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 97
Wisconsin Assembly District 97 includes Delafield, Dousman, Eagle, North Prairie, Oconomowoc Lake, Palmyra, Sullivan, and Wales.
According to WisPolitics, two Republican lawmakers were drawn in to the new District 97 — Scott Johnson and Cindi Duchow. Johnson announced he will run in a different district. Duchow is running for re-election against Democrat Beth Leonard.
The district leans approximately 70% Republican.
WUWM sent a questionnaire to the candidates. Their responses below may be edited for length and clarity.
Meet the candidates
Cindi Duchow (Republican)
Duchow did not respond to WUWM's candidate questions. The information below is from her Wisconsin Legislature page and campaign website.
Cindi Duchow was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 2015. She was previously on the Town of Delafield Board of Supervisors.
On her campaign website, Duchow says she hears concerns from her constituents about inflation, taxes, crime, and fair and transparent elections.
"So, I've been a vocal advocate for returning the state’s record surplus to taxpayers, voting to cut taxes for retirees, and income and property taxes," Duchow writes. "I led the Assembly in tackling bail reform, mandatory minimums for gun crimes, and cops in schools. I also authored a bill to clarify when a voter can declare themselves indefinitely confined, and clean up the state’s indefinitely confined rolls. And perhaps most importantly, when constituents are struggling with a state agency, I've been there to cut through red tape and get them the appropriate help."
Duchow also highlighted her work related to workforce development: "I supported legislation to put high-tech equipment and experienced instructors in our schools to give kids hands-on experience in technical fields. In order to make sure our graduates can make an informed choice about higher education, I voted for legislation that would require all higher education institutions to report costs, graduation rates, and expected salaries for various fields of study."
Beth Leonard (Democrat)
What motivated you to run for this office?
There have been too many elections in my area where voters have been given no choice of candidates. I feel I am qualified to provide a second option for the voters here in District 97. I also want to help protect and preserve healthcare options for all women and their families, and I think the public should be listened to and informed about what their state government is doing to improve life in Wisconsin. As an Assembly member, I will be attending local and county government meetings and will conduct public listening sessions.
What concerns are you hearing from constituents, and how do you plan to address those if elected?
The economy, preserving democracy, immigration, taxes, climate change. But the number one issue appears to be inflation. Since I’m not an economist, I don’t have exact strategies effective at the state level, but I will certainly pursue programs that help our citizens cope with the impact of high prices & use or enact state laws that prohibit price gouging.
What would success look like for you at the end of your term?
That inflation has subsided, and we have made Wisconsin an affordable place to live. That we achieved equal access to affordable healthcare, protected women’s access to all healthcare options, and had a sustainable economy that grew new jobs.
What distinguishes your experience from the other candidate(s) in this race?
I am from the district and have spent 67 years in love with this area. I have professional work experience in both the private and public sectors. I have also held positions in local, county, regional and state agencies. My background is in city planning and school district administration. I hold a bachelor of science from Carroll University and a master's degree in Urban Planning from UWM.
Please list any notable endorsements you’ve received in this race.
Have yet to pursue them. This is my first questionnaire! Hope to receive some soon.
No candidate website found.
