State legislative elections this August and November will have a new twist — they will be under district boundaries the Wisconsin Supreme Court ordered last winter.
Democrats generally view the new lines as more favorable to them, and are already hoping a state Senate candidate in the Milwaukee North Shore area who lost a special election under the old maps can win this fall.
Jodi Habush Sinykin lost to Republican Dan Knodl in an April 2023 Senate contest by less than 2% of the vote. Since then, the state court has declared the old legislative district maps unconstitutional. Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, and the GOP-controlled Legislature eventually agreed to new maps — including one that would have forced Knodl, who lives in Germantown, to run against fellow Republican Sen. Duey Stroebel, who lives in Saukville.
Knodl has decided to instead try to go back to the state Assembly, and Habush Sinykin, an attorney who lives in Whitefish Bay, has just entered the 8th District race against Stroebel.
At her campaign launch Tuesday in Bayside, Habush Sinykin referred to the map changes.
“Today marks the start of what I have been thinking as Jodi’s Senate run, take two" she said to applause, adding, "with the addendum, with fair maps this time.”
Several Democratic politicians were on hand, including Wisconsin Atty. Gen. Josh Kaul, who also referred to the recent redistricting.
“So we had a natural phenomenon, an eclipse. But Wisconsin recently had an earthquake, which is we got new maps in place," Kaul said to more applause.
Five of the 10 Democratic Wisconsin state senators were also at the event, as a sign of the importance of this Milwaukee-area contest to them. Democrats will likely keep control of an 11th seat vacated by former Milwaukee Sen. Lena Taylor, who is now a county judge. But Republicans currently have a two-thirds supermajority in the Senate, allowing them to block many of Evers appointees to state agencies and boards.
Senate Minority Leader Diane Hesselbein (D-Middleton) hopes to pick up several seats this fall. And while Assembly candidates have been promised some national Democratic money, Hesselbein told WUWM the Wisconsin Senate contests will also gain wide attention.
“I think people all across the United States are excited we finally have fair maps. And, I think everyone is very cognizant of the fact that the road to the White House leads through Wisconsin. So, when we have the best candidates running, it will be boosting President Biden’s numbers, and Tammy Baldwin’s as well," Hesselbein said.
Hesselbein said having strong down-ballot candidates will provide a bubble-up effect.
“Sometimes it’s a top-down, but this year I think we’re really getting the bubble-up factor. That's because people are really paying attention to these local races, because it’s their neighbors they have known for a long time," she said.
Stroebel said he’s ready for the challenge from Habush Sinykin or other Democrats who could still enter the 8th District contest. Stroebel said, "As a private sector small businessman, he’s proud of his record of common sense legislation." He said he’s tried to represent residents, not special interests. Stroebel, who currently represents the 20th Senate District, said he looks forward to meeting people in the 8th.
Cedarburg is one of the new communities Stroebel and Habush Sinykin will try to win.
A more conservative Cedarburg resident who gave her name as Rose said she wants state education spending to be effective.
“Are we supporting schools that are failing? Are we doing anything about that? And it’s hard. These issues are hard issues, I understand that. But it’s for the betterment of students and our country,'' Rose told WUWM outside the Cedarburg Library Tuesday afternoon.
But nearby, another Cedarburg resident, Bruce Hemminger, said he’ll back the candidate who supports restoring reproductive rights weakened by the U.S. Supreme Court and conservative politicians.
“What’s going on now is not fair to women. Women should have their choice. It’s the majority of men making those decisions for them," Hemminger said.
Habush Sinykin said she supports reproductive rights, schools and the university system, potential tax cuts and strong environmental protections.
And she’s said she’s ready to meet residents of a newly redrawn 8th District.
“Really connecting with new people, hearing from them and what their issues are, and what change they would like to see," she said.
That’s a task many legislative candidates will have under the new political maps of Wisconsin.
