MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Jimmy Anderson lost his parents, his brother and his ability to move from the chest down when a drunken driver hit their car in California in 2010.
His subsequent insurance battle and his work to help victims of drunken driving are now spurring the 29-year-old to run for Wisconsin Assembly, setting up a possible Democratic primary battle in the area southeast of Madison that includes Monona, Fitchburg and McFarland.
Rep. Robb Kahl holds the seat and told the Wisconsin State Journal he isn't certain yet if he will seek re-election. Kahl didn't return calls from The Associated Press.
Anderson attended law school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, completing his degree in 2012. His studies were interrupted in 2010 by the car crash, which left him paralyzed from the chest down, including his hands.
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Anderson said he quickly approached the lifetime dollar limit on his insurance following the crash. That meant he and his wife, Ashley Anderson, faced the possibility of paying all his future medical bills — things such as $2,000-a-day inpatient rehab and a wheelchair approaching $50,000 — on their own.
"We didn't know what we were going to do," Anderson said.
But then the federal health overhaul kicked in, banning lifetime limits on insurance. Anderson said Republican Gov. Scott Walker's opposition to the overhaul prompted him to get more involved in the political process.
When Anderson found out his representative, Kahl, had voted for Walker in 2010, Anderson decided to run against him in the Democratic primary.
"It made me want to give the people a different choice, someone who truly believes in progressive values," Anderson said.
Kahl, the former mayor of Monona, has said he voted for Walker in 2010 due to his economic policies but disagrees with his actions since Walker took office. Kahl was first elected to the Assembly in 2012 and has served on committees on children and families, energy and utilities, insurance, state affairs and transportation.
Anderson has no political background, emphasizing a "citizen Legislature" component in his campaign. He works at a nonprofit he started called Drive Clear, which helps victims of drunken driving. Ashley Anderson is a veterinarian, and the couple has two dogs, three cats, two rabbits, a gecko and some fish.
Anderson said life is "no doubt" more difficult as a quadriplegic, but there are some upsides — people go out of their way to help him and are less likely to slam the door in his face while he's door-knocking.
"Being in this chair, I always get to see people's best sides," Anderson said.
If Kahl decides to run, he and Anderson will face off in the Aug. 9 primary.
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Follow Bryna Godar on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bgodar
