Wisconsinites will vote for state Assembly and Senate candidates in a primary on Aug. 11 and in the general election Nov. 3, 2026.
This is the second election under more competitive district maps, but the first election for this particular Senate seat under the new maps.
One Republican and one Democrat are running for Senate District 21. They will face off on the Nov. 3 ballot.
What do the Wisconsin Senate and Assembly do?
The Wisconsin Legislature is made up of 99 Assembly representatives and 33 Senators from across Wisconsin. Together, they have the power to create, amend and repeal laws.
The Legislature plays a major role in deciding how to use taxpayer-funded state revenue every two years in the biennial budget. Whether more or less money is spent on education, economic development, tax relief — that is decided by the majority in the Legislature, along with Wisconsin's governor, who has to sign the budget, and other bills, into law.
What's at stake?
The Wisconsin Legislature has been firmly controlled by Republicans for more than a decade, under gerrymandered legislative maps.
Those maps were thrown out by the liberal-majority Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2023, which prompted the Legislature to approve new maps proposed by Gov. Tony Evers.
In the Senate, Republicans currently have a 18-15 majority. According to JR Ross of WisPolitics.com, there are four seats at play — one currently held by a Democrat and three by Republicans. If Democrats win any three of those, they get a majority. They include District 21, along with districts 5 (Brookfield), 17 (Spring Green) and 31 (Eau Claire).
Republicans are likely to maintain their majority in the Assembly. Ross says Democrats would have to sweep almost all of the "swing" seats and hold on to a few they won by the skin of their teeth in 2024, to have a chance of gaining a majority in the Assembly.
Senate District 21
Wisconsin Senate District 21 includes the city of Franklin, portions of Racine, Greenfield and Milwaukee, along with Greendale, Hales Corners, Caledonia, Wind Point, and North Bay.
The current senator, Republican Van Wanggaard, is not running for reelection.
WUWM sent a questionnaire to the candidates. Their responses below may be edited for length and clarity.
Meet the candidates
Jim Croft (Republican)
Current occupation: IT analyst and small business owner
Why are you running for this office?
I’m running because I got tired of feeling like my family’s fate was in someone else’s hands. With rising costs, including extreme increases in property taxes in our state over the last several years, it is getting harder and harder for families to get by, let alone get ahead. I just keep looking at the circumstances of today and wonder if my children will have the same opportunities that my wife and I had to work hard and build a life for ourselves, and I think that concern needs greater representation in Madison.
In WUWM's election survey, affordability is the top concern listed by voters. How would you work to address cost of living issues in Wisconsin?
One of the things that makes life so unaffordable is the rising burden of taxation in our state, particularly through property tax increases. I want to bring down taxes across the board so that the state government isn’t digging around in your pocket when Wisconsinites are already having a tough time making ends meet. We also need to reduce unnecessary regulations at the state level that drive up the cost of goods and services by forcing the providers of goods and services to raise their prices in order to absorb the cost of regulatory overreach.
A Marquette poll earlier this year found 70% of WI voters think the costs of large data centers are greater than the benefits they provide. How do you plan to address concerns about data centers?
We need to look at the impacts that the already built and operating data centers have had on their respective regions in terms of economic impact, environmental impact, and how the electricity needs have affected local ratepayers. It is important that we continue to entrust this issue to the local political process where residents can best make their voices heard about an issue that will be affecting their community. If local governments aren’t equipped to handle some of the concerns with these data centers, I will work earnestly at the state level to address the issue in a way that both protects our communities and upholds free market principles.
What are your top state budget priorities?
My top priorities in the state budget will be to cut taxes and hold the line on the growth in state government spending and expansion. Inflation has hit my family just like it has hit lots of Wisconsin families, and with tax increases every year, the people of our state need relief and their government can give it to them by starting to live within its means. We also need to work, whether through the budget or outside of that process, on ways that we can bring down the cost of healthcare by increasing competition in the marketplace and allowing free market principles to drive costs down for consumers.
How do you plan to remain accountable to the people of Wisconsin?
I plan to remain accountable by staying close to my district and maintaining an open door policy in my office. My goal will never be to shield my constituents from my operations as their State Senator, and I would certainly never try to make major policy “behind a curtain” like one of the Democratic candidates for Governor proposed. Transparency and accountability will be two of the most important values that govern my office and myself when I’m serving the 21st Senate District as their State Senator.
Please list any notable endorsements you've received.
- Milwaukee Police Association
- Americans for Prosperity - Wisconsin
Trevor Jung (Democrat)
Current occupation: City of Racine, Transit & Mobility Director
Why are you running for this office?
I'm running for State Senate because my community made me who I am. I was adopted from an orphanage halfway across the world and raised right here in Racine by a father who is a fourth-generation Racinian and small business owner. I went to local public schools, graduated from UW-Milwaukee, and built my life in my hometown. I'm running to give back and to make sure our communities finally get their fair share from Madison.
In WUWM's election survey, affordability is the top concern listed by voters. How would you work to address cost of living issues in Wisconsin?
Affordability is the defining challenge facing families across the 21st District due to policy choices made by the long-standing Republican majorities in Madison. As State Senator, I will cap insulin copays, crack down on surprise medical billing, and hold insurance companies accountable when they deny care; fight to restore stable funding for childcare providers so that costs stop rising and early educators are less inclined to leave the field, and advocate for meaningful property tax relief and cutting the red tape that slows housing construction and drives up prices.
A Marquette poll earlier this year found 70% of WI voters think the costs of large data centers are greater than the benefits they provide. How do you plan to address concerns about data centers?
What I hear knocking doors across the 21st District mirrors what polls like this one from Marquette are showing statewide: concerns from voters about data center development in Wisconsin are both real and justifiable. As Senator, I’ll support existing legislation to require data centers to pay their own way, including the necessary energy infrastructure needed to support a large scale project like this. I’ll mandate that zero costs are transferred to working families, ensure that rigorous environmental protections are met, and am supportive of repealing the billions of dollars in tax breaks the Republican legislature gave these companies as incentives to set up shop here in Wisconsin.
What are your top state budget priorities?
Lowering costs for working families is my first priority. I will cap insulin copays, and crack down on surprise medical billing. Restoring stable funding for childcare providers is equally urgent. Parents should never be forced to choose between work and the wellbeing of their children, and fixing that is a priority for me in the state budget.
How do you plan to remain accountable to the people of Wisconsin?
Accountability starts before the election, not after it. This campaign is built on showing up, knocking doors, attending community meetings, and listening to every corner of the 21st District. That doesn't stop on election night.
Please list any notable endorsements you've received.
- Tammy Baldwin United States Senator
- Tim Carpenter State Senator
- Bob Wirch State Senator
- John Lehmann Former State Senator
- Kim Plache Former State Senator
- Angelina Cruz State Representative
- Karen Kirsch State Representative
- Tip McGuire State Representative
- Christine Siniki State Representative
- Angelito Tenorio State Representative
- Kathleen Vincent Milwaukee County Supervisor
- Art Howell Ret. Racine Chief of Police
- NRMCC Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters
- UAW United Auto Workers Wisconsin State Council
- LiUNA The Wisconsin Laborers' District Council
- IBEW Wisconsin State Conference
- Racine Educators Association & Racine Educational Assistants Association
- Plumbers Union Local 75
- Ironworkers Local 8
