Six Wisconsin Assembly primaries to watch on Tuesday • Wisconsin Examiner

Wisconsin voters will go to the polls on Tuesday to decide who will move on to November’s elections. Some of those races could make decisions about the direction of the Legislature: Some Assembly races ask voters to choose whether to bring in new faces or which sitting lawmakers should continue to serve.

Voters’ decisions in the primary and then again in November will widely shape the makeup of the Assembly in the next legislative session, especially as Wisconsin Democrats aim to win enough seats to hold a majority in the Assembly for the first time since 2009, while Wisconsin Republicans seek to protect their majority.

The Wisconsin Examiner looked at six Assembly primaries — three on the Democratic side and three on the Republican side — to examine some of the choices voters across the state will make on Tuesday.

AD 78: Sitting lawmaker vs. new voice

Rep. Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison) and Maia Pearson, vice president of the Madison school board, will compete for the 78th Assembly seat, which represents Monona, parts of Madison and McFarland. No Republicans are registered to run, meaning that the winner of Tuesday’s primary will likely not face significant opposition in November.

Stubbs, who was first elected to the Assembly in 2018. If the Democrats take back the majority, “it’s important that we need experienced, strong leaders to move forward on values that we share. Leaders who can get things done,” Stubbs told the Wisconsin Examiner. “That is the leadership that I would bring and continue to bring to the state Legislature. My record of making change happen is unmatched.” 

Stubbs pointed to her work on Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ Task Force on Racial Disparities in 2021 and the Task Force on Human Trafficking in the current session as well as her work to introduce other bills to reform the criminal justice system and reduce racial disparities in the state. Most recently, Stubbs has been leading an effort to establish a task force that would create a task force on missing and murdered Black women and girls. 

Stubbs said that in another term in office her priorities would include defending “a woman’s right to choose their own health decision,” reforming the state’s criminal justice system, expanding Medicaid and fighting the effects of climate change. 

“I want you to know that Democrats are excited and fired up about the chance to move Wisconsin forward,” Stubbs said. 

Prior to the state Legislature, Stubbs served as a member of the Dane County Board of Supervisors for 16 years. Recently, Stubbs sought to return to working on county-level issues again when the Dane County Human Services director position was open, but the Dane County Board of Supervisors ultimately rejected Stubbs after questions about whether she would be willing to leave the Legislature.

Pearson said her district’s decision to go to referendum this fall to ask voters to raise property taxes to help fund operating and maintenance costs for its schools was a turning point in her decision to run. 

“I was asking some legislators [about] public education funding. I think folks are like… ‘Unfortunately, we don’t have the control of the Legislature, so there’s not much that we can do, and we’ll possibly look at it for next session,’” Pearson said. “I felt like the answer wasn’t good enough.” 

Pearson, who has a community organizing background, said she thought lawmakers could do more, even with a Republican-led Legislature, to mobilize people and get the word out about the issue. With the new maps, she thought it was an opportunity to have someone in office who understands the “nuance” of school funding from the local perspective. 

Pearson said implementing universal 4-year-old kindergarten, providing free school lunches to students and repealing Act 10 are other education-related policies that she would want to see the Legislature pursue.

“If we can make good public schools and invest well and make them fully funded, have universal lunches, have access to child care, that means that families can be able to work,” Pearson said. “They can be able, then, to invest back into the community.” 

When asked about why she decided to challenge the sitting lawmaker, Pearson said Stubbs didn’t have anything to do with her decision to run.

“Why not?” Pearson said. “If there is an opportunity for new maps, new maps create opportunities for varying voices — new voices.”

AD 19: Outspoken left-wing lawmaker vs. lawyer focused on unity

Rep. Ryan Clancy (D-Milwaukee), a first-term, left-wing lawmaker, faces a challenge from Jarrod Anderson, a lawyer and health policy advocate, for the seat representing the 19th Assembly district in Milwaukee. It comes as Clancy has faced criticism from within the Democratic party. 

Clancy, who helped restart to socialist caucus in the state Assembly, has become known for being outspoken on a variety of issues. Notably, he’s been open about his support for Palestine and criticism of the Biden administration’s handling of Israel’s war against Hamas. He supported the ‘uninstructed’ primary vote in Wisconsin and supported pro-Palestinian protests at UW campuses in the spring. He has also previously come under criticism from colleagues across the aisle for his criticism of police.

Clancy’s way of operating in the Legislature appears to have alienated some of his party colleagues. Rep. Daniel Reimer (D-Milwaukee), told Urban Milwaukee in June that Clancy is a “horrible colleague” and “someone who can’t be trusted.”

Clancy has support from other lawmakers, however, with endorsements from Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) and from Reps. Francesca Hong (D-Madison), Supreme Moore Omokunde (D-Milwaukee) and Darrin Madison (D-Milwaukee). Larson wrote recently that Clancy “is fighting for our neighbors and for a better Wisconsin.”

According to his campaign website, some of Clancy’s priorities include supporting public schools by addressing the state’s funding formula, raising revenue limits and rolling back privatization; improving safety through community investment not policing and working on establishing a statewide right to counsel. 

Anderson, meanwhile, is setting himself apart from Clancy and defines himself as collaborative. His campaign website emphasizes him as a “community-builder,” and mentions that being in the Assembly requires someone focused on “safeguarding public trust with a focus on serving constituents over political grandstanding.”

“We need Democratic unity, focused efforts over headline-chasing, and a commitment to doing the hard work required to improve lives,” his website states. 

Anderson has the endorsement of several Milwaukee Democrats including Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Mayor Cavalier Johnson, County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson and Reimer. 

“Milwaukee’s strength lies in our common sense, hard working approach to getting things done, and it’s time our district’s representation in Madison reflects that,” Anderson said in his campaign announcement. “I believe in bringing people together from across the community to address our shared challenges and deliver real results, not just rhetoric, for the people of Milwaukee.”

Recently, Anderson has come under criticism for only voting twice since moving to Wisconsin in 2021 and he called into question the accuracy of the voting records. 

No Republicans registered to run in the district.

AD 44: Two former educators seek open seat

Ann Roe, a small business owner and former educator, and Cathy Myers, a Janesville school board member and former educator, will face each other in the race to fill the seat representing the 44th Assembly district, currently represented by retiring Rep. Sue Conley. The Democratic-leaning district covers parts of Janesville.

Both contestants have run for office previously, seeking to represent the 1st Congressional District. 

Myers ran in the Democratic primary in 2018, losing to Randy Bryce, whose candidacy won national attention when Republican Paul Ryan was the incumbent. Ryan chose not to run again, and Bryce lost to Republican Bryan Steil, a former Ryan aide. 

In 2022, when Steil ran for his third term as 1st District representative, Roe was his unsuccessful Democratic challenger.

Roe said that public service has always been a big part of her life, noting that she worked at the public library when she was in high school 

“I would really, really like to continue serving, and I don’t see it as a political gain for me, that’s not what I’m after,” Roe said. “It’s a continuation of what I’m already doing on a larger platform so that hopefully we can get more done.” 

Roe, who taught at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the College of Business and Economics, said public education funding, repealing the state’s 1849 law that was widely interpreted as banning abortion and accepting the Medicaid expansion are some of her top priorities.

“We have 93 referendums this year for school districts throughout Wisconsin, that is insane, and that makes it very hard to manage, very hard to plan proactively for those districts and for those children and staff,” Roe said. “So I would like to see an improvement made to the public education funding formula.” 

Roe suggested that legalizing medicinal and recreational marijuana would be a way of bringing in additional revenue to the state to help with that. 

Myers also is focused on public education, including improving funding and repealing Act 10, as her major priorities if elected. She said that she wanted to run because the seat opened up.

“I was just appalled by what has happened to public workers, especially teachers, after Act 10,” Myers said. “I believe in people being at the table, it makes us stronger.” As a member of the Janesville school board, she added, “I’ve been trying to lessen the blow of Act 10, and I feel like I’ve been able to do some things, but I’ve hit a wall in what I do to help public workers and to help public education.” 

Myers said that she would also want to see less money go towards the state’s private school voucher program. She said it was “foolish” that Wisconsin thought it could fund two systems of education.

“I want it to go away. I don’t know the method by which it should go away. Should it be phased out slowly? Those details we can work out. But… it is public money. Public money should go to public schools and other public services,” Myers said. “It should not be used for private obligations or private organizations.” 

The winner will face Republican Bruce Danielson in November.

AD 6: Two sitting Republican representatives compete

Two current state lawmakers, Reps. Peter Schmidt (R-Bonduel) and Elijah Behnke (R-Oconto), are running against each other for the rural, red-leaning 6th Assembly District, which includes Menominee County and parts of Oconoto, Shawano, Waupaca counties. 

Schmidt — the incumbent in the district who was elected to the Assembly in 2022 — was banned from and censured by the Shawano County Republican Party after a criminal conviction.

In this year’s race, Behnke, who was first elected to the Assembly in 2021, has the endorsement of the Shawano County Republican Party.

In an interview Thursday on the Regular Joe Show, a conservative radio talk show, Behnke said voters should support him because he is “the more conservative choice.” He noted his opposition to mask mandates and COVID-19 vaccine mandates. He also criticized Schmidt for voting in favor of a 14-week abortion bill in the Assembly in 2023.

Behnke has the endorsement of Pro-Life Wisconsin. In the most recent legislative session, he signed onto a package of bills that would have updated the state’s 1849 law to redefine abortion, specifying that the removal of a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy is not an abortion. The bill also provided a tax credit for unborn fetuses. He also was the lead Assembly author on a bill to bar state employees from promoting or providing abortions.

The winner of Tuesday’s primary will face Democrat Shirley Hinze in November. 

AD 86: Two state lawmakers and a dairy farmer

Three Republicans, Reps. John Spiros (R-Marshfield) and Donna Rozar (R-Marshfield) along with Trine Spindler, will face off in the race to represent the 86th Assembly district, which includes parts of Marathon, Wood and Portage counties. 

Spiros is the incumbent for the 86th, and noted in his campaign announcement that while the district changed under the new maps adopted this year, his “dedication to representing our communities in Madison for the last 12 years has not.”

Rozar noted in her campaign announcement that over 50% of the new 86th district is made up of parts of the 69th district, which she currently represents. Only 25% of the past 86th district is included in the newly realigned 86th AD.

Rozar, who was first elected to the Assembly in 2020, said in her campaign she wants to “continue helping to move Wisconsin forward.” She said her experiences, including as a nurse, small business owner and Wood County Board Supervisor, give her a “unique perspective” on issues at hand in the Legislature. 

“I can represent you with common sense on healthcare issues, local government needs, economic development and workforce challenges with like-minded colleagues,” Rozar said in her campaign announcement.

During her time in the Legislature, Rozar has focused on legislation related to health care and abortion, including advocating for the state to expand Medicaid coverage for postpartum mothers and for a 14-week abortion ban. Neither bill became law.

The third Republican, Spindler, is a dairy farmer and a member of Farmland First, a nonprofit focused on protecting farmland. 

“As an owner/operator of a centennial dairy farm, preserving our rural way of life is dear to my heart and the main reason I entered this race,” Spindler said in her campaign announcement. “While fighting to protect my neighbors and our farmland, I have found a hunger for more common sense in government, and that’s what I am bringing to the table.”

Spindler has said that giving governing power back to towns is one of her priorities. A parent of mother of three school-aged children who attend a private Catholic school using the state’s school choice system, she also expressed her support for ensuring that “parents have the right to know everything that goes on at school.” She noted that their private schools doesn’t promote DEI policies. Curbing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in schools, especially in higher education, has been a major focus for Republicans of late. 

The winner of the primary will face Democrat John Small in November. 

AD 24: Knodl v. Brandtjen rematch

Sen. Dan Knodl (R-Germantown) and Rep. Janel Brandtjen (R-Menomonee Falls) will face each other in the primary for the Republican-leaning 24th Assembly district, which includes Menomonee Falls, Germantown and Butler. 

Knodl and Brandtjen faced each other last year in the primary for a special election for the seat in the state Senate that Knodl currently holds. After Knodl and Sen. Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville) were put in the same Senate district under the state’s new maps, Knodl opted to step back from the Senate and run for the Assembly this year rather than challenge Stroebel in a primary —  setting him up to face Brandtjen. 

Knodl said in his campaign announcement that the state needs “continuity and stability.” 

“We need to look forward, not backward,” Knodl said. “The constituents of this district need a conservative they can trust with a record of actually getting the job done, not just talking about it; a conservative who is respected by his colleagues. I have those qualities and look forward to sharing my vision with the voters of this district.”

In recent weeks, Knodl has highlighted his work to help make Wisconsin a Right to Work state, to advocate for a bill that would bar transgender girls from participating on girls’ athletic teams and to push forward a law to eliminate the personal property tax on his campaign’s Facebook page.

Brandtjen, well known for her support for legally impossible efforts to decertify Wisconsin’s 2020 election results and continued pushing of election conspiracy theories, has found herself at odds with Republican leadership in the Assembly in the last two years. She was kicked out from the Republican caucus meetings, helped lead a failed impeachment effort against Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe and worked on failed efforts to oust Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. 

Both Brandtjen and Knodl were two of the 15 Wisconsin lawmakers who signed a letter in 2021 asking former Vice President Mike Pence to put off certifying the 2020 presidential results.

In her race against Knodl, Brandtjen has received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.

The winner on Tuesday will face Democrat William Walter in November.