Democratic Primaries in Republican Held Districts

In order to win the trifecta, Wisconsin Democrats need to win the Governor race, gain two seats in the State Senate and five in the State Assembly. As described in my winning the trifecta article, this should be quite easy, but centrist Democrats might fuck it up. Republicans seem to know their days of ruthless minority rule are numbered, as many are retiring. Last I checked, we’re up to six retiring Republicans in the State Senate, and nine in the Assembly.

Below is a list of 5 Democratic Party primaries in seats currently held by Republicans. We believe that left populists are better suited to defeat Republicans in these seats than establishment centrists. It seems Tom Tiffany’s consultants agree, describing left populist governor candidate Franceasca as a “unique threat” in an internal memo. Moreover, the people of Wisconsin deserve a trifecta that brings change, not continued compromise with conservatives around corporate priorities. Strong left Democrats are more likely to deliver that change. 

That’s why I also have an article about primaries in Democratic seats, and one about Democratic incumbents who deserve a primary challenge from the left, but don’t yet have one. 

In all these articles, I name my reccomended candidate first, and sorted races according to Democrat chances of winning. I don’t have time or space here for more than a paragraph or two on each, but I hope Milwaukee Beagle gets full articles written about as many races as we can. If you like our analysis, and would like to help cover these and other races in greater depth, please, let us know! 

Robyn Vining v Mike Roberts

Senate District 5 leans left (+5.9 Democratic) and Rob Hutton, the Republican currently sitting there was among the first to start the retirement train. He also defected from the rest of the party by voting against the last budget (for all the wrong reasons), creating the situation where Republican leadership finally needed to negotiate in order to get Democratic votes and pass the budget. Unfortunately, Tony Evers and Dianne Hesselbein wasted that opportunity, passing a Republican budget that defunds childcare, public education, and human needs to deliver yet another tax break for the wealthy. 

Sarah Harrison was the first Democrat to announce her run for SD5. However, when Assembly Representative Robyn Vining joined with SSDC backing, she quickly eclipsed Harrison, who withdrew in January. The Republican, Mike Roberts is a healthcare worker from the most conservative side of SD5. He talks about reaching across the aisle, but is running on reducing regulations on business while increasing government overreach into regular people’s lives. 

David Liners v Dan Bukiewicz v Unknown Republican

Assembly District 21 leans left (+4.1 Democratic). Incumbent Jessie Rodriguez is the most recent Republican to retire rather than run again. Before she dropped out, Democratic leadership bullied a great candidate, Jessica Seawright into leaving the race. I wrote about this back in February, but the short version is that establishment Democrats thought a white man, Dan Bukiewicz who didn’t want to work in the primary season and who likes data centers had a better chance against Rodriguez. Two days after Seawright gave in to their pressure, Bukiewicz announced his candidacy. Fortunately, one of Seawright’s biggest supporters, retired long-time organizer David Liners, picked up the mantle. Liners is not as forward with his values as some socialists, but he knows the work and has devoted decades of patient dedication to it. 

 With Rodriguez out, and with no obvious replacement, this will be an exceptionally easy race for Democrats to win. Even a centrist who has insiders do his work for him like Bukiewicz, could win the general, if he did, his conservative, pro-data centers values would likely obstruct the Democratic agenda. Meanwhile, David Liners would help coax the trifecta to its full potential.  

Democrats Corrine Hendrickson, Lisa White, Jenna Jacobson v Republican Howard Marklein

Senate District 17 is currently held by a Republican, but it leans slightly left (+1 Democratic). The primary for who  will unseat Marklein is another example of poor strategy by Democratic Party leadership, which I’ve previously written about. When six or more SD17 Democrats were all enthusiastically considering a run, Dianne Hesselbein called and told all but one to drop out because she was going to pour money into the coffers of her one favorite. It was financial analyst and current Assembly Representative Jenna Jacobson who voted with Republicans on the last budget who received Hesselbein’s endorsement. 

I prefer Corrine Hendrickson because she is a childcare worker who organized other childcare workers to demand a better budget. Hendrickson has been traveling around SD17 connecting with local businesses and especially other childcare providers. Lisa White is also a healthcare worker, and would bring often neglected rural representation to the Democratic caucus. Unfortunately, she is not as strong on affordability and fighting for left populist values as Hendrickson. 

Democrats Lawanda Chambers, Brian Bock, and Ben Brist v Republican Bob Donovan. 

Assembly District 61 leans slightly left (+2.2 Democratic) and is currently held by a weird, clown punching bathroom pervert Republican named Bob Donovan. LuAnne Bird nearly defeated Donovan last cycle and we’re counting on mental health professional, Lawanda Chambers to knock him out this year. There are twoother Democrats in the race, but they both seem to be running in the Republican-lite lane. We already know that strategy doesn’t work. 

Democrats Kevin Reilly, Rico Camacho v Republican Bryson Reyes

Assembly District 82 leans right (+8.1 Republican), but was vacated when far right ideologue Scott Allen decided to retire after losing his run for Waukesha Mayor to LGBT activist Alicia Halvensleben. This Republican leaning seat will be a harder fight than the others, but Waukesha does seem to be shifting blue. The Republican filling in for Allen is a young-looking army vet running on naïve, out of touch policies like: reducing workplace, healthcare, and environmental protections, building radioactive powerplants, privatizing education, and increasing the prison population. He’s beatable. 

This is the year for strong, left populist candidates to make great things happen, and there is one in this race! Kevin Reilly is the brother of Shawn Reilly, the former Mayor of Waukesha who left the Republican Party after the January 6 insurrection. He’s a mental health professional working on substance abuse and aiding incarcerated people. He has a clear, left populist platform. The other Democrat in this race is a teacher and alderman, running on pro-business issues and increasing fossil fuel use and pollution. 

Other situations

I’ve found other Democrat-leaning open seats, as well as beatable Republican incumbents, but they only have one Democratic candidate so far. Some brave Democrats are also running against Republican incumbents in deep red districts. Also, there are a handful of potentially interesting Green Party and independent candidates challenging Republicans. I hope we write about those general election races eventually, but the primary comes sooner, so we’re prioritizing these five contests for now. 

Also, its not like there’s any question who to support in the general election. Before Trump there may have been an anti-elite Republican candidate worth considering, but anyone who stays in a party that is dismantling democracy and building a personal army for the authoritarian president is simply disqualified.