John Zarbano

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

John Zarbano

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

University of Nebraska, 1974

Law

University of Tulsa, 1978

Other

University of Nebraska, 1976

Personal

Birthplace

Omaha, Neb.

Religion

Catholic

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

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Personal Facebook

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Personal LinkedIn

John Zarbano (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Zarbano completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

John Zarbano was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska in 1974, a master's degree from the University of Nebraska in 1976, and a law degree from the University of Tulsa in 1978. His career experience includes working as an attorney.

Elections

2024

See also: Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District election, 2024

Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District election, 2024 (August 13 Democratic primary)

Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District election, 2024 (August 13 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 6

Incumbent Glenn Grothman defeated John Zarbano in the general election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 6 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Glenn Grothman (R)	61.2	251,889
		John Zarbano (D)	38.7	159,042
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	418

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 411,349
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jack Brudvig (R)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 6

John Zarbano advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 6 on August 13, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Zarbano	99.9	54,212
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	65

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 54,277
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Amy Washburn (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 6

Incumbent Glenn Grothman advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 6 on August 13, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Glenn Grothman	99.2	75,113
		Other/Write-in votes	0.8	580

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 75,693
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Zarbano in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

John Zarbano completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Zarbano's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a Wisconsinite by marriage. My wife, Merlaine, and I returned to Wisconsin 25 years ago to be closer to her mother and father, Merlaine and Captain Robert Angwall, of Marinette. After I retired from the practice of law, I landed a job as box office manager at UWO Theatre Department where my wife served as chair and professor. In addition, I enjoyed teaching Entertainment Law at UWO and Hospitality Law at Fox Valley Technical College. After she retired, we traveled a bit and spent time with our son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.

Over the past 2 years, I worked with Republican legislators on my healthcare concept, Healthcare of Wisconsin, for direct medical services without using tax dollars. In September 2023, I received an analysis from the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. My work continues.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Women possess the fundamental right of autonomy of self, including their decisions about their own bodies.
• Clean our air and water.
• Strong labor unions are essential for an equilibrium of national prosperity.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Equal Rights For Women

The incumbent, Glenn Grothman, voted, "No," to
• Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
• Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022
• Ensuring Access to Abortion Act of 2022
• Respect for Marriage Act of 2022
• Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2021.

His votes violate Wisconsin values. He must go home to Glenbeulah.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My grandparents. I am so grateful that Nannu caught the San Giovanni from Naples and arrived at Ellis Island on March 14, 1920.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Courage and Honesty

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Courage and Honesty

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

On May 5, 1961, I was 10 years-old when Alan Shepard became the first American in space onboard the Mercury capsule Freedom 7.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Janitor at Methodist Hospital during the summer after high school graduation

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

It’s the People’s House. Representatives must vote for the values of their constituents and not for the ideology of their designated party.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, especially since the widespread lack of Civics education has caused widespread misunderstanding.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Preservation of our Democracy and Restoration of the American Dream

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I favor term limits

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Jamie Raskin

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I have listened to many stories from students, alumni, faculty, and staff recounting the devasting effects of the Republicans' budget slashing on the UW System. We must restore funding to higher education.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Definitely Yes

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

It’s the People’s House. It’s the People’s Money, which deserves top priority.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

The House should use its investigative powers for oversight of the Executive and Judicial branches. In addition, in order to make laws fixing the problems of the nation, the House should investigate matters of civil rights, education, healthcare, and immigration.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Zarbano’s campaign website stated the following:

“	WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS Women possess the right of self- autonomy , including their decisions about their own lives. “Liberty protects the person from unwarranted government intrusions into a dwelling or other private places. In our tradition the State is not omnipresent in the home. And there are other spheres of our lives and existence, outside the home, where the State should not be a dominant presence. Freedom extends beyond spatial bounds. Liberty presumes an autonomy of self that includes freedom of thought, belief, expression, and certain intimate conduct.” Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003) Educated, well-trained medical professionals can care for a pregnant woman better than legislators. We must protect a pregnant woman’s decision about her own “physical, emotional, and psychological” wellbeing, in accord with the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023 [S.701]. IMMIGRATION: DIGNITY & DUE PROCESS Support for Immigration Reform and Border Control. Revive the Senate Bipartisan Compromise of the Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 Pass the Bipartisan DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2023 [H.R. 3599] and the bipartisan Dream Act of 2023 [S. 365]. For undocumented persons currently in this country, they should be rigorously vetted with criminal background checks and if they pass such checks, they should be allowed to have protection from deportation, work permits and driver’s licenses. WORKERS’ RIGHTS Strong labor unions are essential to a fair equilibrium of national prosperity. They increase the standard of living for the middle class and decrease reliance upon government services. SEE Labor Unions and the U.S. Economy In February 2021, after a six-year competitive process, the U.S. Postal Service awarded Oshkosh Defense a contract to build a fleet of Next Generation Delivery Vehicles. UAW Local 578 members, however, will not work on the NGDVs, which will be built in a repurposed warehouse in Spartanburg, S.C. In addition, UAW Local 578 members lost the opportunity to build Joint Light Tactical Vehicles for the U.S. Army after August 2024. Going forward, the Army selected Humvee maker, AM General, to produce the next generation JLTVs. CLEAN AIR CLEAN WATER TARGET net zero of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Approximately 12 percent of Wisconsin’s 9.5 million acres of farmland lie in the 6th CD. Support: Bipartisan Natural Climate Solutions Research and Extension Act of 2023 - Advancing land management practices that store carbon or reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural lands and soils, grasslands, wetlands, and forests. Soil Conservation And Regeneration Education Act of 2023 - a training program on the evolving methodologies, science, and practices of biological soil health management systems on agricultural land. Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act of 2023 - to create permanent payments within the environmental quality incentives program for soil health practices and carbon sequestration monitoring. EDUCATION Lack of public funding of public education is a national security risk. We must prepare all of our children for the 21st century. It is no secret that, since 2010, enrollment at UW System Schools has declined while enrollment at Wisconsin Tech Colleges has increased. What is disturbing is the increase of high school graduates, especially our rural students. who choose neither. I propose that the US Department of Education fund a pilot project of a 2-year post-secondary education in our rural Wisconsin counties. After graduation from high school, students can enroll into a fully funded associate degree program at a Wisconsin technical college. Students with a 4-year college degree goal can choose a University Transfer Associate degree program at a Wisconsin Technical College or attend a UW System school directly. This concept provides employment skills for the workforce of the future and slashes student debt. MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY Strengthen Medicare and Social Security Seniors rely on Medicare for health benefits and depend on Social Security as an income source. When he was the chair of the Republican Study Committee in 2020, now Speaker of the House Mike Johnson “authored a budget that called for raising the Medicare and Social Security eligibility ages. It called for $2 trillion in cuts to Medicare and $750 billion in cuts to Social Security.” Any plan, any debate, any deal must not include any cuts in Medicare and Social Security benefits.	”
—John Zarbano’s campaign website (2024)

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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John Zarbano campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Wisconsin District 6	Lost general	$90,623	$90,532
Grand total			$90,623	$90,532
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

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Candidate

U.S. House Wisconsin District 6

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Footnotes

[show]

Wisconsin's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Tammy Baldwin (D)

Ronald Johnson (R)

Representatives

District 1

Bryan Steil (R)

District 2

Mark Pocan (D)

District 3

Derrick Van Orden (R)

District 4

Gwen Moore (D)

District 5

Scott Fitzgerald (R)

District 6

Glenn Grothman (R)

District 7

Tom Tiffany (R)

District 8

Tony Wied (R)

Republican Party (7)

Democratic Party (3)