Primaries in Democrat Held Districts

Here at Milwaukee Beagle, we believe that beating centrist Democrats in Wisconsin’s legislative primaries is strategically important to ending corporate rule and unlocking permanent affordability in Wisconsin. This article lists primaries in districts that are currently held by Democrats. It’s companion article discusses primaries in districts currently held by Republicans. 

I’ve listed these races in order of likely impact on the makeup of the legislature, and named my preferred candidate first. I don’t have time or space here for more than a paragraph or two on each, but hope to get full articles detailing as many as I can. If you like our analysis, and would like to help cover these and other races in greater depth, please let us know! 

Ryan Clancy v Bridget Maniaci

Assembly District 19, Milwaukee’s East side. +59 Democrat.

Clancy is a member of the socialist caucus who has been beleaguered by pro-police and pro-genocide organizers for years. His enemies are at it again. This time they are backing a small business owner who has long been friends with Ann Jacobs, Milwaukee’s most influential genocide denier. Jacobs has been hell-bent on ending Clancy’s career since October 2023. 

Clancy and Maniaci spoke at a forum Tuesday night at UW- Milwaukee. Unfortunately, I can’t find video anywhere, so all we have are these liveskeets and our memories. After having to ask ask twice moderators got Maniaci to admit there’s a genocide in Palestine, which is a change of her previous position. She also supports wealthy real estate developments, but paints herself as a progressive. If Maniaci somehow unseats Clancy, it will be a major setback to the socialist caucus and to real Democratic values in the State Assembly. Please donate to and volunteer with Ryan Clancy’s campaign. He’s got a fundraiser coming up, June 12.

Ismael Luna v Sylvia Ortiz-Velez

Assembly District 8, South Side of Milwaukee. +46 Democrat. 

Sylvia Ortiz-Velez is a real-estate broker who votes with Republicans so often she doesn’t even caucus with the Democrats anymore. Despite threatening to shoot three of them, she is still running in the Democratic primary. Ortiz-Velez’s career always relied on support from billionaire playboy and meddler, Chris Abele. She barely won her 2020 primary, had no primary in 2022, and sadly beat Enrique Murgia in 2024. After her escalating animosity for the party, and given how deep blue her district is, Ortiz-Velez should be easy to beat this year. 

If she manages to win, she’d likely undermine the Democratic trifecta more than any other Representative. Fortunately, Ismael Luna, a community advocate who works at a shelter for people experiencing homelessness is running against her. He has strong roots in the district, a powerful working class story, and a left populist platform. Please donate to and volunteer with Ismael Luna’s campaign.

Jordan Roman v Russell Goodwin

Assembly District 12, northwest corner of Milwaukee County. +60 Democrat.

Russel Goodwin is the only Assembly Democrat to join Republican attacks on transgender kids. Also he is one of ten who voted with Republicans to restrict free speech in support of Israel’s war crimes and genocide. Goodwin was elected in 2024 with only 32% of the vote in a four way primary. I hear he also treats legislative staff poorly. 

Like Ortiz-Velez, Goodwin will act as a drag on the Democratic agenda, despite sitting in a deep blue seat. The good news is, like Ortiz-Velez, he’s facing a very strong primary challenger. Jordan Roman is a community organizer and non-profit professional with a solid left-populist platform. Please donate to and volunteer with Jordan Roman’s campaign.

Five candidates for Francesca Hong’s Seat

District 76, Madison. +79 Democrat. 

This district is ridiculously deep blue. Voters here could easily elect the Assembly’s next radical agenda-setter, or just an ineffective loudmouth. There are 5 candidates running and from a distance, they all look pretty great! There are three progressive candidates we are focused on*. Juliana Bennet, a queer black activist, former alderperson, and chief of staff for progressive Democrat Angelito Tenorio is bringing a fiery energy to her campaign, as well as a deep list of endorsements (including being the only candidate endorsed my DSA which they are a longtime member of). Dina Nina Martinez-Ruthorford, a trans woman and small business owner who is currently on Madison’s common council, has an even deeper list of endorsements (though she is on record as not being a Democratic Socialist). Isaia Ben-Ami is a member of Madison DSA, but he seems also well-connected across the Democratic Party, as Kalen Heywood’s legislative assistant. 

Their policy positions overlap, making it hard to rank them from a distance. If Wisconsin had ranked choice voting, the best of these three would surely win. Instead, we have a dumb system where they might split the DSA/Progressive vote evenly enough for one of the other candidates to squeeze in. Those are: Tony Castañeda, a latin jazz musician and immigrant with a basic, incomplete website Zoe Sullivan, an activist with a long, rich, globe-spanning organizing history, but who only moved back to Madison in 2019. 

Josh Mittness v Bryna Caves v Bill Oemichen

Assembly District 50, south of Madison. +14 Democrat.

This seat is left open by Jenna Jacobson who is leaving to run for State Senate. Open seats are harder to judge, because I don’t have an incumbent’s record to look at. However, after skimming the three candidate websites, I’m leaning toward Josh Mittness here. His vision page covers many issues with concise and progressive commitments. Bill Oemichen uses far more words, but says less. Bryna Caves is a former nurse who now runs an organic farm. I love that her campaign is raising money for a local farm fund, and that she helped organize this anti-ICE rally. However, her “small town values” platform and law enforcement spouse raise some red flags. Meanwhile, based on his social media, Mittness has been hustling hard. He marched on May Day with Voces De La Frontera, and has been unafraid to support the groups Republicans hate and centrist Democrats neglect. This video is particularly fun. He is also endorsed by Russ Feingold, and mentions Francesca Hong in his policy positions. 

The good news is, all three look like improvements over Jenna Jacobson!

Amy Zimmerman v David Sanchez

Assembly District 13, Wauwatosa, Brookfield. +20 Democrat. 

Robyn Vining is leaving this seat open to run for State Senate. At a glance, both candidates in this primary look mixed. Zimmerman is a management consultant working in financial services and healthcare technology, which is not a promising background. However, her biography mentions doing participatory budgeting, being an active member in the Unitarian Universalist Church, and she’s been endorsed by Wisconsin Citizen Action. Her challenger, David Sanchez is a business attorney (ugh!), but he has experience in constitutional rights, renewable energy and affordable housing. Neither looks like a strong left populist. Both have corporate business slime on them, but also some progressive credentials. I’m leaning toward Zimmerman because I trust Citizen Action’s endorsement process to be more robust than my web surfing. 

*an earlier version of this article did not acknowledge Bennet as the DSA endorsed candidate and Dina Nina Martinez-Ruthorford not identifying as a Democratic Socialist