Planned Parenthood Endorsements

Born and raised in northeast Wisconsin, Renee Gasch is an agricultural educator, freelance writer, and dedicated community volunteer from De Pere who is running to represent the 2nd Assembly District. Sustainable agriculture and renewable energy are particular interests of Gasch, who serves on the De Pere Sustainability Commission, where she has helped increase clean energy and pollinator habitats in her home community. Gasch also lists safe, fully funded public schools, a fair economy, access to quality, affordable health care, child care and elder care as top priorities. Gasch has been an outspoken defender of reproductive rights for all Wisconsinites, and promises to support gun safety reform laws like background checks and red flag laws for domestic abusers. She is challenging Republican incumbent Shae Sortwell, who in 2021 compared a nonprofit children's museum to the Nazi Party, who signed a January 2021 letter asking then-Vice President Pence to refuse to certify the 2020 presidential election results, and who is endorsed by an extreme right wing group that wants to ban abortion without exception, even when the pregnant person's life is at risk. Gasch is the progressive choice in this race.

Daniel Riemer is running for re-election to the State Assembly. A Milwaukee native who was first elected to the Assembly in 2012, Riemer has been a vocal advocate for BadgerCare expansion, strong public schools, and increasing tax credits for working families in Wisconsin. In addition to serving in the Wisconsin State Assembly, Riemer serves in the U.S. Army Reserves as well. He is also a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School. His opponent is Republican Zachary Marshall. Riemer is the progressive choice in this race.

State Representative Marisabel Cabrera is an immigration lawyer, Chair of the legislature's LGBTQ Caucus, and former Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin Latino Caucus. She is an advocate for progressive values, including the fight for affordable health care and a living wage. She will stand up for the rights of marginalized communities and advocate for sustainable environmental policy. Her opponent is Republican candidate Ryan Antczak. Cabrera is the progressive choice in this race.

A Milwaukee native, Darrin Madison has long fought for justice and equity, including through roles with the Urban Ecology Center (UEC), the City of Milwaukee's Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO), and the African American Roundtable. Madison is a strong advocate for youth voices, education, climate change/sustainability, youth criminal justice reform, and economic development, who believes government should serve as a mechanism for communities to thrive. Madison promises to prioritize creating safe communities, pushing for healthcare access and reform, investing in housing, transit, and environmental sustainability, and reforming Wisconsin's criminal justice system. While he is unopposed in November, Madison is the progressive choice in this race.

Dora Drake is running unopposed. Nevertheless, she is the progressive choice in this race. Currently a first-term legislator, Drake has been a progressive advocate for residents of the 11th Assembly District, fighting to expand BadgerCare, protect reproductive healthcare, ensure public safety, and promote economic development. Drake's priorities include investing in education to eliminate achievement gaps, ensuring workers are paid a living wage, and supporting small businesses.

State Representative LaKeshia Myers is running for her third term representing the 12th District. An experienced educator, Myers prides herself on her constituent services and has worked towards lowering prescription drug prices and expanding opportunities for student teachers while serving in the Assembly. Improving healthcare, investing in education, and addressing gun violence are among the issues that she intends to continue fighting for. Her opponent is Republican candidate Greg Canady. Myers is the progressive choice in this race.

Logistics professional, community volunteer, and mom of two teenagers, Sarah Harrison is passionate about advocating for public education, tax relief for our working families, and accessible healthcare for all. Running to succeed State Representative Sara Rodriguez in the Assembly, Harrison has devoted volunteer time to addressing hunger mitigation and environmental cleanup, as well as tutoring at-need students in her community. Harrison promises to work day in and day out to bring positive results to the 13th District, which was one of only two Wisconsin districts to flip from Red to Blue in 2020, by fighting to fund public education, supporting the middle class, bringing fairness and opportunity to workers, and restoring reproductive freedom in Wisconsin. Her opponent is Republican candidate Tom Michalski. Harrison is the progressive choice in this race.

Robyn Vining is running for her third term in the State Assembly. Vining lists affordable and safe healthcare, reproductive rights, violence prevention, and ensuring adequate funding for strong public schools among her top priorities. She has been a leader in pushing for nonpartisan redistricting and in introducing and advocating for the Healthcare Heroes Act, which would provide hazard pay, paid sick leave, and healthcare coverage to frontline healthcare workers. In the legislature, Vining has also been a strong advocate for addressing mental health needs throughout Wisconsin and meeting the needs of small businesses in our state. Her opponent is Republican candidate Keva Turner. Vining is the progressive choice in this race.

At 23, Kalan Haywood II is among the youngest legislators in the country and is the youngest African American elected to state office in Wisconsin. Recently elected as Assistant Democratic Leader in the state Assembly, Haywood lists key issues like education, economic development, and public safety as some of his top priorities. Haywood is running unopposed and is the progressive choice.

State Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde is running for re-election in the 17th Assembly District. Moore Omokunde's top priorities are criminal justice reform, decriminalizing marijuana, ending reckless driving, expanding healthcare access, ensuring affordable housing, and promoting economic development. His opponent is Republican candidate Abie Eisenbach. Moore Omokunde is the progressive choice.

A former public defender and law professor, Evan Goyke has been an effective progressive on many issues in his time in the legislature. He has introduced multiple pieces of legislation on prison reform and other criminal justice reform issues. While ending mass incarceration is the issue on which he has been most active, he is also an advocate for reinvesting in his community when it comes to healthcare, housing and education. Goyke is a member of the powerful Joint Finance Committee, where he articulates a strong progressive vision for Wisconsin. Goyke does not have a Republican challenger. Nevertheless, he is the progressive choice in this race.

Lifelong Milwaukee resident, former Milwaukee Public Schools teacher, and current Milwaukee County supervisor Ryan Clancy is running on a proudly progressive, intersectional platform of ensuring and expanding access to public spaces and services, advocating for constituents' rights and opportunities, and working to ensure the state budget and legislation truly reflect community priorities. Clancy promises to prioritize support for public schools, fighting for true public safety through community investment, and advocating for a statewide Right to Counsel like he did in Milwaukee County. Clancy also lists strong support for the Abortion Rights Preservation Act which would enshrine the right to an abortion in state law, for defending and celebrating LGBTQ+ residents and communities throughout Wisconsin, and for making sure corporations and the extremely wealthy pay their fair share. While Clancy is unopposed in November, he is a progressive choice in this race.

State Representative Chris Sinicki has been serving in the legislature since 1999 and has been a progressive advocate on many occasions. She supports a woman's right to choose, public education, raising the minimum wage, and is a legislative leader on fighting for policies that support working people. Also running is Republican Scott Hermann. Sinicki is the progressive choice in this race.

One of only two Wisconsin candidates to flip a Republican-held seat in 2020, Deb Andraca is running for re-election to continue fighting for action on climate change, BadgerCare expansion, and adequate funding for Wisconsin public schools. A teacher and community volunteer, Andraca has been vocal in calling for legislation to end gun violence in Wisconsin and was the lead author of a bill to enact nonpartisan redistricting in Wisconsin. Her opponent is Republican candidate Purnima Nath, who has repeatedly promoted on social media the Big Lie that the 2020 Presidential election was stolen. Deb Andraca is the progressive choice in this race.

Patty Schachtner is running for the Assembly after having represented the 10th Senate District from 2018-2021. Schachtner has worked in healthcare for decades and backs a law to guarantee people can get coverage if they have a pre-existing condition. In the Senate, she also worked to support efforts to improve access to healthcare in rural areas. She got her EMT certificate from Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College and knows that college isn't for everyone, and she is committed to adding more skills training classes in our high schools and technical colleges to help Wisconsin students add skills and get better jobs. Her opponent, Republican incumbent Gae Magnafici, is very conservative. She is pro-voucher, consistently votes for big business over working people, and is endorsed by an extreme right wing group that wants to ban abortion without exception, even when the pregnant person's life is at risk. Magnafici also signed a January 2021 letter asking then-Vice President Pence to refuse to certify the 2020 presidential election results. Schachtner is the progressive choice in this race.

Longtime educator Don Vruwink is running for re-election in the re-drawn 33rd Assembly District. Vruwink has been a leader in the fight for nonpartisan redistricting and an advocate for fair compensation for teachers. Vruwink supports a worker's right to join a union and collectively bargain and sees the creation of family sustaining jobs as a top priority. His opponent is Republican Scott L. Johnson. Vruwink is the progressive choice in this race.

Jenna Jacobson has deep ties to the 43rd Assembly District. Jacobson is currently serving her third term as Village of Oregon Trustee and working as a Housing Program Specialist to help people get and stay in affordable, quality housing in Dane County. Jacobson promises to fight for our shared values like making sure our public schools are fully funded, expanding broadband internet access, expanding BadgerCare and mental health support, fighting to protect Wisconsin's natural resources and promoting access to clean water, and supporting family farms throughout Wisconsin. Jacobson is also passionate about women's rights. She is a pro-choice candidate who believes Wisconsin should legalize abortion. Her opponent is Republican candidate Marisa Voelkel, who is endorsed by an extreme right wing group that wants to ban abortion without exception, even when the pregnant person's life is at risk. Jacobson is the progressive candidate in this race.

Sue Conley is running for re-election to continue representing Janesville, a city she has lived in for nearly 40 years, in the State Assembly. Her top priorities include nonpartisan redistricting, a "housing-first" homelessness approach, allowing vote-by-mail, and expanding BadgerCare. Her opponent, Republican candidate Spencer Zimmerman, calls himself a Trump conservative and is endorsed by an extreme right wing group that wants to ban abortion without exception, even when the pregnant person's life is at risk. Conley is the progressive candidate in this race.

Dane County supervisor and Cottage Grove village board member Melissa Ratcliff is running for Assembly to be an advocate in the State Capitol on issues important to her community. Ratcliff lists ending gun violence, defending reproductive rights, fully funding public education, and expanding housing options as some of her top priorities. Ratcliff's platform also includes protecting our environment, addressing roads and infrastructure needs, expanding BadgerCare, and working to lower prescription drug costs. After winning a five-way primary election in August, Ratcliffe faces Republican candidate Andrew McKinney, who claims he was previously conned into running as a Democrat in a past race. Ratcliff is the progressive choice in this race.

State Representative Jimmy Anderson is a dedicated progressive who began his career as a lawyer. He is an advocate for safe driving and the victims of drunk driving accidents, having been paralyzed from the chest down by a drunk driver himself. In the Legislature, he has been a progressive voice on a variety of issues. Anderson believes in transparent government, a clean environment, and a well-funded educational system. He has introduced legislation to address gun violence, cap insulin prices, and strengthen environmental regulations. Anderson has also been a vocal advocate for BadgerCare expansion. His opponent is Republican Lamonte Newsom. Anderson is the progressive choice in this race.

Originally from The Gambia in West Africa, State Representative Samba Baldeh is running for re-election in the 48th Assembly District. Baldeh has a progressive message, particularly on environmental issues. He is committed to 100% carbon-free energy by 2050 and was a lead author of the CLEAR Act to enact and enforce statewide PFAS standards and fund PFAS testing, monitoring, and mitigation efforts. Baldeh is pro-choice and in favor of BadgerCare expansion and criminal justice reform. His other priorities include increasing affordable housing to eliminate homelessness, and changing education funding from property taxes to state funding, while maintaining local control of schools. While Baldeh does not have an opponent this election, he is the progressive choice in this race.

Lifelong 51st Assembly District resident, local elected official, mom of three and small business owner Leah Spicer is running for Assembly because she believes in a vibrant, prosperous, and thriving future for her community. As someone who is family focused and solution oriented, Spicer's top priorities include access to affordable healthcare, high quality childcare, investment and support for small businesses and farms, and ensuring our rural public schools have adequate funding. Spicer also supports expanding access to broadband internet and views clean water, land, and air as essential to our economy and way of life in Wisconsin. In the Assembly, Spicer promises to protect reproductive healthcare including the right to choose. Also running is Republican Todd Novak, who is endorsed by an extreme right wing group that supports Wisconsin's criminal abortion ban, which prohibits abortion even in cases of rape or incest, and who has consistently cast anti-choice, anti-public education, anti-environment, and anti-democracy votes. Spicer is the progressive choice in this race.

Currently serving her second term as mayor for the city of Oshkosh, Lori Palmeri is running to succeed Gordon Hintz as State Representative for the 54th Assembly District. Responsive, reliable, and results-focused, Palmeri has deep connections throughout Oshkosh stemming from her service in local office, her membership on various boards and commissions in the community, and her leadership role in creating the Middle Village Neighborhood Association and others since 2011. Palmeri believes public policy should be centered on people, which is why she promises to champion fair wages and taxes, affordable housing, increasing access to affordable healthcare including expanding BadgerCare, strong public schools and a strong UW system, and a clean environment. Palmeri is also deeply committed to fighting for safe and legal abortion access. Also running is Republican candidate Donnie Herman, who believes the state should give special tax breaks to big corporations, says he is all about guns, and regularly spreads misinformation online, particularly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Palmeri is the progressive choice in this race.

A strategic business consultant and former Peace Corps volunteer who previously served on the Neenah Joint School District school board, Stefanie Holt is running for the 55th Assembly District to put her experience and passion to work helping others. Holt's platform includes supporting public education, advocating for affordable living initiatives, improving infrastructure, and protecting the environment. Holt also strongly supports expanding affordable healthcare access, including comprehensive reproductive healthcare. Holt supports the right to a safe and legal abortion. Also running is Republican candidate Nate Gustafson. Holt is the progressive choice in this race.

State Representative Lee Snodgrass believes that every Wisconsinite should have access to affordable healthcare and supports Medicaid expansion and defending the Affordable Care Act. She supports restoring local school funding, holding private schools that receive publicly funded vouchers to higher standards, and investing in technical colleges. Snodgrass believes in marijuana legalization, nonpartisan redistricting, sustainable funding for roads and bridges, universal background checks, and a woman's right to choose. She also favors supporting working families through paid family leave and minimum wage standards. Her opponent is Republican candidate Andrew Fox. Snodgrass is the progressive choice in this race.

State Representative Tip McGuire is running for re-election to represent the 64th Assembly District. In his first two terms, McGuire has helped introduce multiple pieces of important progressive legislation, including the Healthcare Heroes Act, which would provide paid sick leave, hazard pay, and no-cost COVID-19 healthcare coverage for frontline healthcare workers, and the Safer Wisconsin proposal, which would invest $115 million of state surplus resources in a broad array of public safety programs to strengthen communities and reduce crime. McGuire has also worked across the aisle to pass key components of his Main Street Recovery package, which provided relief to small business and working families. McGuire is pro-choice and promises to continue prioritizing support working families and the middle class by building a strong pathway to economic security. His opponent is Republican candidate Ed Hibsch. McGuire is the progressive choice in this race.

Greta Neubauer has been working in progressive politics for over a decade and serves as the Assembly Democratic Leader. During her time in office, Neubauer has pushed for increased access to affordable healthcare and programs to reduce racial disparities in healthcare. She has authored legislation on job creation and democracy strengthening reforms, and provided a strong progressive voice on the Joint Finance Committee during the 2021-22 session. Neubauer cares deeply about addressing climate change, including leading the introduction of the Forward On Climate legislative package. Neubauer is the progressive choice in this race.

Rep. Katrina Shankland believes in investing in public education and technical schools, repairing roads and bridges, and supporting family-paying jobs. Shankland has been a leader in the efforts to enact measures to protect clean water and is a consistent supporter of reproductive rights. Her opponent is Republican candidate Scott Soik, who was endorsed by the NRA and an extreme right wing group that supports Wisconsin's criminal abortion ban, which prohibits abortion even in cases of rape or incest. Shankland is the progressive candidate in this race.

Raised in northern Wisconsin where she is now raising two sons and running her own business, Laura Gapske is running to succeed Nick Milroy in the 73rd Assembly District. Gapske believes our democracy is on the line, and knows how important it is to protect Governor Tony Evers' veto. Gapske believes healthcare is a human right, supports the right to a safe and legal abortion, and knows we need more state resources invested in our communities to update our bridges, roads, and state highways. As a former member of the Superior school board, Gapske is a passionate supporter of strong public schools and will fight for equitable, sustainable state investment to ensure our kids receive a high-quality education. Gapske also agrees that we must invest more resources in local law enforcement and public safety efforts, because she has seen the consequences of disinvestment firsthand through her small business providing support to child victims and families within the legal system, and through her advocacy in numerous public safety spaces. Also running is Republican candidate Angie Sapik. Gapske is the progressive choice in this race.

State Representative Francesca Hong is running for re-election on a progressive platform that is built around an intersectional understanding of Madison's challenges and a commitment to addressing systemic economic inequalities. Hong believes addressing racial inequity is an issue not just of police reform but also education and healthcare policy. Also a small business owner in the food service industry, Hong believes in reversing Act 10, supports universal child care benefits, and increased funding to public schools, especially for special needs programs. In her first term in office, Hong co-authored the Economic Justice Bill of Rights, which seeks to make Wisconsin a place where everyone can achieve economic security, opportunity, and freedom. Hong has a comprehensive progressive platform and is the progressive choice for District 76.

An advocate, neighborhood organizer, and Dane County Board member, Shelia Stubbs was elected as the first Black State Assembly Representative from Dane County in 2018. She is a strong advocate for restorative justice and racial equity, and has authored legislation on women's health, marijuana decriminalization, and gun safety. She also supports policies to protect our clean air and water, increase access to health care, and strengthen the safety net for seniors, children, and people with disabilities. While she is running unopposed, Stubbs is the progressive choice in this race.

State Representative Lisa Subeck is running for re-election to represent the 78th Assembly District. Prior to becoming an elected official, Subeck worked as an early childhood educator, housing program coordinator, and NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin Executive Director. In the Assembly, Subeck has been a progressive leader on such issues as affordable healthcare, reproductive health services, campaign finance reform, and strengthening schools. As the ranking Democrat on the Assembly Health Committee, Subeck has been a leading pro-choice voice in the Assembly. Additionally, as a member of the Assembly Campaigns & Elections Committee, she has played an important role in pushing back against Republican lies and conspiracies theories about the 2020 election. Her opponent is Republican candidate Matt Neuhaus. Subeck is the progressive choice in this race.

Dane County board supervisor, former legislative aide, and longtime community volunteer Alex Joers is invested in creating a brighter future for Wisconsin. Growing up, Joers worked at his family's small business and learned important lessons about working hard, adjusting to new situations, and giving back to the community. After graduating from UW-La Crosse in 2015, Joers combined his knowledge, skills, and values by serving as legislative aide in the Wisconsin State Capitol. There, he learned the ins and outs of policymaking and deepened his connection to the 79th Assembly District. Joers' platform includes supporting small businesses, protecting our environment, investing in public education, and fighting for workers. Joers is also a strong defender of reproductive freedom, incuding the right to an abortion, and promises to fight for common sense gun safety laws. Also running is Republican candidate Victoria Fueger. Joers is the progressive choice in this race.

Dane County supervisor, former City of Verona alder, small business owner, founder of the New Leaders Council Wisconsin chapter, and experienced public policy advocate Mike Bare is running for the 80th Assembly District to champion progressive values in the State Capitol. As a longtime aide to U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, Bare knows the ins and outs of fighting for progressive policies and being responsive to constituents. Bare's top three priorities are defending our democracy, protecting our rights including the right to a safe and legal abortion, and tacking climate change. But no matter the issue or the decision before him, Bare is guided by values like showing empathy for others, ensuring fairness in processes, and achieving equity in outcomes. Also running is Republican candidate Jacob Luginbuhl. Bare is the progressive choice in this race.

Former dairy goat farmer and special education teacher Dave Considine has been serving in the Assembly since 2014. Considine has a reputation as a pragmatic and bipartisan legislator who favors common-sense, community-minded legislation. Considine believes in investing public money into public schools, supports reproductive rights, and has authored numerous bills on education, conservation, and marijuana decriminalization. His opponent is Republican candidate Shellie Benish, who is endorsed by an extreme right wing group that wants to ban abortion without exception, even when the pregnant person's life is at risk. Considine is the progressive choice in this race.

LuAnn Bird is a former school board member and education professional, former League of Women Voters director, and former nonprofit development professional who is running for the 84th Assembly District to continue using her skills and experience to serve her community. Bringing enthusiasm and determination to every challenge she faces, Bird's top priorities in the Assembly would include working to restore faith in our democracy and ensuring all eligible voters - including voters with disabilities - can vote, addressing the challenge of rising costs, restoring reproductive freedom for all Wisconsinites, working toward safer schools and public spaces, and addressing mental health needs in our community. The grandmother of three, mother of two, and wife of a Vietnam veteran who has been paralyzed for 32 years, Bird knows that the policy decisions made in the State Capitol have a real life impact on Wisconsin families. Bird is facing Republican candiate Bob Donovan, who has long been known for spouting racist views, recently ran a divisive and unsuccessful campaign for mayor of the City of Milwaukee, and who is endorsed by an extreme right wing group that supports Wisconsin's criminal abortion ban, which prohibits abortion even in cases of rape or incest. Bird is the progressive choice in this race.

Schofield alder Kristin Conway is a nonprofit professional and mom of four who is running to be a progressive voice for the 85th Assembly District. Conway's top priorities include ensuring that Wisconsinites have access to clean water, protecting and funding our public schools, supporting safe and legal access to abortion, enacting universal background checks on gun purchases, taking action to help working families with rising costs, and increasing access to affordable healthcare. Conway is been a strong supporter of LGBTQ rights, and has spoken out against Republican efforts to target transgender girls who want to play sports on girls sports teams, citing her own athletic experience competing on teams and against teams that include transgender women. In the Assembly, Conway promises to be a strong, honest, thoughtful, progressive leader who truly represents the people of Central Wisconsin. Conway is challenging Republican incumbent Pat Snyder, who has consistently cast anti-choice, anti-public education, anti-environment, and anti-democracy votes. Conway is the progressive choice in this race.

State Representative Kristina Shelton is a firm believer in public education. In her first term in the Assembly, Shelton advocated for the state to return to two-thirds funding for public schools, fund special education, and end the taxpayer-funded private school voucher program. Shelton is also a vocal supporter of BadgerCare expansion, confronting climate change, and affordable housing investments. Shelton is strongly pro-choice and was a lead co-author of the Economic Justice Bill of Rights, which laid out a clear vision for Wisconsin to be a place where everyone can achieve economic security, opportunity, and freedom. Her opponent is Republican candidate Micah Behnke. Shelton is the progressive choice in this race.

Representative Jodi Emerson feels compelled by challenges in education, healthcare, and a lack of well-paid jobs. After being diagnosed with a chronic health condition, she saw firsthand the importance of affordable and accessible healthcare for all. She is also an advocate for social justice, more education funding, and protecting natural resources. She authored a bill to phase out Wisconsin's private school voucher program and has been a strong defender of Wisconsin's democracy as a member of the Assembly Campaigns & Elections Committee. Her opponent is Republican candidate Josh Stanley. Emerson is the progressive choice in this race.

Steve Doyle is a moderate Democrat running for re-election to his sixth term as an Assembly member from the 94th District. When it comes to environmental issues, labor, and welfare, Doyle is relatively progressive. He was a leader in the fight against Act 10 and has a strong record on LGBTQ+ equality. While he is personally anti-choice, he has voted pro-choice as a legislator. He is a supporter of gun rights and has received an endorsement from the NRA in the past. However, he did co-sponsor a universal background check bill. Doyle is known for his bipartisanship. His challenger, Republican candidate Ryan Huebsch, has worked for multiple Republican legislators and is endorsed by an extreme right wing group that supports Wisconsin's criminal abortion ban, which prohibits abortion even in cases of rape or incest. Although Doyle is not as progressive as some other legislators, he has always stood up for progressive issues like labor rights, public schools, and the environment when it counts. Doyle is the progressive choice in this race.

Representative Jill Billings has been a progressive champion with an effective, consensus-based approach since getting elected to the Assembly in 2011. Known for her passionate advocacy on children's issues, Billings currently serves as co-chair of the bipartisan Legislative Children's Caucus where she helps bring policymakers together to develop and pass bills that address the needs of kids throughout Wisconsin. Additional priorities for Billings include supporting economic development at the local level, advocating for healthcare access and funding, including expanding BadgerCare and bringing federal healthcare dollars into Wisconsin, protecting reproductive freedom, and fighting for nonpartisan redistricting. Billings is also a vocal advocate for protecting Wisconsin's natural environment, supporting clean water policies, and fighting to address PFAS contamination. Her opponent is Republican candidate Chris Woodard. Billings is the progressive choice in this race.