Wisconsinites will vote for congressional candidates in the general election on Nov. 3, 2026. Two Democrats, two Republicans and one independent are running for Wisconsin's 4th Congressional District. That means there will be two contested primaries on Aug. 11, 2026.
All eight of Wisconsin's U.S. House seats are on the ballot. We compiled candidate information for four of those seats in WUWM's coverage area (Congressional Districts 1, 4, 5 and 6).
What do Wisconsin’s U.S. Congressional Representatives do?
The U.S. House of Representatives is made up of 435 representatives, and the number of representatives each state has is determined by population. Wisconsin is currently divided into eight congressional districts, each represented by a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
U.S. Representatives serve two-year terms and are considered for reelection every even year. During their term, representatives write and vote on laws that govern every state in the U.S. and decide how federal tax dollars are spent.
The House is the larger of Congress’ two legislative bodies, and has the sole authority to impeach federal officials and elect the president in the case of an Electoral College tie.
What’s at stake?
This election will help decide which party controls the U.S. Congress. If Democrats gain control of the House and add to their number of seats, it could provide more of a check to the second Trump administration. A Democratic majority could try to pass affordability and anti-corruption legislation. If Republicans retain control of the House, they would make it easier for the Trump-Vance administration to enact legislation. This could allow them to pass conservative legislation and ensure that liberal legislation — like a law legalizing abortion nationwide — is unable to be enacted.
4th Congressional District
The 4th Congressional District (pictured in yellow) includes most of the City of Milwaukee, as well as some of its suburbs. The district has been solidly Democratic for decades. Gwen Moore, the incumbent, is running for reelection.
WUWM sent a questionnaire to the candidates. Their responses below may be edited for length and clarity.
Meet the candidates
Arthur Burks (independent)
Burks did not respond to WUWM's candidate questions. The information below is from his campaign website and previous news coverage.
Arthur Burks' campaign website does say he's been rooted in Milwaukee since the 1970's, that he's run "many successful businesses in Milwaukee, WI., ha[s] fought to sustain communities here, and ha[s] successfully raised a beautiful, loving and successful family here."
Burks' campaign website says he's been active in the National Action Network, a civil rights organization founded by Rev. Al Sharpton. The National Action Network would not confirm Burks' membership or participation. His campaign website says he would like to advocate for livable wages, local business investment, and vocational training that prepares youth for jobs. He "supports comprehensive gun safety legislation and funding for violence interruption programs." and believes that there should be more access to good housing, education and healthcare.
Burks' campaign website says he is "committed to protecting voting rights and ending the gridlock in Washington by prioritizing grassroots representation over party machine politics."
Amy Donahue (Democrat)
Why are you running for this office and what makes you qualified?
I'm running because I wanted to see a choice for my Congressional District 4 representative who reflects my values and priorities and to give voters a real choice (this is not a 'lesser of two evils' election!). We deserve Medicare for All, real public safety, and an end to the billionaire class. And we deserve a government that supports the connected efforts of indigenous landback, material reparations for our history of chattel slavery, and ending our complicity in the genocide of Palestinians. I’m a working class healthcare worker, librarian, public school parent, member of the LGBTQIA+ community, and organizer with a strong, deep, and vibrant network of individuals & groups across the district. I am not taking corporate PAC money.
What specific federal policies do you support to lower the cost of living in your district?
Affordability connects public safety, public health, the environment, education, and more. Working people are facing hard decisions between paying for food, transportation, housing, healthcare, keeping the heat on, etc. We are one of the richest countries in the world, and we have to do better. To address affordability, I will start with taxing the ultra rich (H.R. 8085), blocking the use of tax dollars for bombs (H.R. 3565), enacting Medicare for All (H.R. 3069), and enacting a Green New Deal that creates jobs and a more sustainable economy. Once in Congress, I will work with every other member who shares these goals to move these pieces of legislation forward, and hold those who stand in the way accountable to their constituents.
What will you do to secure federal funding for the state and in what priority areas?
I will make the process of community project funding ("earmarks") transparent & accessible to Congressional District 4, from Brown Deer to Milwaukee to West Allis. Mental health, community- and health-based public safety initiatives, housing, protecting our environment, climate change mitigation/preparedness/response/recovery, public transit are on my radar, but I will work with constituents (in the style of Rep. Ilhan Omar) to identify specific projects. My office will also work closely with state legislators to identify priority areas (healthcare, education, the environment, and agriculture, e.g.) and match with legislative, federal grant, etc. funding opportunities.
Which Trump administration policies do you most support (if any) and which do you most oppose (if any)? What action would you take on these issues?
I do not know of a Trump administration policy I support. I believe Congress has been absolutely negligent in not restraining the Trump agenda, and has failed in its duty as the 'people's branch' of the federal government. I understand that there are huge challenges in this political environment, and know there are representatives, senators, and legislative staff working hard. But I also see a lack of political willpower and far too much influence from big money. We need energetic leaders, who are deeply connected to their districts, their states, and the whole country, to lead the charge. I want to tax the ultra rich, abolish ICE, defund the Dept of Defense, & codify Medicare for All with full reproductive/abortion/gender affirming care.
Please list any notable endorsements you’ve received in this race.
Wisconsin Electoral Socialists
Gwen Moore (Democrat, incumbent)
Moore did not respond to WUWM's candidate questions. The information below is from her campaign website and previous news coverage.
Moore has represented the 4th Congressional District since 2005 and is currently the state’s longest-serving representative. Prior to being elected, she served in the state Senate and Assembly and worked for the City of Milwaukee and the state on housing and social services issues.
Moore is a member of the Ways and Means Committee — the oldest committee of the U.S. Congress that has jurisdiction over the Social Security system, Medicare, the foster care system, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, unemployment insurance, and all taxation, tariffs, and revenue-raising measures. Before serving on the Ways and Means Committee, Moore was a member of the House Committee on Financial Services and the House Committee on Budget.
According to Moore's campaign website, she's an advocate for measures that focus on improving the economic and employment conditions in low-income communities. This includes curbing predatory lending in minority neighborhoods, small business aid, affordable housing, and access to education and nutrition.
Purnima Nath (Republican)
Why are you running for this office and what makes you qualified?
I am running for Congress because our district deserves leadership that prioritises principle over partisan performance. I, a Lincoln Republican, am committed to responsible governance, institutional integrity, and a growth-oriented agenda. My qualifications:
• Strategic Expertise: Engineering background and MBA from Northwestern provide the analytical rigor to dismantle systemic inefficiencies.
• Proven Leadership: Founding Spindle India, Inc. and creating IndiaFest Wisconsin demonstrates a record of building community institutions.
• Geopolitical Insight: As an analyst ensures I can navigate global forces impacting our local cost of living.
• Principled Advocacy: Years of debate have prepared me to stand firm against corruption, honestly
What specific federal policies do you support to lower the cost of living in your district?
To lower the cost of living, I support policies that restore market efficiency and fiscal discipline:
• Energy Sovereignty: I advocate for an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy to ensure affordable, predictable baseload power, which is essential to lowering costs for households and manufacturing.
• Housing Supply: We must slash federal regulatory barriers and environmental "soft costs" that prevent new home construction, while discouraging speculative mass-purchases of single-family homes by institutional investors.
• Fiscal Accountability: I will vote to curb reckless deficit spending to stop currency debasement.
• Supply Chain Resilience: I support incentivizing domestic manufacturing to reduce our reliance on volatile global markets.
What will you do to secure federal funding for the state and in what priority areas?
I will leverage the annual appropriations process to deliver targeted results for Wisconsin’s 4th District. My strategy:
• Congressionally Directed Spending: Establish a transparent portal to solicit "shovel-ready" projects from local governments & non-profits. Prioritise initiatives with clear community benefits- critical infrastructure repairs, public safety upgrades, and workforce development.
• Aggressive Grant Advocacy: Proactively connect local stakeholders with federal agency grant programs. We will provide technical guidance to ensure our district’s applications are competitive and data-driven.
• Strategic Priorities: Funding will target supply chain resilience, transit reliability, and modernized water infrastructure.
Which Trump administration policies do you most support (if any) and which do you most oppose (if any)? What action would you take on these issues?
I evaluate policies by their impact on American prosperity rather than political labels.
Support: I strongly support deregulation and cutting bureaucratic "red tape," which empowers businesses and lowers costs. I also back prioritizing domestic manufacturing and secure our borders, for national stability.
Caution: I have reservations about broad-based tariffs, which can unintentionally harm domestic manufacturers by increasing input costs. I also believe in maintaining strong, non-transactional traditional alliances. My focus in Congress would be to codify economic reforms for long-term stability and advocate for targeted, surgical trade policies that protect American jobs without triggering inflationary supply chain shocks.
Please list any notable endorsements you’ve received in this race.
My campaign is focused entirely on grassroots engagement with the voters of Wisconsin’s 4th District. While I have been honored to receive endorsements from leaders like Senator Ron Johnson and Congressman Glenn Grothman in previous cycles, I have made a deliberate choice not to seek or accept endorsements this time.
I believe this independence is critical. By remaining free from the influence of political power brokers or institutional interests, I ensure that my loyalty remains exclusively with the residents of this district. My mission is to remain fully accountable to the people, focused on principles of responsible governance and the genuine betterment of our community, rather than the expectations of the political establishment.
Tim Rogers (Republican)
Rogers did not respond to WUWM's candidate questions. The information below is from his campaign website and previous news coverage.
Rogers has run for the 4th Congressional District in every election since 2018. A Milwaukee native living in the 4th District, he works delivering gift baskets and newspapers for two local businesses. Rogers' top priorities are supporting universal school choice programs, criminal justice reform, access to clean water and lowering taxes.
On his campaign website, Rogers says, "We must not let school districts spend excessive amounts of money on educational methods that have been proven to fail urban communities."
On his campaign website, Rogers says he's "running for political office not to complain about the situation, but to get involved and make the changes needed."
