An Onalaska police officer who previously ran for state Senate has announced his candidacy for the Wisconsin Assembly seat being vacated by Barbara Gronemus.

Democrat Chris Danou of Trempealeau, Wis., said he is running on the principles of freedom, security and opportunity for the seat representing the 91st District, which includes all of Buffalo and Trempealeau counties and a town in Jackson County.

If elected, Danou said he would work to bring jobs to the district, to get affordable health care coverage for Wisconsin residents and try to shift the tax burden from homeowners, farmers and small business people back to corporations that now exploit loopholes in the tax codes.

"The most important things we can do is get good-paying jobs in the area," Danou said. "Americans' income has not risen in the past eight years. People are living off borrowed time and borrowed money."

Trained as a wildlife biologist, the 41-year-old Danou is a patrol officer in Onalaska and president of the police officer's union there. He previously ran for the Wisconsin Senate, losing to Kathleen Vinehout in the 2006 Democratic primary. Vinehout eventually won in the general election as well.

Danou will face at least one Democrat in the Sept. 9 primary. James K. Kraft of Durand and Margaret Baecker of Independence have filed papers. Two Republicans, Dave Hegenbarth of Galesville and David Anderson of Whitehall, also will face off in the primary.

Gronemus, a Democrat who has represented the district since 1980, is retiring.