Here are 10 races to watch in Wisconsin's newly competitive legislative maps (2024)

MADISON — With a new set of electoral boundaries in place for the November election, Democrats and Republicans will find themselves with a smattering of newly competitive legislative seats.

Wisconsin Democrats have recruited candidates to run in every state Senate seat on the ballot and all but two of the 99 Assembly races — the party’s largest recruitment effort in years. Meanwhile, Republicans will fight to maintain their long-held legislative majorities.

More: These areas of Wisconsin are likely to flip parties under new electoral maps. Do you live in one of them?

These are the 10 legislative races with the tightest predicted margins for Nov. 5.

Assembly District 26

Rep. Amy Binsfeld, R-Sheboygan, was elected to the current 27th Assembly District in 2022. Under the new maps, Binsfeld decided to run in the new 26th Assembly District rather than compete against longtime Rep. Paul Tittl, R-Manitowoc in the new 25th Assembly District.

Binsfeld, who previously worked at Bitter Neumann Appliance Furniture Mattress, serves as a full-time legislator.

She faces a challenge from Democrat Joe Sheehan, who previously served as superintendent of the Sheboygan Area School District and as executive director of the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corp.

According to an analysis by Marquette University Lubar Center research fellow John Johnson, the new Sheboygan-area district leans 52.1% Democratic.

More: Wisconsin has new legislative maps, but won't have new congressional ones. Here's why.

Assembly District 61

Rep. Bob Donovan, R-Greenfield, was elected to the current 81st Assembly District in 2022. Donovan served in the Milwaukee Common Council for 20 years, representing part of the city's south side. He’s now running in the new 61st Assembly District, and faces an Aug. 13 primary challenge from Martin Gomez of Milwaukee.

The winner will face Democrat LuAnn Bird of Hales Corners, who previously served as executive director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and on multiple school boards. Donovan defeated Bird in 2022.

According to the Lubar Center's Johnson, the new southwestern Milwaukee-area district leans 50.8% Republican.

More: National Democrats ramp up efforts on legislative races under new Wisconsin maps

Assembly District 85

Rep. Pat Snyder, R-Schofield, was elected to the current 85th Assembly District in 2016. The boundaries have since changed, but Snyder is seeking to continue representing the 85th.

Snyder, a former radio host and staffer for former U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, will face Weston Democrat Yee Leng Ziong on the November ballot. Ziong recently announced plans to step down as executive director of the Hmong American Center at the end of the year. He currently serves on the Marathon County Board of Supervisors and on the DC Everest School Board.

According to the Lubar Center's Johnson, the new Wausau-area district leans 52.6% Republican.

Assembly District 88

The current 88th Assembly District is represented by Rep. John Macco, R-Ledgeview. Macco is not seeking reelection.

The winner of the Aug. 13 Republican primary will face Democratic Party of Brown County chair Christy Welch, of De Pere, in November.

De Pere Republicans Phil Collins and Ben Franklin will compete in the GOP primary.

According to the Lubar Center's Johnson, the new district, which includes De Pere, Allouez and Bellevue, leans 52.1% Republican.

Assembly District 89

The current 89th Assembly District is held by Rep. Elijah Behnke, R-Oconto, who is now running in the new 4th Assembly District.

The race for the open seat in the new 89th is between Brown County Assistant District Attorney Ryan Spaude, a Democrat, and Brown County Board Chairman and former police officer Patrick Buckley, a Republican.

According to the Lubar Center's Johnson, the new western Green Bay-area district leans 50.8% Republican.

Senate District 8

Sen. Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, was first elected to the current 20th Senate District in 2015, and previously served four years in the Assembly. Stroebel is vice-chair of the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee. He was drawn into the 8th Senate District, which is currently held by Rep. Dan Knodl, R-Germantown. Knodl is running for Assembly rather than forcing a primary with Stroebel.

Stroebel faces a challenge from Democratic attorney Jodi Habush Sinykin, who lost the 2023 special election for the 8th to Knodl by less than 2 percentage points.

According to the Lubar Center's Johnson, the new district, which includes Port Washington, Grafton and Mequon, leans 53% Republican.

Senate District 14

Sen. Joan Ballweg, R-Markesan, was elected to the current 14th Senate District in 2020. The farm equipment business co-owner and former elementary school teacher previously served more than a decade in the Assembly, and before that as mayor of Markesan. Ballweg is a member of the Joint Finance Committee.

Ballweg faces a challenge from licensed professional counselor Sarah Keyeski, a Democrat from Lodi.

According to the Lubar Center's Johnson, the new district, which sits northwest of Madison and includes Reedsburg, Richland Center, Baraboo, Wisconsin Dells and Portage, leans 53.3% Democratic.

Senate District 18

The current 18th Senate District is held by Sen. Dan Feyen, R-Fond du Lac, who is running in the new 20th District, into which he was drawn.

The new 18th District runs along the western shore of Lake Winnebago, stretching from Appleton to Oshkosh.

Republican oncologist Anthony Phillips, of Appleton, will compete in an Aug. 13 primary with Appleton business owner Blong Yang.

The winner of the Republican primary will faceAppleton Common Council member Kristin Alfheim, an Appleton Democrat. It’s Alfheim’s second time running for state Senate.

According to the Lubar Center's Johnson, the new district leans 55.5% Democratic.

Senate District 30

The current 30th Senate District is held by Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Green Bay. Wimberger is now running in the new 2nd District.

Allouez Village President Jim Rafter, a Republican, will face Democratic business consultant Jamie Wall on the November ballot. Wall ran for Congress in 2012, losing to Republican former Rep. Reid Ribble by about 12 points.

According to the Lubar Center's Johnson, the new Green Bay-area district leans 52.6% Democratic.

Senate District 32

Sen. Brad Pfaff, D-Onalaska, was elected to the current 32nd Senate District in 2020. Pfaff,an agriculture policy administrator, previously served as secretary-designee of the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection until Republicans removed him.

He’s seeking reelection and faces a challenge from Trempealeau Republican Stacey Klein. The financial representative serves on the Trempealeau County Board, and opted to run for state Senate after initially mounting a U.S. Senate bid.

According to the Lubar Center's Johnson, the new La Crosse-area district leans 54.2% Democratic.

Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.