Nine out of 446 bills with a Democrat as the first author got a hearing in the Wisconsin Legislature in the 2025-26 session.
The nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau provided statistics that confirmed most of the numbers in a social media post about the fate of bills introduced by Democrats, who are in the minority.
The LRB confirmed that no bills with a Democrat as the first author became law. That doesn’t take into account three laws where the Assembly or Senate version of the text passed, but a Democrat led the companion bill in the other chamber, such as a bipartisan law that expanded the missing child alerts system.
This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
The Wisconsin Assembly chamber. Elections in August and November will determine who fills these seats and those in the state Senate. (File photo by Melanie Conklin/Wisconsin Examiner)
While Wisconsin’s governor’s race is drawing national attention, control of the state Legislature could determine whether the next governor can enact their agenda. Legislative primaries will shape the handful of Assembly and Senate races that could decide control next year.
Republicans are seeking to defend their majorities, which they’ve held since 2011. Democrats are seeking to flip two Senate seats and five Assembly seats while maintaining all the seats they hold currently to win majorities in both chambers. The outcome will determine how much of the next governor’s agenda — from Medicaid expansion to tax cuts and investing in education — can become law.
There is sparse polling on state legislative races, although a survey in July from Marquette Law School found that 46% of Wisconsin voters said they would vote for Democrats in legislative races, while 42% said they’d vote for Republicans. The poll could not deliver detailed information on specific districts at play.
Republicans are gearing up financially to defend their majorities, with the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee reporting $6.5 million raised in the first half of the year and a total of $11.5 million cash-on-hand. The Committee to Elect a Republican Senate raised nearly $5 million and had $5.3 million on-hand.
The bulk of that fundraising came from billionaires Diane Hendricks, who gave $2.5 million to RACC and $2 million to the Senate GOP committee, as well as Elizabeth Uihlein, who gave $3 million to the Assembly committee and $2 million to the Senate committee. The contributions have given the Republicans organizations deeper pockets than their Democratic counterparts.
According to recent campaign finance reports, the State Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, the fundraising arm of the Senate Democratic caucus, raised about $2.8 million over the first six months of the year, while the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee raised $3 million and ended with nearly $2.4 million cash-on-hand.
The primary is scheduled for Aug. 11. Here are seven primary elections the Wisconsin Examiner is keeping an eye on in the lead-up to Election Day. The general election is Nov. 3.
Race to replace Jacque in northeastern Senate district
A four-way Republican primary is taking place in the race to replace Sen. André Jacque in Senate District 1, which represents Door and Kewaunee counties.
Nic Cravillion is an Army combat veteran and small business owner from New Franken who is campaigning on lowering taxes and promoting “responsible spending” as well as expanding workforce and affordable housing opportunities. For the last five years, Cravillion has also worked as the district director for Jacque. He reported raising $75,911 and having $62,264 on hand — more than any of the other candidates — at the end of the period. He also reported taking out $62,100 in personal loans.
Barbara Bittner serves as the chair of the Calumet County Republican Party. She is running to reduce property taxes, protect “parental rights,” get “tough on crime” and uphold the “sanctity of life and traditional values.” Bittner reported raising $17,180.00 and having about $16,945 on hand at the end of the period.
Katie Baney, a De Pere mother, currently works as the managing director of government affairs at Delta Defense, where she advocates for gun owners, and promises not to support any legislation that restricts the Second Amendment, according to her campaign website. Baney reported in July raising $46,772 and having $43,662 on-hand.
Jacob VandenPlas, a veteran and farmer who founded DC Farm for Vets, a rehabilitation farm that provides education and services to veterans entering agriculture.
No Democrat is running for the seat in the red-leaning district, though the winner of the Republican primary will face Mark Becker, a small business owner who was formerly the chair of the Brown County Republican Party and is now running as an independent.
Becker left the party after Trump’s election in 2016 due to disagreements over the direction of the GOP. He reported raising $20,233 and having $15,078 cash-on-hand. He has received contributions from Adam Kinzinger, the former Republican Congressman from Illinois who left the party due to his opposition to Trump, and the campaign account of state Sen. Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (D-Appleton).
Three seek to take on Marklein in key district
Three Democrats are competing to win a spot on the ballot to take on Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) in November. Marklein was first elected to the Senate in 2014, and has been the co-chair of the powerful Joint Finance Committee since 2021.
The district includes Crawford, Grant, Green, Iowa and LaFayette counties as well as the southwestern corner of Dane County.
Marklein won the district with 60% of the vote in 2022, but Senate District 17 changed considerably under the new maps.
The district leaned Democratic by 1 percentage point in the 2024 presidential election and by over 4 percentage points in the 2024 U.S. Senate race, according to an analysis by John Johnson, a fellow at Marquette Law School.
Marklein’s incumbency status gives him an advantage in the district, and he is also raising more than the other Democratic candidates combined.
In his most recent campaign finance reports, Marklein reported raising $300,195 and ending the reporting period with $1.01 million in the bank. He received $100,000 — or about a third of his total contributions — from the Committee to Elect a Republican Senate.
Rep. Jenna Jacobson (D-Oregon), who has served in the state Assembly since 2023, launched her campaign for the Senate seat in July 2025 with the backing of the State Senate Democratic Campaign Committee.
The endorsement has provided her some advantages over her opponents, as she has campaigned with current Senators, including Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, and received financial assistance from the SSDC. According to her latest campaign finance reports, Jacobson has raised about $109,277 and has about $201,177 in the bank. About $45,450 of her total contributions this year came from in-kind contributions from the SSDC in the form of campaign staff.
Corrine Hendrickson, a child care advocate, launched her campaign in September. She reported raising $30,360 over the first half of the year and spending about $21,071. She ended with just $12,348 in the bank.
Lisa White, a Democrat who runs an interior painting business, raised $7,641, spent $9,573 and ended the reporting period with $831 cash-on-hand.
Open Senate seat up north after new maps
Senate District 25, which represents Superior and Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Polk, Sawyer and Washburn counties, is an open seat that will help determine control of the state Senate.
The district is currently represented by Sen. Romaine Quinn, but he is running for Senate District 23 this cycle after new maps were adopted in 2024 and his home was included in that district. While currently represented by a Republican, the district was represented by former Senate Minority Leader Janet Bewley, a Democrat, from 2015 through 2022. She opted not to run for another term after the maps had been redrawn to favor Republicans more heavily in 2022.
New maps have again placed the area in play with Democrats listing it as one of its target districts.
In the Republican primary, Angie Sapik, a former state Assembly member who lost her seat in 2024 under the new maps, is running against Erik Severson, a physician and former state Assembly member.
According to July campaign finance reports, Severson reported raising $39,478, spending $29,886 and ending the period with $111,506 in the bank. He reported $63,000 in personal loans. Sapik raised $117,399 ahead of the primary, spent $44,437 and had $89,700 in the bank. Her fundraising includes $100,000 in personal loans.
In November the winner of the Republican primary will face Charly Ray, a forester and bookstore owner who has the backing of the State Senate Democratic Campaign Committee.
Race to compete for open Oak Creek seat
Assembly District 21, which represents Oak Creek and a portion of the city of Milwaukee around the Mitchell International Airport, is among the districts that will help determine control of the state Assembly.
The seat is open following the retirement of Rep. Jessie Rodriguez (R-Oak Creek), who was first elected to the Assembly in 2013.
Two Democrats are competing for a spot on the November ballot.
Daniel Bukiewicz is the mayor of Oak Creek and also the president of the Milwaukee Building & Construction Trades Council, a role he has held since 2014. He has endorsements from U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, state Sen. Dora Drake and SEIU-Wisconsin.
David Liners has endorsements from some of the most progressive members of the Democratic caucus including state Rep. Francesca Hong, who is running for governor, Rep. Ryan Clancy (D-Milwaukee), who helped restart the Democratic Socialist caucus in the state Legislature, and Sen. Chris Larson.
Bukiewicz is outraising Liners. Bukiewicz has raised $79,251 and spent $16,601. He had $62,650 cash-on-hand at the end of the reporting period. He has a handful of contributions from notable Democrats including Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Sen. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) and Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison).
According to July campaign finance reports, Liners has raised $25,806 over the course of his campaign and spent $13,646. He has $12,160 on hand.
The winner will face Dylan Pfaffenbach, a Republican and student at Carroll University, in November.
Democrats compete to challenge Donovan in MKE county
Assembly District 61, which represents Greendale and Hales Corner in Milwaukee County, is another key district that will determine control of the state Legislature. Incumbent Rep. Bob Donovan (R-Greenfield), who was first elected in 2022, is running for a third term.
In the last two election cycles, Democrat LuAnn Bird, a former school board member and executive director of Wisconsin’s League of Women Voters, ran but failed to beat Donovan. He won 51.5% to 48.3% in 2024 with the new legislative maps in place, a slightly larger margin than in 2022, when he won his first term.
This year, three candidates are competing for the Democratic nomination to take on Donovan.
Lawanda Chambers, a counselor and yoga instructor, is running to “provide leadership that speaks to the real challenges people face every day, not slogans, not politics, and not half-measures.” She has the endorsements of Rep. Darrin Madison (D-Milwaukee), Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde (D-Milwaukee) and Rep. Margaret Arney (D-Wauwatosa). According to her July campaign finance reports, she raised $22,085.57 and ended with $15,564 cash-on-hand.
Ben Brist, an army veteran, said he is running because he believes government “can and should work better for normal people.” He is endorsed by the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC).
According to his July finance report, Brist raised $23,844 and ended the period with $19,458 cash-on-hand.
Brian Bock, a pharmacist, is running with a top priority of expanding access to affordable healthcare and wants to work to expand Medicaid, increase price transparency and reduce the cost of prescription drugs, according to his campaign website. According to July campaign finance reports, he has about $2,690 in the bank.
Five-way primary to replace Hong
The Democratic primary for Assembly District 76, which represents Madison’s east side, north side and parts of downtown, is one of the most crowded across the state and will likely determine who succeeds state Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison), the democratic socialist who is running for governor. The winner will face Republican Nina Chat in November, though the district is one of the most progressive in the state. Hong won her first election in 2020 with 88% of the vote.
Five candidates total are competing for the seat, and the candidates’ differences appear in their experience and priorities, though they have a lot of overlap in their platforms.
Juliana Bennett is a former City Council member and UW-Madison alumni who has been working as the chief of staff to state Rep. Angelito Tenorio (D-Wauwatosa). She has the endorsement of the Madison Area Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) as well as the national organization.
Isaia Ben-Ami is a public policy professional who has worked as a staffer in the state Assembly, including for Assistant Assembly Minority Leader Kalan Haywood (D-Milwaukee), who has endorsed him.
Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford, a member of the Madison Common Council, is a small business owner and food service worker. She is endorsed by Sen. Melissa Ratcliff (D-Cottage Grove), Rep. Andrew Hysell (D-Sun Prairie) and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway as well as Madison Common Council President Sabrina Madison. If elected, she would be the first openly transgender person to serve in the state Legislature.
Zoe Sullivan, a journalist and organizer, and Tony Castañeda, a community activist, artist, radio host and musician, are both outliers in the race given that they have not served in government.
Martinez-Rutherford is outraising the other candidates, according to July reports. She recorded raising $56,365, spending $50,339 and having $44,835 cash-on-hand in July.
Bennett reported raising $34,723, spending $27,198 and having $17,624 on-hand in July.
Ben-Ami reported raising $32,164, spending $25,586 and ending the reporting period with $6,627 cash-on-hand.
Castañeda reported raising $6,606, spending $6,477 and having $7,677 cash-on-hand. Sullivan reported raising $13,181, spending $6,447 and having $7,502 cash-on-hand at the end of the period.
Republicans compete to challenge Sheehan in Sheboygan
Three Republicans are running in Assembly District 26, which represents Sheboygan. The winner will seek to oust Rep. Joe Sheehan (D-Sheboygan), a former school superintendent who won his seat in 2024.
John Belanger, a former Sheboygan alderman, is campaigning to address affordability issues for families, workers and small businesses. He is running for the state Assembly after having lost his reelection bid to the Sheboygan city council. He reported raising $1,250, spending a little over $1,000 and ending with $241 in the bank in July.
Tyler Schneekloth, a 25-year-old Town of Wilson resident, says he is running to address affordability of housing and to stop data center construction. He reported raising $756 and spending that amount in July.
James Brotz, a Republican from Sheboygan, reported no contributions in July.
In this handout provided by Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, Vance Luther Boelter poses for a booking photo on June 16, 2025 in Green Isle, Minnesota.
Melissa and Mark Hortman were killed in less than 30 seconds on June 14, 2025, in a shocking act of political violence.
But their quick deaths are of no comfort to their son, Colin Hortman, who on Thursday told a federal judge that he falls asleep every night picturing a waterfall of blood flowing down the stairs of his childhood home in Brooklyn Park. It’s the same image he awakens to.
And his parents’ quick demise is of no comfort, he said, because the last thing his mother saw before she was killed was her husband and beloved dog shot multiple times.
Now, he has trouble recalling his parents without remembering the bullet holes in their bodies.
The horror of the assassination and the impact of the attacks on Minnesota’s political system were detailed by the Hortman children, Colin and Sophie, as well as 12 other victims at the Minneapolis federal courthouse, who shared how their lives were shattered by the man sitting next to them in an orange jumpsuit: Vance Boelter.
Boelter last month pleaded guilty to the murders of Melissa Hortman — the former Democratic House speaker and one of Minnesota’s most consequential legislative leaders — and her husband, Mark, as well as the shooting of state Democratic Sen. John Hoffman and his wife.
Thursday’s hearing signifies the final chapter in a year-long saga that has scarred the state and injected a new level of fear into politics.
U.S. District Judge John Tunheim sentenced Boelter to two consecutive life sentences as well as an additional 40 years. There is no parole in the federal judicial system, so it’s extremely likely Boelter will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Tunheim said it’s the longest sentence he’s ever imposed on a person in the thousands of cases he’s heard over his career.
Boelter read a short statement apologizing to the victims aloud in court: “To every person I have caused loss, pain, heartache, confusion, sadness or loneliness, I am truly sorry.”
Boelter previously pleaded guilty to all the government’s charges: two counts of stalking Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman; two counts of murder in the killings of the Hortmans; and two firearms offenses in the shootings of the Hortmans and the Hoffmans, and the attempted shooting of Hope Hoffman, who managed to call 911 amid the bloody attack.
He admitted in court that he planned the murders months in advance, recording the addresses of his victims and buying a highly realistic silicone mask to impersonate a police officer.
In the early hours of June 14, Boelter drove to the Hoffman home and shot John and Yvette Hoffman through the front door. He then drove to Rep. Kristin Bahner’s home in Maple Grove, but she was on vacation. Then he drove to Sen. Ann Rest’s home, where he was seen by a real police officer who assumed he was a cop conducting a welfare check.
Next, he drove to the Hortmans’ in Brooklyn Park and parked his Ford Explorer with fake police lights turned on in their driveway. He rang the doorbell and said he was conducting a welfare check. He told Mark Hortman he needed to see Melissa, and then shot him. He shot Melissa multiple times as she tried to flee up the stairs. Boelter then shot her in the head.
U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Daniel Rosen wrote in the government’s sentencing memo that Boelter “expressed great disdain” for the Democratic Party.
“And he knew that the Minnesota Legislature was so closely divided that by killing four state legislators, the inevitable result would be a shift in the balance of power in both legislative houses,” Rosen wrote. “The astonishing damage that Boelter caused to his victims and to the State of Minnesota will never be cured. Justice requires that Boelter never be free ever again.”
Bahner was the first to read aloud her victim statement. She told Boelter she would have opened the door if she were home that day because she trusts law enforcement. She told Boelter that he failed his mission because she was still alive, and he has strengthened her resolve to continue advocating for her constituents.
John Hoffman, Yvette Hoffman and Hope Hoffman also addressed Boelter. Hope Hoffman criticized the media, who in the aftermath of the shootings, incorrectly reported that Yvette Hoffman jumped on top of her to save her from Boelter’s bullets.
John Hoffman read to Boelter several passages from the Bible, including Matthew 7:16: “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?”
These, Hoffman said, are “words of the faith the defendant claimed to represent.”
He added: “(Boelter’s) actions spoke louder than any sermon he has ever preached.”
Many wiped away tears in the packed courtroom as legislators and family members told Boelter how his decision to kill their loved ones not only ruined their lives, but also irrevocably changed Minnesota.
A woman prays before the caskets as Melissa and Mark Hortman lie in state, along with their dog Gilbert, Friday, June 27, 2025 at the Minnesota State Capitol. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)
J. Carroll Hortman, Mark Hortman’s father, said that his daughter-in-law Melissa was witty and brilliant. She had a bright future, and she had yet to experience the joy of becoming a grandparent.
“I believe she could have become the next governor of this state,” he said.
Mark Hortman’s family, including his brother and his sister, told the judge they were upset that Boelter’s guilty plea deprived them of a trial and of the opportunity to see Boelter receive the death penalty. They hated the idea that Boelter would live a comfortable life in prison.
Carroll Hortman said he blamed Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, who he said did the country a disservice by agreeing to a plea deal. He also questioned why Brooklyn Park police on June 14 watched from afar as Boelter killed his son and went into the home and shot his daughter-in-law.
The Hortmans’ daughter Sophie Hortman said she had been working on her statement for the whole year since she lost her parents.
“I miss my mom. I miss my dad. I miss my best friends, and I miss believing in the goodness of humanity. The pain will never go away,” she said.
She also detailed the agonizing decision to put down the family dog, Gilbert, who Boelter shot multiple times before killing Melissa Hortman.
On the morning of June 14, Sophie and Colin received conflicting information about whether Gilbert was alive and went to the veterinarian.
A vet wheeled Gilbert into the room on a metal tray. Colin started screaming when he saw Gilbert. He had been shot multiple times, including in the head. Despite his condition, Gilbert still flickered his tail when he saw the Hortman children, and he gave them kisses with his big tongue.
The Hortman children asked the vet if he would let his own dog live in Gilbert’s condition. The vet said no.
“Colin and I agreed: Gilbert would want to be with his parents,” Sophie said. “I told him he would see mommy and daddy soon.”
This story was originally produced by Minnesota Reformer, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Wisconsin Examiner, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
The upcoming Wisconsin midterms could shift the balance of power in the state Legislature, and the August primaries will determine which candidates voters want to see on the November general election ballot.
Democrats are aiming to flip both the Assembly and Senate in hopes of securing a trifecta in the state government. The party must flip two of the four competitive Senate seats to win a majority. The Assembly is a larger challenge as Democrats must flip five seats to claim a majority for the first time in 16 years.
The 2024 election was the first election under new legislative maps, which ended a Republican gerrymander that had been in place since 2011. Democrats flipped 14 legislative seats.
Those results provide some insight for the upcoming elections. Barry Burden, a University of Wisconsin-Madison political science professor and director of the Elections Research Center, said Democrats have an advantage in the 2026 Senate races, which are the first contested since the new maps took effect. Senate terms are for four years, and the even-numbered Senate districts on the ballot in 2024 were more favorable to Republicans, yet Democrats still flipped four seats.
“This year is different because Trump is not on the ballot, the national environment is helping their party more and the odd-numbered districts — which are up this year — are just gonna be tougher for Republicans,” Burden said.
Winning the Assembly will likely be more difficult for Democrats. Burden said the Assembly has a lot of Republican incumbents and not many competitive districts. However, he pointed to the nine Republican retirements in this election cycle, including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, none of whom are running for another office.
“It looks like some Republican officeholders have realized this is going to be a tough year for them and they would prefer not to go through a difficult campaign and potentially lose their own seat and maybe lose the majority in the Assembly,” Burden said.
Three Assembly Democrats are also not seeking reelection, though all are running for higher office.
While Burden said the Assembly is “genuinely up for grabs,” he concluded Republicans still hold a slight advantage.
He also said most of the primaries themselves “are not especially consequential” because most incumbents are not facing primary challengers and contested primaries tend to be in districts that heavily favor a specific party with no chance of flipping. Still, he said these elections remain important because they often determine the eventual winner in these safe Democratic or Republican districts.
Here are some primaries that we’re watching:
Senate District 1
Four Republicans face off to replace Sen. André Jacque, R-New Franken, after his two terms in the Senate.
The candidates all campaign on similar issues: affordability, defending constitutional freedoms and supporting agriculture and veterans. But there are some differences.
Current Jacque staffer Nic Cravillion puts protecting the state’s outdoor spaces as a priority. His campaign emphasizes Wisconsin’s hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities, and he says he will support public access and conservation efforts.
Katie Baney, a director at Delta Defense, prides herself as the only mother in the race. She also highlights her support for school choice and the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ movement, popularized by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Barbara Bittner, a farmer from Stockbridge, chairs the Republican Party of Calumet County. She emphasizes what she describes as traditional family values and defending the sanctity of life. But she also supports the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, largely seen as a more Democratic issue after the Republican-controlled Legislature removed funding for the land conservation program from the 2025-27 state budget and it expired last month.
While each candidate campaigns on veteran support, Jacob VandenPlas, a Sturgeon Bay farmer, marks veteran mental health as one of his key campaign issues. As a veteran who experienced brain trauma and PTSD himself, he founded a program to aid veterans’ recovery and suicide prevention, using farming as a form of therapy.
Cravillion leads in fundraising for this race having collected more than $75,000 since January. Baney raised about $47,000, Bittner raised about $17,000, and VandenPlas raised $1,900.
The winner of the Republican primary will face independent Mark Becker, the former chair of the Republican Party of Brown County.
What we’re watching: What will this primary tell us about how Republican voters feel about the future of state land conservation efforts?
Senate District 17
Three Democrats are looking to unseat three-term Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, a co-chair of the powerful Joint Finance Committee.
Rep. Jenna Jacobson, D-Oregon, who has served in the Assembly since 2022, has received the State Senate Democratic Committee’s endorsement. She serves on the Assembly’s agriculture committee and has authored numerous bills on farming, one of her top campaign issues. She had about $200,000 on hand as of June 30, compared to Marklein’s $1 million.
Corrine Hendrickson, a child care consultant and former New Glarus School Board member, is advocating for increased public school funding and affordable child care. Hendrickson had about $12,000 on hand.
Lisa White, a small business owner, holds similar policy stances as both Jacobson and Hendrickson. Her campaign emphasizes changing the public school funding system, particularly how heavy funding relies on property taxes. She also says she is a strong advocate for rural health care, conservation and small businesses. White was down to about $800 on hand as of June 30.
What we’re watching: Will the preferred Democratic candidate win the primary as Democrats look to flip a district that Kamala Harris won in 2024?
Senate District 25
Former state Reps. Erik Severson and Angie Sapik will face off in the Republican primary to determine who will replace Sen. Romaine Quinn, who is running in the redrawn 23rd Senate District. The winner faces Democratic Bayfield County Board member Charly Ray in the November election. Democrats are targeting this district to flip the Senate.
Severson, a family medical doctor, served in the Assembly from 2011 to 2015. He describes himself as a strong pro-life, pro-family advocate, and his campaign emphasizes using his medical background to help improve health care in Wisconsin. He is endorsed by Pro-Life Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Family Action PAC, an advocacy group for conservative family values.
Sapik serves on the Douglas County Board and served in the Assembly from 2023 to 2025. She supports the Second Amendment and says less government involvement will give Wisconsinites “more autonomy.” She also wants to lower taxes and repeal a provision Gov. Tony Evers created in state law that increases funding limits for public schools every year for the next 400 years. Sapik has been endorsed by 10 current Republican state representatives, Sen. Cory Tomczyk and a handful of former state representatives.
Burden pointed to this district as an interesting primary to keep an eye on.
“You’ve got a Republican primary with two candidates who are duking it out to be the nominee there, but also a very credible Democratic candidate who has no primary opposition,” Burden said. “It’s possible the Republicans will sort of go at one another during the primary, and the Democrat will continue to raise money and build his campaign to get ready for whoever he faces.”
Ray has raised about $119,000. Sapik trails close behind having raised about $117,000. Severson raised about $39,000 in the first half of the year.
Burden pointed to how the area, which is in U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany’s 7th Congressional District, has gotten more Republican under President Donald Trump. However, he said it’s likely to be a competitive race in November. He added that if Democrats win this district, it could indicate that they’re doing well at “the top of the ticket” and the success has “trickled down” the ballot.
What we’re watching: How much will the Republican candidates spend to get nominated and where will that leave the nominee in comparison to the Democratic candidate?
Assembly District 21
David Liners, former state director of WISDOM, and Oak Creek Mayor Dan Bukiewicz are running in the Democratic primary to replace Joint Finance Committee member Rep. Jessie Rodriguez, R-Oak Creek, who won in 2024 by 3 percentage points and is not seeking reelection.
Liners is more progressive than Bukiewicz and is endorsed by multiple Democratic Socialist lawmakers, including gubernatorial candidate Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, and Rep. Ryan Clancy, D-Milwaukee, as well as the Wisconsin Electoral Socialists. He has advocated for data center moratoriums and allowing immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. He also says he wants to change how public schools are funded by initially freezing property taxes and using Wisconsin’s surplus budget instead.
Bukiewicz has been the Oak Creek mayor since 2017 and is endorsed by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, as well as state lawmakers including Sen. Dora Drake, D-Milwaukee, and Rep. Christine Sinicki, D-Milwaukee. He has said he would advocate for a $20 state minimum wage, public school funding and lowering the cost of living.
Bukiewicz leads the fundraising effort with about $62,000 cash on hand as of June 30 while Liners trails with about $12,000 in the bank.
The winner of the primary will face Republican Carroll University student Dylan Pfaffenbach, who has about $7,400 on hand, in November.
What we’re watching: In a clash between establishment Democrats and Democratic Socialists, who wins?
Assembly District 26
Three Republicans will compete in the primary to determine who will face Rep. Joe Sheehan, D-Sheboygan, in the general election. Sheehan, an Assembly freshman who has raised more than $32,000 this year for his campaign, flipped the 26th District in 2024 when he unseated former state Rep. Amy Binsfield by 3 percentage points. Binsfeld had a falling out with the Sheboygan County Republican Party when she clashed on some core GOP issues.
Tyler Schneekloth, a self-employed 25-year-old from Wilson who has raised $756, said he wants to eliminate the state income tax for families making under $125,000 a year, give interest-free mortgages to families and first-time buyers and put a moratorium on data centers.
Former Sheboygan Ald. John Belanger prioritizes affordability, growth of small businesses and government transparency in his campaign. In April he lost the city council race as an incumbent. He said he will be an independent voice for Sheboygan. He has raised $1,250.
James Brotz of Sheboygan says he wants to end Evers’ 400-year veto, end emissions testing and implement a tick eradication program. He also campaigns for election security and reduced government. He has raised no money for his campaign.
What we’re watching: Which Republican will emerge to try and retake this Sheboygan-focused seat?
Assembly District 61
Brian Bock, Ben Brist and Lawanda Chambers will face off in the Democratic primary to determine who will challenge Rep. Bob Donovan, R-Greenfield, in the general election. Donovan won in 2024 by 3 percentage points. Democrats are targeting this race to flip control of the Assembly.
Bock, a pharmacist, was elected to the Greendale School Board in 2024 and serves as its treasurer. He said he’s running to “deliver practical, results-driven leadership” and is largely focused on improving access to affordable health care through lowering the price of prescription drugs and expanding Medicaid. He is backed by 3.14 Action, a national group dedicated to electing Democrats with STEM backgrounds to public offices. The group also supported Evers, a former science teacher, in his gubernatorial reelection campaigns.
Brist, an Army veteran who served as a paratrooper and infantry officer, said he’s running as a candidate who understands the strain of rising prices while wages “struggle to keep up.” He is campaigning to lower property taxes by fixing the state’s funding formula for public schools, aiming to have more funds go to schools to allow them to rely less on property taxes for funding.
Chambers is the founder and CEO of LIFE Wellness & Counseling, which provides mental health services to individuals in need. She said she will be “focused on solutions, not political drama.” Her campaign emphasizes public safety, and she plans to give first responders and law enforcement more resources to feel supported and be properly trained to do their jobs. She is endorsed by Democratic representatives Darrin Madison, Supreme Moore Omokunde and Margaret Arney.
Brist has raised nearly $24,000. Chambers has raised more than $21,000. Donovan raised $20,000 this year, but has $70,000 cash on hand. Bock has raised $3,800.
What we’re watching: What kind of candidate will Democrats nominate in a key race for control of the Assembly?
Assembly District 76
Five Democrats are competing in a primary to replace Rep. Francesca Hong, who ran unopposed in 2024 and is running for governor. The winner will face Republican Nina Chat in this solidly Democratic district.
Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford was elected to the Madison City Council in 2023, making her the first openly transgender woman to be on the council. She highlights her time being paid $2.33 as a food service worker, her experience with homelessness and her lack of health care for much of her life. Her campaign focuses on raising the minimum wage to $20 an hour and lowering property taxes. She has been endorsed by nearly 70 current and former elected officials, more than 60 community leaders and about a dozen political organizations. She has raised the most money in this race at $56,000.
Juliana Bennett, a swim instructor and bartender, is a member of the Madison Area Democratic Socialists of America and was previously elected to the Madison City Council. Some of her priorities include raising the minimum wage to $23 an hour, legalizing rent control and passing a tenant bill of rights. With nearly $35,000 raised for her campaign, she has been endorsed by the national Democratic Socialists of America and current Democratic Reps. Angelito Tenorio, Maureen McCarville and Margaret Arney.
Isaia Ben-Ami has been a policy director for Rep. Kalan Haywood, D-Milwaukee. He was also the chief of staff and research assistant for Rep. Shelia Stubbs, D-Madison. He prioritizes affordable housing, saying the state needs to relieve property taxes, pass a tenant bill of rights and build more housing. Ben-Ami has raised $32,000 and has been endorsed by Democratic representatives, including Haywood, Renuka Mayadev, Maureen McCarville and Priscilla Prado.
Zoe Sullivan, an audio producer and writer, said she wants to create legislation to roll back the private school voucher program to help with public school and university system funding. She has raised $13,200 for her campaign. She also said she wants to work to close prisons to decrease the population of incarcerated individuals to free up funding for the university system.
Tony Castañeda, an artist and musician, is prioritizing keeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement out of Wisconsin and providing more funding to teachers and the public school system. He has raised $6,600.
What we’re watching: In a safe Democratic district, will voters elect another Democratic Socialist or will experience or endorsements drive the result?
Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our newsletters for original stories and our Friday news roundup.
This story was produced in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Investigative Journalism class taught in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Click here to read highlights from the story
Wisconsin still allows 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with parental consent even though they aren’t legally adults.
The number of child marriages has gone down significantly over the past 30 years, but there are still a couple dozen per year.
A Democratic bill that would ban the practice hasn’t moved out of committees controlled by Republicans, who say the current law respects parental rights.
Whether the bill passes next session will likely depend on who controls the Legislature after the November election.
Last month deep red Oklahoma became the 17th state to ban child marriage — the practice of allowing minors, typically 16- and 17-year-olds, to marry with parental consent.
“Oklahoma has a responsibility to protect children and make sure they have the opportunity to reach adulthood before making decisions that will shape the rest of their lives,” Republican state Rep. Nicole Miller said in a press release.
Most states that have banned child marriage to date are led by Democrats. Wisconsin, where Republicans control the Legislature, is not following their lead.
In Wisconsin 16- and 17-year-olds can still be married with written parental permission submitted to a county clerk along with a standard marriage license. Between 2015 and 2024, 297 minors were married in Wisconsin, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Notably, these teenagers can be married not just to other minors, but also to adults. State law also provides an exception to its rules on statutory rape: Sexual relations between an adult and a teenager are not a crime as long as they are married.
“These are marriages between a minor woman and an older man,” said state Rep. Ann Roe, D-Janesville, a co-author of recent legislation to ban the practice. “The behavior outside of marriage would be a felony. … Using this old law that’s still on the books that allows for child marriage is incredibly disturbing and incredibly dangerous for young women.”
In the 2025-26 legislative session, Roe joined Sen. Mark Spreitzer, D-Beloit, in his yearslong campaign to end child marriage in Wisconsin. Each time, the legislation has died in committee. It has never received a public hearing, much less reached a floor vote. Republican leadership has refused to move it, saying the proposed law infringes on the rights of parents to decide what’s best for their children.
Incremental changes
The rules for child marriage in Wisconsin have changed throughout history. The 1849 Wisconsin statutes set the minimum marital age for males at 18, and 15 for females. Males under the age of 21 and girls under the age of 18 still needed parental consent. By 1959, the minimum age for females was raised to 16. The law was amended again in 1971 to allow all men 18 or older to marry without parental consent, and girls under 18 but at least 16 to marry with parental consent.
A change to the law in 1959 allowed a man under 18 to obtain permission from a judge to be married if it would prevent a child he fathered from being born out of wedlock. That allowance was quickly repealed in 1961.
The distinction between sexes was eliminated in 1975, and no changes have happened since.
In 2018, as the #MeToo movement against powerful, abusive men was gaining momentum, Delaware and New Jersey became the first states to ban child marriage. Fifteen more states have since followed suit, including Minnesota and Michigan. Bans on child marriage have been introduced multiple times since 2019 in Wisconsin.
Numbers decline, but not to zero
Statistics paint a picture of how this practice has declined over time in the state.
According to the nonpartisan Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, 27 minors were married in Wisconsin in 2024: eight 16-year-olds and 19 17-year-olds. That figure represents a steep drop from a peak of 421 child marriages in 1995.
Between 2010 and 2022, the vast majority of minors who married did so with adult spouses. From 2017 through 2019, every single minor who married in Wisconsin did so with an adult.
And from 1995 through 2013 (the last year for which gender data is available) girls made up the overwhelming majority of minors who married. In 2013, 23 16-year-old girls married, compared to just two boys the same age. Among 17-year-olds that year, the ratio was 39 girls to eight boys.
According to advocacy group Unchained At Last, those numbers are consistent with nationwide trends. The vast majority of minors married in the country are girls. Most of those girls married an adult male with the man on average being four years older.
“One of the things we wanted to look at is that, you know, is this young love? Is this two teenagers getting married?” Spreitzer said. “The answer seems to be primarily no. Primarily this is men over the age of 18, marrying girls under the age of 18. So that really heightened the concern.”
The law also includes a surprising twist: You can get married under 18, but you can’t get divorced.
Current law gives some provisions for minors to get an annulment, but there is no explicit statutory right for a married minor to file for divorce. Spreitzer and Roe’s proposed legislation would allow any minors married before their proposal takes effect to get a divorce.
Republicans oppose ban based on parental rights
Spreitzer and Roe’s legislation would prohibit marriage under 18 in all circumstances. More than a dozen states have passed similar outright bans over the years.
The Wisconsin effort was once bipartisan. Republican Reps. Ken Skowronski, R-Franklin, and Chuck Wichgers, R-Muskego, were co-sponsors of the bill as recently as 2020. That support has since evaporated.
In February 2024, former state Rep. John Macco, R-Ledgeview, sent a 2:59 a.m. reply-all email to fellow legislators linking the child marriage ban with restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors — a conflation that bill authors and advocates rejected.
“If you’re really serious about protecting minors I’ll add an amendment to also protect them from sex altering drugs and surgery and then cosponsor with you,” Macco’s email read.
Wichgers declined to comment on his previous support.
For a bill to pass into law, identical versions must pass the Assembly and Senate. After a bill is introduced, leadership in both chambers refers their respective versions to a relevant committee where it may receive a hearing and vote. If a committee chair never schedules a bill hearing, it can wallow until the legislative session ends.
Majority of minors who married did so with adult spouses
Percentage of minors married to adults and to other minors in Wisconsin, 2010–2021.
89% married to an adult
11%married
to a minor
Source: Legislative Reference Bureau
Hongyu Liu / Wisconsin Watch
Majority of minors who married did so with adult spouses
Percentage of minors married to adults and to other minors in Wisconsin, 2010–2021.
89% married to an adult
11%married
to a minor
Source: Legislative Reference Bureau
Hongyu Liu / Wisconsin Watch
Majority of minors who married did so with adult spouses
Percentage of minors married to adults and to other minors in Wisconsin, 2010–2021.
11%married
to a minor
89% married to
an adult
Source: Legislative Reference Bureau
Hongyu Liu / Wisconsin Watch
During the most recent legislative session, the Senate and Assembly child marriage bills sat in committees led by state Sen. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, and state Rep. Patrick Snyder, R-Weston. The bills died without a committee hearing, just like in past sessions.
Kapenga said he sees no reason to act.
“I cannot recall one constituent phone call or interaction where this issue has come up. I don’t have a problem with the current law that allows a 16- and 17-year-old to marry in the state of Wisconsin as long as there is consent from the parent or guardian. Parents know what’s best for their child — not the government,” he said.
Kapenga’s staff confirmed he has not received constituent contacts opposing child marriage, but other Wisconsin legislators, both Republicans and Democrats, have been contacted, according to public records.
Kapenga invoked a broader political philosophy to explain his position. “Frankly, we’ve seen an erosion of parents’ rights over the years by those on the left who believe that it’s the job of government to parent children,” he said. “Given the very low numbers of minors impacted, I do not believe this warrants the passage of this legislation.”
Cathy Myers, a spokesperson for Zonta of Janesville, a women’s advocacy group that worked with Spreitzer on the bill, said the decline in child marriage over time doesn’t justify ignoring the issue.
“We believe this is a pretty easy issue to wrap your head around,” she said. “One child married is one too many.”
Snyder didn’t respond to a request for comment. Senate President Mary Felzkowski, R-Tomahawk, deferred to Kapenga’s comments. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, did not respond to requests for comment.
Advocates say they hear from supportive Republicans
Spreitzer and Roe said they have heard privately from Republican colleagues who agree
with the goal of ending child marriage, but will not say so publicly.
“I think there are many people across the aisle on several different issues, this being one of them …they nod their heads, they look at me, they’re like, ‘We get it, this is an issue,'” Roe said. “And I think when hopefully they feel less obligated to fall into lockstep with their current leadership, I think that offers us an opportunity to have better conversations and figure out how we can work together.”
Spreitzer said he hopes that some of the Republicans who believe in banning child marriage “would start moving that conversation forward within their own party. That’s how we build progress.”
Myers said her organization heard from supportive Republicans during a lobby day at the Capitol this year.
“Several legislators said they didn’t know that children could be married until we met with them,” Myers said. “However, several also said that until they get the green light from their leadership, the bill would not get to the floor and would not become law.”
Child marriage has long-term consequences
Advocates say the consequences for girls are lasting. Roe described a possible trajectory: a teenage girl, newly married to an older man, denied the normal social activities of a 16-year-old and cut off from educational and career opportunities.
“The intentions of that older man are not to establish more freedoms for this young woman,” Roe said. “This is a form of potentially trafficking. This is a form of dominance. That’s just not healthy.”
Lauren Papp, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of human development and family studies who studies intimate relationships and family dynamics, said adolescence is the wrong time to make a permanent legal commitment to another person — not because teenagers are incapable, but because they are still becoming who they will be.
Papp disagreed that parental consent provides a safeguard because parents may not be privy to all of the relationship dynamics. She, Roe and Spreitzer all noted there can be an imbalance in power dynamics between a child spouse and an older partner who is legally an adult.
“That is certainly just an extra layer of dependence on others,” she said. “There’s a whole host of ways that the younger person could be disadvantaged.”
Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our newsletters for original stories and our Friday news roundup.
Login
