Wisconsinites will vote for state Assembly and Senate candidates in the general election Nov. 5, 2024.
This is the first election under newly-competitive district maps.
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 last year, which prompted the Legislature to approve new maps proposed by Gov. Tony Evers.
Democrats now have a chance of winning the majority in the Assembly, if they win a handful competitive districts.
In the Senate, only half of the seats are up for election, which means Republicans are likely to hold a majority in that chamber for the next two years at least. But Democrats are still working to flip some of the seats.
Assembly District 82
Wisconsin Assembly District 82 is in central Waukesha County. It includes most of the city of Waukesha.
According to WisPolitics, Republican Rep. Scott Allen was drawn in to the new District 82. He will face a challenge from Democrat Kevin Reilly in the Nov. 5 general election. Reilly beat another Democrat, Samuel D'Amico, in the Aug. 13 primary.
The district leans approximately 57.5% Republican.
WUWM sent a questionnaire to the candidates. Their responses below may be edited for length and clarity.
Meet the candidates
Scott Allen (Republican)
Allen did not respond to WUWM's candidate questions. The information below is from his campaign website.
Allen was first elected to the Assembly in 2014. Allen says inflation is an important issue that impacts lower-class workers the most.
“We need common sense solutions including regulatory reduction and permanent tax relief for Wisconsin to remain competitive. We need to give our long-term residents reasons to stay in Wisconsin and we need to give other people reasons to relocate to Wisconsin,” his campaign website says.
Allen cites other issues on his website including education reform and public safety. Allen says ending racial disparities starts with improving education and parenting.
“This will require strategic funding of evidence-based early childhood education initiatives as well as supporting expanded school choice opportunities,” his website says.
Allen says Wisconsinites deserve “a robust debate about life and abortion” and “we must protect the lives of those who have no voice.”
Kevin Reilly (Democrat)
Reilly did not respond to WUWM's candidate questions. The information below is from his campaign website.
Reilly says he was motivated to run for District 82 after he identified “a clear and present danger to our democracy.”
“Both the events of January 6, 2021, and the attempts to invalidate and overturn the free and legal election results in Wisconsin, led me to conclude that the democracy I cherish and value is at risk of being lost,” his campaign website says.
Reilly supports Medicaid expansion and marijuana legalization. He is anti-abortion and says he will defend women’s health care.
“I believe that as a society we also need to provide resources for early childhood, support mothers and children regardless of socio-economic status and provide comprehensive reproductive education to all our children; all of which has been shown as the most effective way to avoid unwanted and unplanned pregnancies,” his website says.
He serves on three boards and committees with the City of Waukesha including public works, transit and zoning appeals. His brother, Shawn Reilly has served as Waukesha’s mayor since 2014.
Have questions about other candidates on your ballot? Read about the candidates in your Wisconsin Senate district here:
