MADISON, Wis. — State legislative races in battleground Wisconsin are drawing record spending as parties and interest groups aim to reshape the balance of power in state government.
Wisconsin’s Senate and Assembly races are more competitive this election cycle than they have been in more than a decade due to new legislative maps. Outside spending on these races topped $8.9 million as of Oct. 8, according to the nonpartisan Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, and there are still weeks left until Election Day.
Although statewide races in Wisconsin routinely come down to razor-thin margins, maps drawn by Republicans in 2011 have allowed GOP lawmakers to maintain large majorities in the state Assembly and Senate. That advantage disappeared in February when Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed into law new maps that he drew and that were passed by Republicans hoping to avoid the possibility of the liberal-controlled state Supreme Court establishing even more unfavorable boundaries.
Those maps will be put to the test in November when all 99 Assembly seats and 16 of the 33 Senate seats are up for election. Republicans are likely to retain control of both chambers after the election, but Democrats are expected to gain seats.
Watch: Here are the state legislative races we’re watching this election cycle
Democrats have candidates in 97 of the 99 Assembly races and in all 16 Senate races. Meanwhile, Republicans are running candidates in 84 Assembly districts and 11 Senate districts.
“We are actually looking at maps that represent the populations and the people that live there,” Nick Ramos, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, said in an interview. “More candidates and more people think they have a real shot, a real opportunity to actually win an election.”
As for the record spending, Ramos, who advocated for the new maps, says he’s leaning on lawmakers to pass campaign finance reforms next. Currently, the state does not limit contributions to political parties, meaning donors who max out their contributions to candidates can give unlimited amounts to the Republican or Democratic Parties, which can in turn contribute unlimited sums to candidates.
“We are so backward here in Wisconsin when it comes to campaign finance laws,” Ramos said. “It really has created a glorified money laundering scheme, almost. But it’s legal, so it’s not money laundering.”
Here's a look at some of the most competitive – and expensive – state legislative races we’ll be watching through election night:
Senate races
Senate District 8:
Republican Sen. Duey Stroebel, who has served in the Legislature since 2011, is being challenged by Democrat Jody Habush Sinykin, a Milwaukee attorney and partner at Habush, Habush & Rottier. With more than $2.5 million spent by candidates and outside groups so far, it’s the most expensive non-recall state legislative race in Wisconsin history, according to Ramos. This district leans 53% Republican, according to an analysis by Marquette University Law School researcher John Johnson.
Senate District 14:
This district northeast of Madison has seen fierce competition between incumbent Republican Sen. Joan Ballweg and Democrat Sarah Keyeski, a mental health counselor from Lodi. Attack ads and outside spending on both sides have been key talking points in this race. According to Johnson’s analysis, this district leans 53.3% Democratic.
Senate District 30:
Republican Jim Rafter, president of the Village of Allouez, and Democrat Jamie Wall, a business consultant, are running in this Green Bay district that leans 52.6% Democratic. Rafter brings years of experience on the Allouez Village Board, and Wall has run two failed campaigns for U.S. Congress. Incumbent Republican Sen. Eric Wimberger, who has represented the 30th Senate District since 2021, opted to move to the new Senate District 2, which is more favorable to Republicans under the new maps.
Senate District 18:
Democrat Kristin Alfheim, an Appleton City Council member who ran a failed campaign for state Senate in 2022, is up against Republican Anthony Phillips, a physician who has worked in the area for decades, in this Fox Valley district. This district leans 55.5% Democratic, according to Johnson’s analysis.
Senate District 32:
Incumbent Democratic Sen. Brad Pfaff, who previously served as secretary of the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, faces off against Stacey Klein, a Republican member of the Trempealeau County Board, in this La Crosse-area district. The district leans 54.2% Democratic, according to Johnson’s analysis.
Assembly races
Assembly District 94:
In this La Crosse-area district, longtime Democratic state Rep. Steve Doyle is in a rematch against Republican Ryan Huebsch. Doyle defeated Huebsch by fewer than 800 votes in 2022, and Democrats have poured more than $1 million into Doyle’s campaign so far this cycle. According to Johnson’s analysis, the district leans 53.6% in favor of Republicans.
Assembly District 26:
Republican Rep. Amy Binsfeld is running against Democrat Joe Sheehan, who was formerly superintendent of the Sheboygan Area School District and head of the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation. This district in the Sheboygan area leans 52.1% in favor of Democrats, according to Johnson’s analysis.
Assembly District 30:
Incumbent Republican Rep. Shannon Zimmerman is looking to defend his seat against former Western Wisconsin Health CEO Alison Page, a Democrat. This western Wisconsin district covers River Falls and leans 52.6% in favor of Republicans, according to Johnson’s analysis.
Assembly District 61:
Incumbent Republican Rep. Bob Donovan is in a rematch against Democrat LuAnn Bird, the former executive director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin. Donovan beat Bird by just over 500 votes in 2022. The district south of Milwaukee leans 50.8% Republican, according to Johnson’s analysis.
Assembly District 85:
Incumbent Republican Rep. Pat Snyder hopes to defend his seat against Democrat Lee Yeng Xiong, a member of the Marathon County Board. If elected, Xiong would be the first Hmong state lawmaker. This Wausau-area district leans 52.6% Republican, according to Johnson’s analysis.
Assembly District 88:
Christy Welch, chair of the Brown County Democratic Party, is running against Republican Ben Franklin, an Air Force veteran and local businessman, in this Green Bay-area race. This district leans 52.1% Republican, according to Johnson’s analysis.
Assembly District 89:
Brown County Assistant District Attorney Ryan Spaude, a Democrat, faces off against Brown County Board Chair Patrick Buckley, a Republican. Incumbent Republican Rep. Elijah Behnke, who currently represents Assembly District 89, opted to run in the new Assembly District 4, which is more favorable to Republicans under the new maps. According to Johnson’s analysis, this district leans 50.8% in favor of Republicans.
Assembly District 21:
In this district that covers parts of South Milwaukee and Oak Creek, incumbent Republican Rep. Jessie Rodriguez, who sits on the Legislature’s powerful budget-writing committee, is running against Democrat David Marstellar, who has worked in Democratic politics and, as a heart transplant recipient, is campaigning around access to health care. According to Johnson’s analysis, this district leans 54% Democratic.
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