Milwaukee County

Former social worker and native Milwaukeean Dora Drake has been a well-respected lawmaker in Madison since 2020. Her previous work assisting formerly incarcerated individuals reenter their communities has informed her legislative agenda, and criminal justice reform is one of her largest priorities. Now running for State Senate, Drake brings with her a host of accomplishments from the Assembly, including sitting as the ranking Democrat on the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and working on bills related to healthcare access and small business support. She also authored or co-sponsored bills increasing consumer protection, reforming the criminal justice system, and protecting our democracy. Dora Drake is running unopposed in the 4th Senate District, and she is the progressive choice in this race.

LaTonya Johnson has been representing the northwest area of Milwaukee in the Wisconsin Legislature for over ten years. A former in-home child care provider and president of her local AFSCME 502, Johnson intimately understands the struggles of small business owners, knows the importance of affordable child care, and prioritizes the creation of well-paying, family-supporting jobs. In her time in the statehouse, she has also focused on protections for missing and endangered children, as well as African-American women and girls. Johnson is the progressive choice in this race.

Jodi Habush Sinykin is a long-time community leader, well-respected environmental lawyer, and mother of four who grew up in Fox Point and now lives in Whitefish Bay. She is also a business owner who has experience keeping well-paying jobs here in Wisconsin, a key part of strengthening local economies. Jodi is a strong supporter of women's reproductive rights who has pledged to prioritize quality public schools and to keep our communities safe. Jodi's opponent is conservative state legislator Duey Stroebel, who is endorsed by an extreme right wing group that wants to ban all abortion without exception, even when the pregnant person's life is at risk, and who signed a January 2021 letter asking then-Vice President Pence to refuse to certify the 2020 presidential election results. Jodi Habush Sinykin is the clear progressive choice in this race.

Megan Lach is a southeastern Wisconsin native who was moved to run for Senate by her experiences as a woman navigating the political landscape. She brings a passion for equity and justice to the campaign, strongly supporting investments in high-quality public schools, protecting reproductive rights, and ensuring families have access to affordable childcare. She is a single mother who has experience in a broad range of industries, which helps her identify with the different struggles that many Wisconsinites face. Lach faces Senator Julian Bradley, a staunch conservative who has been endorsed by an extreme anti-abortion group that opposes reproductive freedom even in cases where the pregnant person’s life is at risk. Megan Lach is the clear progressive choice in this race.

As the daughter of a union household, Karen Kirsch recognizes the necessity of strong labor unions in the workplace; workers’ rights are one of her top legislative priorities. Kirsch is also passionate about fighting for quality public schools and improving our healthcare system for better access and better outcomes. Kirsch strongly supports the right to choose an abortion, and believes that qualified DACA recipients should be allowed to receive professional licenses from the state. Kirsch is facing Republican Lee Whiting. Karen Kirsch is the progressive choice in this race.

Representative Sylvia Ortiz-Velez has been representing parts of Milwaukee since 2020 and is running unopposed for re-election. Ortiz-Velez supports increased funding for public transportation and infrastructure, legalizing medical marijuana, and tackling the opioid crisis. Ortiz-Velez is also advocating for making drivers licenses accessible to undocumented people, expanding BadgerCare, and investing in public education. While she is unopposed in this race, Sylvia Ortiz-Velez is the progressive choice.

Small business owner, mother, and entrepreneur Priscilla Prado brings community and business development experience to her campaign for Assembly District 9. An accountant for over 20 years, Prado has worked for major law firms and now owns a bookkeeping business of her own. She is also a two-time heart attack survivor, giving her special insight into the need for healthcare reform. Prado will fight for increased access to affordable housing, investment in violence prevention programs, and support for mental health services. She is opposed by Republican candidate Ryan Antczak. Priscilla Prado 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. Darrin Madison is the progressive choice in this race.

Milwaukee County Supervisor of the 5th District Sequanna Taylor is running unopposed for Assembly District 11. Taylor is an experienced consultant, speaker, and trainer focused on uplifting her community and creating opportunities for Wisconsinites in every zip code. Her legislative priorities include fighting for affordable childcare, expanding Medicaid, and protecting victims of domestic violence. Sequanna Taylor is unopposed and is the progressive choice in this race.

Pastor and former Milwaukee County supervisor Russell Goodwin, Sr. has long known the importance of being a positive force for change in his community. One of Goodwin’s top legislative priorities is combating reckless driving, for which he has created a six-point plan to stop the problem and keep Milwaukee residents safer. Goodwin is also keenly aware of the struggles Wisconsinites are having with the cost of living, and plans to introduce measures to increase access to affordable housing and keep property taxes fair and reasonable. He is running against conservative independent candidate Deanna Alexander, who has previously been endorsed by an extreme organization seeking to ban abortion. Russell Goodwin, Sr. is the more progressive choice in this race.

Robyn Vining is running for her fourth 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 healthcare issues throughout Wisconsin and meeting the needs of small businesses in our state. Her opponent is Republican Representative Tom Michalski, who has consistently voted against the right to choose an abortion. Robyn Vining is the progressive choice in this race.

West Allis native Angelito Tenorio is the son of unionized postal workers who immigrated to Wisconsin for a better life. Tenorio calls combating climate change his number one priority, which goes hand in hand with preserving clean drinking water and creating more sustainable infrastructure. He is dedicated to keeping our state a great place to live by supporting investments in public education, increasing the minimum wage, and protecting the right to choose an abortion. As a child, he saw how his parents belonging to a union significantly benefited their family, and that has instilled in him a deep appreciation and respect for workers’ rights. Also running in Assembly District 14 is Republican candidate Jim Engstrand. Angelito Tenorio 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. 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 newly redrawn 15th District by fighting to fund public education, supporting the middle class, bringing fairness and opportunity to workers, and restoring reproductive freedom in Wisconsin. Sarah Harrison is the progressive choice in this race.

At 25, Kalan Haywood II is among the youngest legislators in the country and is the youngest African American ever 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. Kalan Haywood is running unopposed and is the progressive choice.

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde is running for re-election in the 17th Assembly District. Prior to joining the Assembly, Moore-Omokunde served on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. Now seeking his third term in the legislature, Moore Omokunde's top priorities are criminal justice reform, decriminalizing marijuana, ending reckless driving, expanding healthcare access, ensuring affordable housing, and promoting economic development. Supreme Moore Omokunde is running unopposed in this race and is the progressive choice.

Wauwatosa’s first Black alderwoman, Margaret Arney, has worked in different roles in the nonprofit sector for over 30 years. She is passionate about the role of unions in Wisconsin, and plans to promote and protect them if elected. The right to choose an abortion is also a cornerstone of her campaign, as well as investment in senior care and excellent public schools. Arney is opposed by Republican candidate Kevin Anderson. Margaret Arney is the progressive choice in this race.

Educator, legislator, small business owner, and longtime Milwaukee-area activist Ryan Clancy is running for reelection in the 19th Assembly District. His time as a teacher made Clancy a strong supporter of public education and he promises to fight for fairer funding for every school district. He knows every single student is important, and supports efforts to make our schools and communities safe and welcoming for LGBTQ+ folks. Clancy has been a leader on fighting crime in the legislature by authoring several proposals to keep Wisconsinites safer from gun violence. He believes in the right to choose an abortion and in the necessity of transparency in government. Ryan Clancy is unopposed in this race and is the progressive choice.

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, and raising the minimum wage, and has been a legislative leader on fighting for policies that support working people. She has been named Conservation Champion by the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters eight times. Also running in the 20th Assembly District is Republican Mike Moeller. Chris Sinicki is the progressive choice in this race.

David Marstellar is a floricultural industry professional and heart transplant survivor. He believes in the value of listening to others before speaking, a skill sorely needed in the Legislature, and will fight for every Wisconsinite to be able to receive the life-saving healthcare that he did. Marstellar knows how critical unions are to a strong middle class, and how important the right to choose an abortion is to people who can become pregnant. Marstellar’s opponent is Republican Representative Jessie Rodriguez, who has consistently cast anti-choice, anti-public education, anti-environment, and anti-democracy votes. David Marstellar is the clear progressive choice in this race.

One of only two Wisconsin candidates to flip a Republican-held seat in 2020, Deb Andraca is running for her third Assembly term 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 Laurie Wolf. Deb Andraca is the progressive choice in this race.

Waukesha native and active community member Kevin Reilly has been a mental health professional for over 30 years. He believes in protecting the right to choose an abortion, standing up for democracy, and cutting through the partisanship in Madison to truly support local communities. He also supports legalizing marijuana, expanding Medicaid, and increasing access to mental health support. Also running in the 82nd Assembly District is Republican Representative Scott Allen, who has been endorsed by two of Wisconsin’s most extreme anti-abortion organizations. Kevin Reilly is the more progressive choice in this race.

Zachary Roper has minimal campaign or social media presence. He is challenging Republican Representative Chuck Wichgers, who has earned a 100% rating from a group opposed to all abortion without exception and also opposes same-sex marriage. While Roper’s specific policy positions are unknown, Wichgers’ extreme conservatism makes Roper the likely progressive choice in this race.