC statement read. “Wisconsin deserves better.”
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