Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District election, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 17 (online or mail), or Nov. 2 (in-person)
- Early voting: Varies by locality
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: Photo ID required
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
2020 →
← 2016
|
| Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District |
|---|
 |
| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: June 1, 2018 |
| Primary: August 14, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent: Paul Ryan (Republican) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Wisconsin |
| Race ratings |
Inside Elections: Lean Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018 |
| See also |
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th Wisconsin elections, 2018 U.S. Congress elections, 2018 U.S. Senate elections, 2018 U.S. House elections, 2018 |
Bryan Steil (R) defeated Randy Bryce (D) and Ken Yorgan (I) in the 2018 general election for Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District.
On April 11, 2018, House Speaker and 1st District Rep. Paul Ryan (R) announced that he would not seek re-election, leaving the seat open for the first time in 20 years. Following Ryan's announcement, FiveThirtyEight's Nathaniel Rakich wrote that "the combination of a potential Democratic wave and the fact that no incumbent will be running have put this district within reach for Democrats."[1] Ryan had held the seat since 1998, winning re-election in 2016 by 35 percentage points.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee placed the district on its list of 2018 targets in November 2017.[2] On August 15, 2018, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) announced that it was adding Bryan Steil (R) to its Contenders list, the second tier of the Young Guns program, meaning he would receive organizational and financial support from the group.[3]
Ryan and Pres. Donald Trump (R) endorsed Steil in the race. Bryce received endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and former Pres. Barack Obama (D).
All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. The Democratic Party gained a net total of 40 seats, winning control of the chamber. This race was identified as a 2018 battleground that might have affected partisan control of the U.S. House in the 116th Congress. Heading into the election, the Republican Party was in the majority holding 235 seats to Democrats' 193 seats, with seven vacant seats. Democrats needed to win 23 GOP-held seats in 2018 to win control of the House. From 1918 to 2016, the president’s party lost an average of 29 seats in midterm elections.
For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
For more information about the Republican primary, click here.
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 1
Bryan Steil defeated Randy Bryce and Ken Yorgan in the general election for U.S. House Wisconsin District 1 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Bryan Steil (R) | 54.6 | 177,492 |
 | Randy Bryce (D) | 42.3 | 137,508 | |
 | Ken Yorgan (Independent) | 3.1 | 10,006 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 7 | ||
| Total votes: 325,013 | |||
 = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 1
Randy Bryce defeated Catherine Myers in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 1 on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Randy Bryce | 59.6 | 36,406 |
 | Catherine Myers | 40.4 | 24,699 | |
| Total votes: 61,105 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 1
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 1 on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bryan Steil | 51.6 | 30,885 |
 | Nick Polce | 14.9 | 8,948 | |
 | Paul Nehlen | 11.1 | 6,638 | |
| Kevin Steen | 10.5 | 6,262 | ||
| Jeremy Ryan | 10.4 | 6,226 | ||
 | Bradley Thomas Boivin | 1.5 | 924 | |
| Total votes: 59,883 | |||
| = 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
- Jeff Wamboldt (R)
Candidate profiles
Party: Democratic
Incumbent: No
Political office: None
Biography: After serving in the Army, Bryce began his career as an ironworker in 1997. He became active in the Iron Workers Local 8 union in 2008. Bryce served as secretary of the Racine County Labor Council and the first vice chair of the Democratic Party of Racine County. At the time of the election, he served as the president of the Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce board of directors and as chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin Veterans Caucus.[4][5].
- Bryce stressed his background as an ironworker and said that his campaign was for working people. According to his campaign website, he "knows first hand how working people have struggled, and he wants to ensure that the middle class is represented in D.C. again."[5]
- Bryce discussed healthcare policy in relation to his past experience having cancer without insurance and his parents' health conditions. He said Rep. Paul Ryan's vote to repeal Obamacare was part of the reason for his candidacy. Bryce's platform included Medicare for All.[5][6]
- Several of Bryce's campaign ads referred to Steil as "Lyin' Bryan" and as Paul Ryan's clone. They said that Steil misrepresented his profession related to manufacturing and that he echoed Ryan's policy positions.
Party: Republican
Incumbent: No
Political office: None
Biography: Steil received a B.S. in business administration from Georgetown University and a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Steil was a legislative assistant to Rep. Paul Ryan (R) and an attorney at McDermott Will & Emery. At the time of the election, he served as corporate counsel for the manufacturing company Regal Beloit Corporation. In 2016, Steil was appointed to the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents by the Wisconsin State Senate.[7][8]
- Steil described himself as a problem-solver and said he would bring conservative Wisconsin-style values to Washington.[8]
- Steil said that his private-sector experience working for manufacturing companies taught him "the importance of fiscal discipline and risks of government red tape" and that he would work to keep taxes low and reduce government influence on businesses.[8][9]
- Steil emphasized his role on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents and said he fought tuition increases. He said he'd work in Congress to reduce federal government involvement in education and that this would ensure the state was best preparing students for the workforce.[8][10]
Party: Independent
Incumbent: No
Political office: None
Biography: Yorgan received a Bachelor of Science and was certified in chiropractic treatment at Logan University. He first began work as a chiropractor in 1984. He also served as chair of the Racine Inner City Council On Substance Abuse and the Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice. As of the 2018 election, he was chair of the Racine Equality Project.[11]
- Yorgan said that "the 'bipartisan' political duopoly will drift further rightward at an increasing pace without a true opposition as a counterweight, as both corporate parties seek to better serve their 1% masters." As an independent, he said that his only allegiance was to members of the 1st District.[12]
- Yorgan referred to himself as a working man and an ordinary guy. His campaign slogan was "Send a Friend to Congress."[12]
- Yorgan emphasized his support for Medicare for All and reducing U.S. military presence globally as well as his opposition to the War on Drugs and the Foxconn deal.[13]
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
| Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District election, 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Randy Bryce | Bryan Steil | Undecided | Margin of Error | Sample Size | ||||||||||||||
| NYT Upshot/Siena College September 11-13, 2018 | 44% | 50% | 6% | +/-4.7 | 500 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: A "0%" finding means the question was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org | |||||||||||||||||||
Campaign finance
The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randy Bryce | Democratic Party | $8,624,818 | $8,616,498 | $8,320 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Bryan Steil | Republican Party | $2,314,019 | $2,287,663 | $26,356 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Ken Yorgan | Independent | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
|||||
Satellite spending
Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[14][15][16]
This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.
- The Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), a Republican super PAC, spent $2.7 million on ads opposing Bryce between August 15 and October 30, 2018.[17]
Race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
| Race ratings: Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District election, 2018 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| October 30, 2018 | October 23, 2018 | October 16, 2018 | October 9, 2018 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | |||||
| Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season. | |||||||||
District analysis
- See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
- See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores
The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+5, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 5 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District the 189th most Republican nationally.[18]
FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.03. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.03 points toward that party.[19]
Noteworthy endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.
Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites.
| Noteworthy general election endorsements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endorsement | Bryce (D) | Steil (R) | ||||
| Elected officials | ||||||
| President Donald Trump (R)[20] | ✔ | |||||
| Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)[21] | ✔ | |||||
| Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) | ✔ | |||||
| Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) | ✔ | |||||
| Individuals | ||||||
| Former Pres. Barack Obama (D) | ✔ | |||||
Timeline
- October 26, 2018: Former President Barack Obama (D) spoke at a rally in Wisconsin. Bryce and several other Democratic candidates appeared at the rally.[22]
- October 19-23, 2018: Bryce and Steil participated in two debates. See more below.
- October 22, 2018: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) appeared at a campaign event with Bryce in Kenosha.[23]
- October 1, 2018: Obama endorsed Randy Bryce.[24]
- September 13, 2018: An NYT Upshot/Siena College poll showed Steil leading Bryce 50 percent to 44 percent. The poll's margin of error was +/- 4.7 percentage points.
- August 15, 2018: President Donald Trump (R) endorsed Bryan Steil (R).[20]
Campaign advertisements
This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.
Randy Bryce
Support
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
|
Bryan Steil
Support
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oppose
|
|
|
|
|
Debates and forums
- October 23, 2018: Bryce, Steil, and Yorgan participated in their second debate. View a video of the debate here.
- October 19, 2018: Bryce and Steil participated in a debate. Watch a video of the event here.
Campaign themes
Randy Bryce
The following themes were found on Bryce's campaign website.
| “ |
Justice for All
End the school-to-prison pipeline- Jobs and education are what make communities stronger and keep them safer — not massive spending on incarceration. The federal government should reallocate funding currently dedicated to policing and incarceration and invest those funds in long-term safety strategies such as educational, community restorative justice, and employment programs that have been shown to improve community safety. In Congress, Randy would prioritize investments in community-based drug and mental health treatment, education, and universal pre-K. One strategy for doing so is an amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005. Congress can change the formula-based awards to end the mandated support of police departments, and make explicit that community based crime prevention and long-term safety strategies are permissible grantees for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. Voting Rights- Only five decades ago, African-Americans around the country fought for and won the Voting Rights Act, a law intended to end blatant discrimination at the voting booth. Today, discriminatory laws still threaten voting rights for so many. Gerrymandering, voter I.D. laws, and restrictions on same-day registration and early voting all contribute to the disenfranchisement of Black and Latinx voters. In 2013, the Supreme Court went so far as to strike down key parts of the Voting Rights Act. Here in Wisconsin, extreme partisan gerrymandering has intentionally separated minority votes in order to underrepresent people of color. Congress must take action to defend and extend voting rights, including restoring the “pre-clearance” formula of the Voting Rights Act, abolishing voter I.D. laws, expanding early voting, making Election Day a federal holiday, as well as immediately restoring voting rights of formerly incarcerated individuals. Closing the Wage Gap for People of Color- In Racine, the median income for people of color is just 34.6% of what a white person makes for the same job. The pay gap for women and people of color face when compared to white, male peers has barely budged in decades. As a Congressman, Randy would support laws that would allow employees to refuse to disclose their current salary when applying for a new job, a question employers often ask to low-ball prospective candidates, and which has been shown to perpetuate the pay gap. Randy also supports a minority inclusion provision for the construction of FoxConn’s campus in Wisconsin’s First District, which would ensure 20% of the total construction cost went to minority and/or women business enterprises; 20% of the total worker hours were performed by minority and/or women workers; and 20% of the total worker hours were performed by minority and/or women apprentices. Hear Randy talk more about the importance of expanding representation of women and people of color within the the Building Trades (video). Provide Marijuana Amnesty and Legalization- People of color, and particularly black communities, have been targeted by law enforcement for marijuana usage. While black and white communities use marijuana at roughly the same rate, Black individuals are four times more likely to be arrested for a marijuana crime. Randy believes we must legalize Marijuana, and that we must release those currently incarcerated for non-violent marijuana crimes and expunge the records for people who have previously served their time for these crimes. The ACLU found that 88 percent of marijuana arrests between 2001 and 2010 were for possession, not intent to distribute. We must pass legislation that expunges all convictions for simple possession of marijuana, so that these individuals do not face discrimination because of their record. Raise the Minimum Wage- Randy is proud to stand with the fast food and low-wage workers leading the Fight for $15 movement. Everyone deserves dignity and respect at work, including a livable wage. A $15 minimum wage would help to bring resources back into communities of color, raising wages for about half of African-Americans and almost 60 percent of Latinos. Fifteen dollars an hour is not a stopping point, but raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour is a key first step to ensuring all people receive a liveable wage for their work. Restore Federal Impact Aid for Wisconsin Schools- Schools that serve children living on federal land — such as Native American reservations or U.S. military bases — are at a disadvantage when it comes to raising funds through local property taxes. In order to help these districts pay teacher salaries and improve classrooms without burdening local taxpayers, Randy champions the restoration of funding for Impact Aid, a federal program that hasn’t been fully funded to meet Wisconsin’s needs since 1969. To ensure that all Wisconsin students, including children of servicemembers and students of Native American heritage, are given the resources to excel in the classroom, Randy will fight to restore full funding of the Impact Aid program. Protect Federal Funding for Low-Income Students- Randy supports all education grants that flow directly from federal agencies to school districts and other qualifying education services. Among the largest are Title I grants, targeted for schools with high numbers of low-income students, which are also disproportionately black and brown students. Paul Ryan proposed cutting $2.7 billion from these grants, which between 2015 and 2016 helped 68,614 public schools offer more academic support and develop better teaching methods. IDEA grants are another type of flow-through resource to help schools teach students with disabilities. Last year, $185 million in IDEA funds benefitted Wisconsin’s schools and other education providers. Paul Ryan has also proposed cutting special education funding by $2.2 billion. Pass a Federal Domestic Bill of Rights- All workers should have the right to join a union, but we have an active law — passed roughly 90 years ago — that does not allow people who work in the home to organize. These workers, including home health aides, are disproportionately minorities. They have some of the most important jobs in this country, and they should have the right to form a union. Pass the Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act- All workers should have the opportunity for recourse when they are not paid for their labor. Wage theft is unacceptable and is far too common, especially in non-union construction and the service industry — two industries that employ a particularly large percentage of people of color. This legislation would increase the fiscal penalties for violating wage and hour laws, and business owners found to be stealing from their employees would be required to pay damages. Pass the Schedules that Work Act- The service economy is growing rapidly, and an increasing number of Wisconsin families rely on these jobs to sustain them. It is important as this sector continues to grow that they provide workers with fair working conditions, which includes giving workers advanced notice of when they will be needed for work and how many hours they can expect to work. This lack of information makes it difficult for families to secure safe, reliable childcare or eldercare arrangements and makes monthly income highly unpredictable, increasing economic strain on families. Fighting for Healthcare Oppose Paul Ryan’s Healthcare Cuts- Millions of Americans already struggle to pay for healthcare, and Paul Ryan’s disastrous healthcare cuts have taken us in exactly the wrong direction. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the AHCA would leave another 23 million Americans uninsured while handing over massive tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. Instead of giving tax breaks to the 1 percent, Randy will fight to protect healthcare coverage for working families and expand care to all Americans. Lift Restrictions on Medicare Negotiating Drug Prices- Randy believes the federal government should be able to negotiate lower drug prices for people on Medicare — as do 92 percent of Americans polled just last year. Drug companies shouldn’t be allowed to price gouge and take advantage on the backs of working Americans. Lifting restrictions to allow the government to negotiate for Medicare recipients is the common sense option for both consumers and taxpayers. Tackle the Opioid Crisis- More than 115 Americans die every day from opioid misuse, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The Midwestern region specifically saw a 70 percent increase in the number of opioid overdoses from July 2016 to September 2017. Randy believes this is a national health crisis that requires full attention from both local and federal lawmakers. He believes it is necessary to increase funding for programs related to opioid addiction treatment and prevention to effectively reverse this deadly trend. Additionally, Randy knows that we must hold opioid manufacturers and distributors accountable for their negligence and participation in this crisis, and he supports the work being done right here in Racine and Kenosha, where both counties are suing opioid manufacturers and distributors. Support Minimum Safe-Staffing Levels for Nurses- Randy will fight to enforce staffing ratios between nurses and patients in all hospital wards. Nurses are a key part of ensuring excellent patient care and hospital safety, and when hospitals and healthcare centers are understaffed, dangerous situations can arise. Randy will work to amend the Public Health Service Act to mandate safe nurse-to-patient ratios. Find a Cure for Alzheimer’s and Multiple Sclerosis- Randy is committed to finding a permanent cure for Alzheimer’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), both debilitating conditions that affect nearly 7 million Americans each year. Furthermore, the Alzheimer’s Association projects that Alzheimer’s will affect more than 14 million Americans by 2050 — costing the nation up to $1.1 trillion in healthcare costs and creating unimaginable pain to families and loved ones. Randy will fight to allocate more federal money toward Alzheimer’s and MS research and ensure that finding cures are top priorities. Drive Down Pharmaceutical Prices- Randy supports improving access to affordable prescription drugs. Doing so would increase transparency in drug pricing, legalize the import of affordable and safe drugs by individuals and improve laws related to generic drugs. Randy is committed to finding legislative solutions that drive down the price of drugs, some potentially life-saving, for everyday Americans. Pass Paid Medical and Family Leave- Currently, about 15 percent of workers have access to paid leave through their employers. That means the overwhelming majority of Americans and Wisconsinites are forced to make enormous financial sacrifices if they want to spend time with their newborn child, care for an ill family member, or recover from an illness themselves. “Randy will support legislation in Congress to guarantee that workers receive 12 weeks of paid family medical and family leave. Randy opposes the Republican alternative proposal to support paid medical and family leave by raiding funds that are currently designated for Social Security. Fully Fund Gun Violence Research- For decades, the federal government has refused to fully fund gun violence research in an effort to combat the rising epidemic in our country. While there are common sense solutions that we should absolutely not be waiting to implement, research into the cause is imperative as we try to get to the root of the rising rate of gun violence in the United States. By identifying the main causes, we can be more effective and efficient in the ways in which we work to end these tragedies — and put an end to 33,000 Americans from being killed by guns every year. Add More Nurses, Counselors, and Other Mental Health Support to Schools- Randy believes that our children deserve a healthy, safe learning environment at school. Students are often overwhelmed with academic or emotional stress, and without proper support and care from schools, students suffer. Randy believes we must increase federal funding to fix the serious shortage of mental health professionals in Wisconsin schools, and to encourage cooperation with mental health agencies. This could support services like mental health trainings for our teachers, programming for our students, and hiring counselors and nurses for our schools. Furthermore, Randy believes we should fully fund the Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants under the Every Student Succeed Acts (ESSA). He will work to ensure that students with severe mental illnesses are not forgotten by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and receive special education services. Stop Gun Violence Ban Semi Automatic Assault Weapons, Bump Stocks, and Military Style Weapons and Accessories: There are between 6 million and 10 million of these semi-automatic assault weapons in circulation in the United States. They are easily available for purchase and distribution, making community spaces like schools, churches, and concerts targets for gun violence and mass killings. Semi-automatic assault weapons have one purpose: to cause as much destruction and injury possible in the shortest amount of time. There is absolutely no need for semi-automatic assault weapons on our streets. If elected, Randy would call for a ban on the sale of semi-automatic assault weapons, as well as a ban on bump stocks and military style weapons and accessories. Mandatory 48 Hour Waiting Period: A mandatory 48 hour waiting period can be critical to saving lives, especially for those suffering from dangerous mental illness. Anyone that is using a gun for recreational reasons should have no problem waiting two days to legally make their purchase. Currently, there is no federal waiting period for guns; it can only be mandated at the state level. Each year over 3,000 people that did not receive a background check or were deemed ineligible receive firearms through this provision. Randy would introduce legislation that would require a federal, mandatory 48 hour waiting period for all firearm purchases. Close the Charleston Loophole: The federal law has a loophole (otherwise known as the default provision or Charleston loophole) which allows gun dealers to sell a firearm after three business days–even if a background check was not completed. The gunman of the Charleston Church shooting was able to obtain his firearm because law enforcement needed additional time to complete their background check. Randy would introduce legislation to close the Charleston loophole to ensure that people undergo and complete a background check before a transfer or sale occurs. Reject NRA Money and Influence: By the end of June 2018, there were already 154 mass shootings in this United States. While children, congregants, concert-goers and innocent people across this nation are killed by guns, politicians continue to take millions of dollars from the gun lobby that advocates for less-regulated gun laws. And they’ve shown one thing to be true–to the gun lobby, profits matter more than people. Randy has pledged to reject all gun lobby money and fight to remove their influence out of our electoral system in the interest of putting people first and making our communities safer. Fully Fund Gun Violence Research: For decades, the federal government has refused to fully fund gun violence research to combat the epidemic in our country. While there are common sense solutions that we should absolutely not be waiting to implement, research into the causes of gun violence is imperative as we try to get to the root of the rising rate of gun violence in this country. By identifying the main causes of gun violence, we can be more effective and efficient in our strategies to end gun violence — and stop 33,000 Americans from being killed by guns every year. An Economy that Works for Working Families Pass a Federal Domestic Bill of Rights. All workers should have the right to join a union, but currently a law passed roughly 90 years ago does not allow people who work in the home to organize. These workers, including health aides, care for our families. They have some of the most important jobs in this country, and they should have the right to form a union. Fully Staff OSHA. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was already understaffed before President Trump took office, with just 2,000 inspectors charged with protecting our entire nation’s workforce. But under the Trump administration, the situation has worsened, with recent reports finding that four percent of the workforce has been reduced. Workers should not have to jeopardize their safety in order to provide for their family. As a Congressman, Randy would work to fully fund OSHA. Raise the Minimum Wage to $15/hour. No one working full-time should live in poverty. As a Congressman, Randy would support efforts to increase the minimum wage to $15/ hour. Hear Randy discuss more about the minimum wage. Pass the Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act. There is not nearly enough recourse for workers who are not paid for their labor, an all too common occurrence in non-union construction and the service industry, especially. The legislation would increase the fiscal penalties for violating wage and hour laws, and business owners found to be stealing from their employees would be required to pay damages. Pass the Schedules that Work Act. The service economy is growing rapidly, and increasing number of Wisconsin families rely on these jobs to sustain them. It is important as this sector continues to grow that they provide workers with fair working conditions, which includes giving workers advanced notice of when they will be needed for work and how many hours they can expect to work. This lack of information makes it difficult for families to secure safe, reliable childcare or eldercare arrangements and otherwise places the family in economic strain because they can’t reliably predict their monthly income. Pass Medicare for All Our current healthcare system does not work for middle-class families. We need to pass single payer healthcare. With healthcare tied to employment, families can face sudden loss of care if the head of the household loses their job, doubling their economic crisis. And even when families do have insurance, the industry’s for-profit model means families are often faced with inexplicably high drug and test costs. Medicare for All would lower costs for families and businesses by giving the government greater negotiating power with health insurance companies and untying health insurance from employment. Hear Randy talk more about the importance of passing Medicare for All. Pass Paid Medical and Family Leave and Ensure Equal Pay for Equal Work. Currently, about 15 percent of workers have access to paid leave through their employers. That means the overwhelming majority of Americans and Wisconsinites are forced to make enormous financial sacrifices if they want to spend time with their newborn child, care for an ill family member, or recover from an illness themselves. Randy supports the FAMILY Act, which would guarantee nearly all workers 12 weeks of paid medical or family leave. Randy opposes the Republican alternative proposal to support paid medical and family leave by raiding funds that are currently designated for Social Security. Hear Randy talk more about the importance of expanding access to the Building Trades. Incentivize Veteran Hiring and Entrepreneurship. Speaker Ryan passed a bill this year repealing the Work Opportunities Credit, a tax credit provided to businesses who hire veterans. While the tax credit was later restored by the Senate, Speaker Ryan and his colleagues’ disregard for the opportunity this credit provided to veterans is deeply disturbing. As a Congressman, Randy would fight to protect this credit and to provide additional opportunities to veterans who want to start their own business through a dedicated fund of low-interest start-up loans. Hear Randy talk more about his experience working with his fellow vets to transition them back into the civilian workforce. Expand Programs for Workforce Development. Wisconsin workers are facing a time of increasing automation, outsourcing & downsizing of jobs, and contractual employment without benefits. Randy will give high priority to programs financing new enterprises that demand skilled and unskilled human participation. He will support incentives for expanding renewable energy and energy conservation, and he will support or develop other job-creating legislation action in areas like: ecosystem restoration, including renewal of degraded forests, lakes, and rivers; and restoration of abandoned industrial, and commercial, and public buildings. An area close to his heart is funding high-quality care of the disabled, children, elders, and mentally ill. Finally, he will use his on-the-job experience working with Ironworkers Local 8 to improve workforce development and training in all these areas. Invest in Traditional and Green Infrastructure Wisconsin has the worst roads in the Midwest and nearly the worst roads in the country. The President’s plan to invest in our infrastructure would rely heavily on privatization, increasing tolls and other costs for Wisconsinites, while creating few good, union jobs. Funding our infrastructure is one of the government’s most basic responsibilities. Randy supports Senator Sanders’ $1 trillion infrastructure program — which would expand high-speed Internet, improve road, bridges and water systems as well as increase access to clean energy sources. As an ironworker, Randy saw firsthand how the expansion of clean energy created more family-sustaining jobs for those in the trades. Make Permanent the Tax Credits for Middle Income Households Speaker Ryan has spent a lot of time touting the tax cuts middle-class families will receive in his so-called “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.” What he consistently fails to mention is that those tax cuts are set to expire in ten years. As a member of Congress, Randy would lobby to make those tax cuts permanent, while eliminating tax loopholes for corporations and the very wealthy. Hear Randy talk more about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Pass a Financial Transactions Tax. A tax on Wall Street transactions can raise considerable revenue while reducing the risky behavior that has had devastating effects on our nation’s economy in the past, including high-speed training and short-term financial betting. According to the non-partisan Tax Policy Center, a 0.1% transaction tax would raise $185 billion over 10 years. Protect LIHEAP The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps low-income families, the elderly and the disabled pay their heating bills. President Trump has proposed cuts to this program. As a Congressman, Randy will fight to protect this family that helps keep our most vulnerable safe and healthy in their homes. Protect and Expand Social Security The Social Security Administration is closing offices across the country, including at least one in Wisconsin. As a Congressman, Randy will fight to keep them open so seniors can access the benefits they’ve paid into their entire working lives. Randy will also campaign to increase the FICA cap. The wealthy should pay their fair share in order to make the system more sustainable for everyone. Lobby for Fair Trade Deals. While some Wisconsin industries have benefited from increased exports due to NAFTA, manufacturing and some agriculture sectors have been hurt badly by our current trade agreements. Car and truck plants and their suppliers, in particular, have moved to Mexico, stranding a large number of workers and their communities. In renegotiation of NAFTA or creation of new agreements, including those concerning steel or aluminum tariffs, Randy will seek to preserve benefits to our existing economy while aggressively pursuing policies that will right the wrongs steelworkers and so many other in the industrial efforts have suffered over the last several decades. In addition to revising current trade agreements, Randy will also seek to assist the industrial sector through the infrastructure plan mentioned below and through subsidies for American steel. Support Family Farms Family farms are struggling to survive while government subsidies and support programs usually benefit large corporate farms over small ones. The stress is so high that farming suffers the highest suicide rate of any occupation in the U.S. Randy will support and improve legislation that corrects bias in Department of Agriculture programs. He will fight for farm policies that open new economic opportunities for small farms in farm-to-consumer sales, the transition to organic production, on-site renewable energy production, and shared processing and storage. He will demand enforcement of federal antitrust laws against large agribusiness and food corporations that dominate many markets. A Green New Deal See Randy discuss that experience and hear why he thinks labor can lead in the way in creating good, family-sustaining green energy jobs. Put America on a path to 100 percent renewable energy by 2035 Randy knows that the time for talk is long past over – the climate crisis demands urgent action. Randy also knows that low-income communities and communities of color, including Native American communities, are the hardest hit by environmental injustice. That is why, in Congress, Randy would back the Off Fossil Fuels for a Better Future Act (“Off Act”), which puts environmental and economic justice at the heart of an ambitious roadmap to a fossil-free economy. The Off Act would create tens of thousands of jobs, focusing especially in disadvantaged communities. Between now and 2035, the Off Act charts a path to generating all of our electricity from clean energy, and to ensuring that all new cars sold will be zero-emission vehicles. Climate change is already an emergency for people around our country, and it’s time to fight for a clean energy economy that works for everybody. End Subsidies to Fossil Fuel Companies Each year, Washington hands billions of dollars in subsidies to oil and gas CEOs. These taxpayer handouts to one of the richest industries on earth are part of a “dirty energy money cycle” that must end. In return for their subsidies, the fossil fuel industry spends hundreds of millions per year in campaign contributions and lobbying expenses. Over his career, Paul Ryan has received nearly $2 million in contributions from this industry. Randy Bryce has pledged not to accept any contributions from fossil fuel companies and, as a Congressman, he would lobby to end corporate welfare for this billion dollar industry. It makes little sense to prop up oil companies and create a competitive disadvantage for clean energy companies. In our region, we’ve seen We Energies do everything in its power to disincentivize community efforts to transition to clean and renewable energy sources. This utility company, like many fossil fuel companies, has not been a good actor in Wisconsin and we must not let them continue to stand in the way of progress. Hold Greif/ Mid-America Fully Accountable This company, which operates industrial barrel refurbishing plants in Oak Creek, St. Francis and Milwaukee, has committed more than 70 environmental and safety violations, according to several different government agencies. These violations include serious worker safety violations, some of which led to injury, chronic health conditions, and even death. Mid-America was also cited for dumping mercury into the wastewater and for spewing extraordinarily high levels of toxic emissions into the air of the surrounding communities. Randy is calling on Mid-America to voluntarily establish a fund to pay for medical testing and treatment of workers and community members whose health may have been impacted, so that the victims and the taxpayers are not held accountable for these costs. As a Congressman, Randy will also push to aggressively enforce existing laws to protect workers and communities from environmental hazards, and he will also push to strengthen penalties and criminal enforcement for corporate violators of environmental law. Prosecute Exxon for Lying to the Public Records show that ExxonMobil knew about the negative effects of fossil fuels on the health of the public in both the short and long term, and intentionally lied to the public to increase their profits. As Congressman, Randy would support federal efforts to prosecute Exxon for restitution to those communities which have been most negatively affected. Often, those people most negatively impacted by pipelines, pollution and climate change have limited means. Oppose Further Fossil Fuel Pipelines It is a false choice to say we can have either good, family-sustaining jobs or a healthy environment. This myth is perpetuated by fossil fuel corporations to justify the disruptions and risks their pipelines bring to our families and communities. We must make real investments in clean infrastructure, so that we can transform communities currently disrupted by pipelines bringing in fossil fuels from out of state or out of the country into clean energy manufacturers. As a Congressman, Randy would oppose further pipeline expansion, including all tar sands pipelines, and support major investments into clean energy job creation. Bryce would also oppose a proposal to replace the Enbridge Line 5 with a new pipeline through Wisconsin. (As an ironworker, Randy had the chance to work on a pipeline and he turned it down – hear why). Lobby for Additional Air Testing Around Oak Creek Coal Facility For too many years, We Energies has been responsible for coal dust contaminating the homes of its workers and surrounding community members. The coal dust is often visible on cars, schools and sidewalks. Despite demands from the community for years, only recently has We Energies considered increasing its air quality monitoring. As a Congressman, Randy would be a vocal advocate demanding that We Energies pay for additional air testing and regular independent monitoring to ensure the health of the community. Bryce also opposes Governor Walker’s request that the Trump Administration exempt Foxconn from laws limiting the amount of smog they can produce. Southeastern Wisconsin residents have committed billions in taxpayer funding for that company. They should not have to sacrifice their health as well. Protect the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The Trump Administration has proposed reducing this fund, which has helped preserve the Ice Age Trail and numerous Wisconsin state and community parks. As a Congressman, Randy would fight to protect these lands, which in addition to being key to a healthy environment, are also essential to the health of Wisconsin’s economy. Our state has a nearly $18 billion outdoor recreation industry. Additionally, conserving these lands is important to protecting Wisconsin’s proud hunting, fishing and recreational traditions. Randy fishes frequently with his 11-year-old son, and he wants his future grandkids to be able to share in those experiences. For these same reasons, Randy would also oppose all efforts to expand drilling on public lands. Rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement By participating in this agreement, the U.S. would commit to reducing its carbon footprint as part of the global effort to mitigate climate change. The impact of climate change is already being felt in Wisconsin with increased algae production, drought, flooding, and erosion, all of which can be devastating to the state’s agriculture industry. These changes also hurt homeowners, business owners and taxpayers who have had to pay the damage caused by flooding to basements, roads, bridges, sewer systems and other utilities. The state’s fishing and recreation industries have also been hurt by declining fish populations and decreasing snowfall. Wisconsin’s economy loses approximately $179 million during low-snow years. It’s time to secure our state’s economy and our community’s health and structural safety, and rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. Hear why Randy thinks now is the time to address climate change. Protect Federal Wetlands Wisconsin Republicans recently passed a bill that will negatively impact an untold number of isolated and non-federal wetlands, in order to increase profits for wealthy developers. The destruction of wetlands hurts Wisconsin’s proud tradition of hunting, fishing, and recreation, and the jobs associated with it, for the benefit of a very wealthy few. As a Congressman, Randy would support expanding protections for wetlands and small streams under the Clean Water Act. The Obama administration had moved to expand the number and types of wetlands protected by the federal government, but the Trump Administration is currently in court fighting to reverse that progress. Randy would support returning to the Clean Water Act standards set by the Obama administration. Protect Funding for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative In 2010, the federal government launched an effort to repair, protect and preserve the Great Lakes and the communities and industries they support. When Donald Trump came into office, his EPA proposed eliminating the funding for this initiative, which has cleaned up toxic waste, stopped the spread of invasive species, and made other improvements benefiting communities on the Lake’s shore. As a Congressman, Randy would lobby to protect this essential investment in our Great Lakes. Randy would also oppose other efforts to disrupt the health of our Great Lakes, such as FoxConn’s current plan to pump nearly 7 million gallons of water a day from the Lake. Women's Rights Randy’s is proud to be endorsed by NARAL Pro-Choice, an organization made up of pro-choice women and men across the United States that work to protect a woman’s right to choose. Ensure Equal Pay for Equal Work The pay gap for women and people of color has barely budged in decades. It’s time to take decisive action to correct this disparity. As a Congressman, Randy would support laws that would allow employees to refuse to disclose their current salary when applying for a new job, a question employers often ask to low-ball prospective candidates, and which has been shown to perpetuate the pay gap. Randy also supports a minority inclusion provision for the construction of FoxConn’s campus in Wisconsin’s First District, which would ensure 20% of the total construction cost went to minority and/or women business enterprises; 20% of the total worker hours were performed by minority and/or women workers; and 20% of the total worker hours were performed by minority and or/women apprentices. In contrast, Speaker Ryan voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that made it easier for women to sue for persistent pay inequity. Pass Paid Medical and Family Leave Currently, about 15 percent of workers have access to paid family leave through their employers. That means the overwhelming majority of Americans and Wisconsinites are forced to make enormous financial sacrifices if they want to spend time with their newborn child, care for an ill family member, or recover from an illness themselves. Randy supports the FAMILY Act, which would guarantee nearly all workers 12 weeks of paid medical or family leave. Randy opposes the Republican alternative proposal to support paid medical and family leave by raiding funds that are currently designated for Social Security. Speaker Ryan’s poor record on paid family leave stretches back nearly a decade – he voted against a law in 2009 which would have allowed federal employees to use their paid leave time for parental leave. Alleviate the Burden on Caregivers In most families, women disproportionately take on the burden of being a caregiver. It often means they not only leave the workforce, but that they also dip into their own savings to fund the medical care need for their family member. As a Congressman, Randy would look to alleviate the financial and emotional burden placed on caregivers by supporting The Credit for Caring Act, which provides the caregiver up to $3,000 back on their taxes, and other measures. Accountability for Lawmakers Guilty of Sexual Harassment Speaker Ryan has said that he does not support disclosing the names of lawmakers who used public funds to settle sexual harassment claims against them. Randy believes that as long as the victim agrees, constituents deserve to know if their lawmakers have been accused of sexual harassment, and they certainly deserve to know if their money, taxpayer money, has been used to settle that accusation. The #MeToo movement has shown that a huge shift is needed on both side of the aisles, and across all workplaces, to end systemic sexual harassment. As a candidate, Randy is working to lead by example. His campaign was the first to unionize in the country, and their contract includes a third-party sexual harassment reporting system. The campaign staff is also 50 percent female. Affordable and Accessible Health Care Services for All Women Medicaid and the Title X family planning program ensure low-income American women have access to the healthcare they need, including family planning. Randy supports Planned Parenthood’s participation in these networks. Randy will also vote against bans on private and public insurance coverage for abortion such as the federal Hyde amendment, and he will support and advocate for inclusion of abortion coverage and comprehensive contraceptive coverage in public employee insurance plan. Additionally, Randy would vote against any legislation which attempts to restrict U.S. aid to international healthcare providers who provide a range of women’s healthcare services, including abortion. Finally, Randy will only support federal funding for evidence-based pregnancy prevention education. Randy believes it’s important that all those who identify as women have the healthcare they need. As a Congressman, Randy would support and advocate for policies that ensure people of all genders identities and expressions – including trans men and non-binary identified individuals and others – have full and equal access to comprehensive, culturally and technically competent reproductive healthcare. Randy will also advocate and support policies that protect transgender and non-binary people from discrimination in healthcare; that ensures access to all medically-necessary transition-related healthcare regardless of their gender presentation; oppose any federal rules that prohibit third-party insurers from exempting transition-related services from plans; support clear and financially appropriate Medicare coverage for transition-related healthcare; ensure that all people – regardless of incarceration status – have access to medically necessary care; will work overall to improve the quality and competence of medical care for trans and non-binary people. In addition, Randy recognizes the disproportionate rates of HIV and AIDS faces by trans communities – in particular, trans women of color – and he will work with community members and other experts and stakeholders to expand affordable and culturally competent access to PREP and Pep; as well as access to affordable and comprehensive care for those living with HIV. Support Women in Combat in the Military Randy fully believes that women should be able to serve in combat in our military. While Speaker Ryan refused to take a position on the issue, Randy believes, as a veteran, that it’s important to stand up for the women who want to serve our country – both in their pursuit of new roles in combat and when it comes to seeking justice for those female service members who face sexual harassment or assault. As a Congressman, Randy would vote for the Military Justice Improvement Act, which would give the authority to prosecute sexual assault and other serious crimes to independent military prosecutors, rather than military commanders, with whom it currently rests. Additionally, Randy supports and will advocate for the full and equal inclusion of all transgender people who wish to serve in the armed forces and opposes attempts to exclude or limit access to serving in the armed services. Randy opposes President’s Trump’s recent ban on trans service members, and he will work to overturn that ban and to ensure all active duty and reserve transgender members of the military and veterans are treated with the same fairness, equality, and dignity of every other service member. End Violence Against All Women Randy knows much must still be done to end domestic violence, most urgently closing the “boyfriend” loophole and other loopholes in current federal law meant to protect victims of domestic violence from gun violence. While the majority of mass shooters have a history of domestic violence, and while victims of domestic violence are far more likely to be killed if their partner has a gun, federal law currently does not prevent a domestic abuser from accessing a weapon if they were not married to or did not have a child with their victim. Additionally, federal law does not prohibit those convicted of misdemeanor stalking from accessing guns, despite the fact that stalking is a highly accurate predictor of future violent behavior. Finally, federal law also does not prohibit people with a temporary restraining order against them from obtaining a gun – even though the period after a victim has left their abuser is the most statistically dangerous time. As a Congressman, Randy would fight to close these unacceptable loopholes. Randy also recognizes that there is an epidemic of violence against transgender people – in particular, transgender women of color. He will work with community leaders and other stakeholders to develop proactive and comprehensive strategies to disrupt this violence and protect all trans people. Randy recognizes that poverty is one of the root causes of this violence and he will work to ensure programs to address poverty and unemployment explicitly include transgender people (Including supporting affordable and streamlined access to appropriate identification documents). Education Protect Federal Funding for Low-Income Students and Students with Disabilities Randy supports all education grants that flow directly from federal agencies to school districts and other qualifying education services. Among the largest are Title I grants, targeted for schools with high numbers of low-income students. Paul Ryan proposed cutting $2.7 billion from these grants, which between 2015 and 2016 helped 68,614 public schools offer more academic support and develop better teaching methods. IDEA grants are another type of flow-through resource to help schools teach students with disabilities. Last year, $185 million in IDEA funds benefitted Wisconsin’s schools and other education providers. Paul Ryan has also proposed cutting special education funding by $2.2 billion. Restore Federal Impact Aid for Wisconsin Schools Schools that serve children living on federal land — such as Native American reservations or U.S. military bases — are at a disadvantage when it comes to raising funds through local property taxes. In order to help these districts pay teacher salaries and improve classrooms without burdening local taxpayers, Randy champions the restoration of funding for Impact Aid, a federal program that hasn’t been fully funded to meet Wisconsin’s needs since 1969. To ensure that all Wisconsin students, including children of servicemembers and students of Native American heritage, are given the resources to excel in the classroom, Randy will fight to restore full funding of the Impact Aid program. Oppose Policies that Take Money from Public Schools to Fund For-Profit Schools Randy believes that every child deserves a quality education. That means no student should see money taken from their classroom in order to serve another, and all schools should be held to the same standards. Randy believes charter, private and traditional public schools can all thrive in our country. The federal government just needs to take a leading role in ensuring that we are adequately funding what is currently a desperately underfunded system. Unfortunately, both President Trump and Speaker Ryan have repeatedly proposed cuts to education – Speaker Ryan by as much as $145 billion over 10 years. As a Congressman, Randy will fight to increase funding so that all our students can succeed. Hear more from Randy on this topic. Fight for Funding to Keep Class Sizes Small and Students on Grade Level Small class sizes allow for one-on-one interaction between students and educators. As a Congressman, Randy would support efforts to increase funding and teacher training and recruitment in order to reduce class sizes, particularly in the younger grades, which is essential to ensuring our students can read at grade level by fourth grade. Studies show if we miss that critical milestone, our students are much more likely to drop out down the line. Protect School Lunch & Breakfast Programs and Expand the Community School Model It’s long been recognized that a child cannot succeed in school if they are too hungry to focus. However, recently, programs for school lunches have been threatened. In 2016, Paul Ryan proposed replacing funding for the federal lunch program with a capped block grant program controlled by states. As a Congressman, Randy would not only oppose measures to limit funding for the federal lunch and breakfast program, but he would also look for other ways to help students who face tremendous challenges outside the classroom. Just as a hungry child can not be expected to do their academic best, neither can a child who does not have clean clothes, stable housing, or who has been traumatized by violence. The community school model has proved invaluable in addressing these challenges and, as a Congressman, Randy would work to spread this model in the First District by recruiting community partners, businesses and government to join with their neighborhood public schools and provide new services for students and their families on school grounds. These could include access to job training programs, more after school programs, mental and general health practitioners, psychologists, and social workers. Protect Funding for Arts and Music in School President Trump and Paul Ryan have put forward numerous proposals that would devastate funding for nonprofits that provide our students with arts and music enrichment. As a Congressman, Randy would oppose these funding cuts to the National Endowment for The Arts, and seek to increase federal funding for art and music in school across the board, so that schools aren’t as reliant on external partnerships for this essential part of a child’s education, in the first place. Establish Federal Guidelines for Children’s Health and Safety in School Currently, children have no statutory right to a safe and healthy school environment, and there also are no national standards for selecting new school building sites. Consequently, schools have been built on old Superfund sites and brownfields, and many students are educated in substandard environment, where they have to contend with contaminated lead water and other safety issues. Our students and teachers deserve to feel safe and welcome, so, as a Congressman, Randy would support establishing federal guidelines for children’s health and safety in school and providing additional funding to School Districts to make these infrastructure changes. Make School Facilities More Accessible According to the 2010 census, there are 2.8 million students in the U.S. who have a disability. The American Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all public schools and playgrounds be accessible to handicapped individuals. But some communities struggle to afford these necessary renovations. The latest census reports that students who had difficulty getting around were least likely to be enrolled in school, compared to children with impaired sight, vision and cognition. Randy would work hard to change this — proposing additional funding to help towns remove physical barriers to all students from their public schools. Return Nurses, Counselors and Other Mental Health Supports to Schools Randy believes that our children deserve a healthy, safe learning environment at school. Without adequate resources, students overwhelmed with academic or emotional stress pose a risk to their lives and their peers. We need to increase federal funding to fix the serious shortage of mental health professionals in Wisconsin schools, and to encourage cooperation with mental health agencies. This could support services like mental health trainings for our teachers, mental health information programs for our students, and hiring counselors and nurses for our schools. Randy backs the highest funding possible for Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants under the Every Student Succeed Acts (ESSA). He will work to ensure that students with severe mental illnesses are not neglected by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and receive special education services. Fight Against So-Called Right to Work Policies Randy got his start in politics fighting against Act 10, which attacked public sector unions, including teachers, in Wisconsin. Now, billionaires and special interest groups are trying to spread what happened to teachers in Wisconsin across the country. As a Congressman, Randy would fight to protect teachers’ rights – because you can’t have strong schools without strong teachers. One key example of how weakening teachers hurts their students is the issue of dedicated prep time. To do their best for students, educators need dedicated duty-free preparation time during the work day, but this time is often the first victim of a “right to work” push. As a Congressman, Randy would be a strong advocate for this dedicated time and he would seek out federal solutions to protect teachers and students from losing other rights that teachers’ unions have fought so hard to win. Randy would also be an advocate for charter school staff who may want to unionize, but face intimidation from management. Fix Healthcare Loophole for Retired Teachers and Ensure Living Wage and Benefits for all Paraprofessional School Staff Retired teachers who return to schools on a part-time basis should not lose their health benefits, but a provision in the Affordable Care Act has created uncertainty around whether that could occur. Given staff shortages in Wisconsin’s schools, it is crucial that retirees not be deterred from returning and it is also important that paraprofessional school staff receive health benefits and a living wage. Paraprofessionals are essential to the strength of our schools, serving as library aides, teachers’ aides, and aides for students with special needs, but many are paid as little as $10.95/hour. As a Congressman, Randy will ensure the ACA clarifies its position regarding retired teachers, and he will fight for benefits and good wages for paraprofessionals, so our schools can reach the staffing levels they need to be successful, and the people who care for our children can care for their own, as well. Tuition-Free Public Colleges and Universities. Our K-12 education system was founded on the common sense belief that in order to have an economically productive society the government should provide the level of education necessary for students to sustain themselves and their future families. Today, almost all family sustaining jobs require some college education or secondary training. The College for All Act would eliminate tuition at 4-year public colleges and universities for 80 percent of the population and increase federal and state aid to compensate. Fight for Student Loan Debt Relief Instead of incentivizing students to advance their education, and their earning power, our federal government currently places an excessively high interest rate on federal student loans. The government should not make a profit off of these students and their families. We should cap the federal student loan interest rate and ultimately look to lower it. Current borrowers should also be able to refinance their student loans the same as they can with mortgages. Additionally, Loan forgiveness and scholarships should be developed for teachers and education support professionals in high-needs disciplines and hard-to-staff schools. Paul Ryan has proposed a very different set of ideas regarding college loans, including opposing a measure to prevent student loan interest from doubling; a $90 million cut to Pell Grants; and charging interest on loans while students are still in school. Protecting Victims of Sexual Assault on Campus Last Year, Betsy Devos rolled back protections for victims of sexual assault, discouraging victims from reporting and creating confusion among college campuses about how to handle these reports. As a Congressman, Randy would lobby to restore these protections, which finally provided victims a fair shot at justice and sent a strong message to all students to treat their partners with respect and to clearly obtain their consent at all times. Protect Students from Predatory For-Profit Colleges For-profit colleges have come under scrutiny and criticism for high costs; aggressive, questionable recruitment practices; poor financial management; and an inadequate track record of preparing students to finish college and find gainful employment. Regrettably, Paul Ryan has often been on the side of these for-profit institutions, voting against the “gainful employment rule,” which would have denied federal aid to vocational schools whose graduates consistently can’t find work. As a Congressman, Randy would support restoring Obama-era regulations that the Trump administration has reversed, so that we can hold these for-profit institutions accountable and protect students from scams. Increase Vocational Training As a Congressman, Randy would fight to increase funding for vocational training for traditional and non-traditional students. One model would be the 21st Century Strengthening Hands On Programs that Cultivate Learning Approaches for Successful Students Act, which would increase funding for high-tech manufacturing training n traditional school settings. Another model would be The Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, which would ease the financial burden for adults seeking new training by allowing them to use Pell Grants to get industry-based credential while enrolled in short-term job training programs. Two other options that Randy would support in order to expand apprenticeship opportunities would be The Promoting Apprenticeships through Regional Training Networks for Employers’ Required Skills (PARTNERS) Act and The Building U.S. Infrastructure by Leveraging Demands for Skills (BUILDS) Act. Listen to our Educators Randy believes our schools thrive when educators have a voice. These are, after all, the people working closest with our children. So, before taking any votes on education policy issues, Randy will meet with educators from all sides of the education debate to get meaningful input from educators who will ultimately implement policies. Immigration Pass DAPA Randy supports granting employment visas and permanent protections from deportation to the parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. DAPA, or Deferred Action for Parents of Americans, was a program created by then-President Obama in 2014. It soon got tangled in the courts and was later rescinded by the Trump administration. Randy believes DAPA is based in human compassion, economic sense, and family values: it is cruel to separate American children from hard-working parents without criminal backgrounds, and policy research estimates that DAPA, if passed, could raise $16.7 billion in payroll taxes and create over 15,000 jobs annually. In addition to DACA and DAPA, Randy supports a path to permanent legal residency and citizenship for all undocumented residents living in the United States without serious criminal infractions. Oppose cuts to legal immigration Wisconsin’s dairy farms and other industries rely on immigration in order to meet their labor needs, and welcoming immigrants is a key part of our nation’s identity. As a Congressman, Randy would oppose the President’s attempts to dramatically cut legal immigration or the number of refugees our country accepts through the RAISE Act or any other legislation. End private prisons Immigration and Customs Enforcements gives more than $2 billion to for-profit, private prison operators every year. These corporations are notorious for poor working conditions and low wages for staff, and dangerous conditions for inmates. Profiting from incarceration also incentivizes keeping people in prison, which is costly to the taxpayer. Randy would fight to end government contracts with private prisons that have put profits over people. Oppose addition of Census question on citizenship The Constitution makes clear it is the census’ duty to include all residents, regardless of citizenship status, in its national survey. A decline in immigrant responses would likely cost states billions in federal funding, making needed resources more scarce for all of those states’ residents. According to the last census in 2010, about five percent of Wisconsin residents identified as immigrants — nearly double what it was in 1990. Randy will do everything possible to ensure that Wisconsin’s population is portrayed accurately in the 2020 survey. Don’t ask local law enforcement to do ICE’s job Attorney General Sessions has attempted to place new burdens on local law enforcement regarding their cooperation with ICE. Many police chiefs are reluctant to take on these additional responsibilities because it will hurt police-community trust and, consequently, weaken public safety. If victims and witnesses are unwilling to report crimes for fear of deportation, then dangerous criminals don’t get put behind bars. Studies suggest that localities where ICE and local law enforcement keep their responsibilities separate are actually safer, and, as a result, the Major Cities Chiefs Association has condemned the Attorney General’s actions. Despite this opposition from law enforcement, the Trump administration has threatened to remove critical, unrelated federal funding from local communities if their local law enforcement agency does not comply with ICE’s mandates. As a Congressman, Randy would oppose any efforts to defund so-called “sanctuary” jurisdictions. Abolish ICE Immigration and Customs Enforcement was created just 15 years ago, and it is now time to rethink whether it is achieving its intended purpose. Rather than deporting immigrants who pose a risk to the nation’s security, ICE has grown power hungry, sucking up more and more federal resources and directing them towards the deportation of children and families, who are otherwise completely law-abiding. In 2017, the detention of immigrants with no criminal records more than doubled. Accordingly, Randy believes that ICE should be abolished, and Congress should explore which existing agency could best house immigration and customs enforcement, so that only those who pose a true threat to our country’s security face deportation. Sign our petition here. Oppose the travel ban Trump’s latest travel restrictions on eight countries of which six are Muslim-majority — Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Somalia, Venezuela, and Yemen — is rooted in fear, not facts. Numerous foreign policy and defense experts have criticized the ban for doing little to increase national security – with many noting it may have the opposite effect. Furthermore, since these immigration bans were first enacted in 2017, they have stranded refugees fleeing humanitarian crises, stripped American citizens and lawful residents from being visited by loved ones, and threatened the U.S. economy and tourism industry. Randy believes that this kind of immigration policy, over-simplified and without nuance, does little to protect our country and only serves to create further division.[25] |
” |
| —Randy Bryce's 2018 campaign website[6] | ||
Bryan Steil
The following themes were found on Steil's campaign website.
| “ |
EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT New opportunities are coming to Wisconsin, and we need to prepare our workers for the jobs of the future. As a member of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, I have seen first hand the importance of quality high schools, effective technical colleges and affordable, high quality universities. We have all of these in Wisconsin, and I will put a premium on ensuring that the federal government does not interfere with our efforts to improve and grow our workforce. Federal mandates too often increase costs rather than improve education. I want to return control and decision making to the state and local level where it is most effective. VETERANS & THE MILITARY Our veterans have put everything on the line and have selflessly served our nation. In return, they deserve the best medical care. The current system is not working for our veterans. Some are forced to deal with long wait times and poor service. That is simply unacceptable. They deserve better. I will fight to make sure our veterans have more options and better service. Veterans deserve health care without bureaucratic nightmares. HEALTH CARE Today, we have a system that is failing patients, families, doctors and providers. Families are struggling to pay their medical bills and health care costs are too high. Instead of talking about these problems, I will work to find solutions. We need reforms that make health care more affordable and more accessible. We need patients and doctors in control, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. Americans deserve affordable care that is there when they need it. I will fight tirelessly to achieve this goal. SECOND AMENDMENT DEBT & DEFICIT For the past nine years, I have worked for Rock County manufacturers. In a factory, you need a good process to create a good product. But in Congress, the budget process is broken. Congress focuses on the short term. I believe we need a long term, process driven solution to fix the spending problem. We need to restore fiscal discipline to the budget process while also continuing pro-growth policies to unleash the full strength of the American economy.[25] |
” |
| —Bryan Steil's 2018 campaign website[10] | ||
Kenosha News Q&A
Bryce, Steil, and Yorgan responded to questions sent to them by Kenosha News. View the questions and answers here.
Social media
Twitter accounts
Tweets by Randy Bryce Tweets by Bryan Steil
Facebook accounts
Click the icons below to visit the candidates' Facebook pages.
Randy Bryce 
Bryan Steil
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Twenty-three of 72 Wisconsin counties—32 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Adams County, Wisconsin | 21.92% | 8.73% | 18.35% | ||||
| Buffalo County, Wisconsin | 21.82% | 2.93% | 14.66% | ||||
| Columbia County, Wisconsin | 2.14% | 13.58% | 15.26% | ||||
| Crawford County, Wisconsin | 5.40% | 19.98% | 27.03% | ||||
| Door County, Wisconsin | 3.22% | 6.99% | 17.33% | ||||
| Dunn County, Wisconsin | 11.09% | 4.97% | 14.95% | ||||
| Forest County, Wisconsin | 26.58% | 5.44% | 15.16% | ||||
| Grant County, Wisconsin | 9.43% | 13.77% | 23.88% | ||||
| Jackson County, Wisconsin | 11.74% | 15.01% | 21.84% | ||||
| Juneau County, Wisconsin | 26.05% | 7.03% | 9.00% | ||||
| Kenosha County, Wisconsin | 0.31% | 12.23% | 18.06% | ||||
| Lafayette County, Wisconsin | 8.99% | 15.37% | 22.32% | ||||
| Lincoln County, Wisconsin | 20.60% | 0.71% | 12.48% | ||||
| Marquette County, Wisconsin | 24.09% | 0.27% | 5.28% | ||||
| Pepin County, Wisconsin | 23.08% | 2.22% | 12.89% | ||||
| Price County, Wisconsin | 25.00% | 0.04% | 13.40% | ||||
| Racine County, Wisconsin | 4.28% | 3.54% | 7.41% | ||||
| Richland County, Wisconsin | 5.50% | 16.13% | 20.63% | ||||
| Sauk County, Wisconsin | 0.35% | 18.47% | 23.04% | ||||
| Sawyer County, Wisconsin | 18.41% | 0.49% | 6.23% | ||||
| Trempealeau County, Wisconsin | 12.64% | 14.08% | 26.39% | ||||
| Vernon County, Wisconsin | 4.43% | 14.73% | 22.00% | ||||
| Winnebago County, Wisconsin | 7.34% | 3.73% | 11.66% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Wisconsin with 47.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 46.5 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Wisconsin cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 76.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Wisconsin supported Republicans slightly more than Democratic candidates, 50.0 to 46.7 percent. The state, however, favored Democrats in every presidential election from 2000 to 2012 before voting for Trump in 2016.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state Assembly districts in Wisconsin. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[26][27]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 43 out of 99 state Assembly districts in Wisconsin with an average margin of victory of 34.1 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 36 out of 99 state Assembly districts in Wisconsin with an average margin of victory of 34.6 points. Clinton won three districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 56 out of 99 state Assembly districts in Wisconsin with an average margin of victory of 12.1 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 63 out of 99 state Assembly districts in Wisconsin with an average margin of victory of 19.4 points. Trump won two districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 Presidential Results by State Assembly District ' | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 49.45% | 49.55% | R+0.1 | 40.19% | 55.31% | R+15.1 | R |
| 2 | 45.06% | 53.88% | R+8.8 | 35.98% | 58.55% | R+22.6 | R |
| 3 | 46.37% | 52.37% | R+6 | 39.25% | 54.77% | R+15.5 | R |
| 4 | 47.96% | 51.02% | R+3.1 | 42.82% | 51.96% | R+9.1 | R |
| 5 | 45.84% | 53.01% | R+7.2 | 35.60% | 58.94% | R+23.3 | R |
| 6 | 44.15% | 54.75% | R+10.6 | 30.90% | 64.34% | R+33.4 | R |
| 7 | 57.11% | 41.73% | D+15.4 | 55.20% | 39.20% | D+16 | D |
| 8 | 86.53% | 12.79% | D+73.7 | 82.43% | 14.14% | D+68.3 | D |
| 9 | 74.69% | 24.42% | D+50.3 | 71.60% | 23.86% | D+47.7 | D |
| 10 | 89.76% | 9.63% | D+80.1 | 89.09% | 8.09% | D+81 | D |
| 11 | 86.92% | 12.62% | D+74.3 | 85.40% | 12.20% | D+73.2 | D |
| 12 | 80.00% | 19.52% | D+60.5 | 79.28% | 17.84% | D+61.4 | D |
| 13 | 41.61% | 57.43% | R+15.8 | 46.60% | 48.01% | R+1.4 | R |
| 14 | 42.53% | 56.71% | R+14.2 | 49.36% | 45.05% | D+4.3 | R |
| 15 | 44.86% | 54.03% | R+9.2 | 43.63% | 50.53% | R+6.9 | R |
| 16 | 90.18% | 8.97% | D+81.2 | 88.16% | 8.20% | D+80 | D |
| 17 | 86.03% | 13.52% | D+72.5 | 85.53% | 11.96% | D+73.6 | D |
| 18 | 89.18% | 10.15% | D+79 | 87.03% | 9.71% | D+77.3 | D |
| 19 | 69.95% | 28.13% | D+41.8 | 72.67% | 20.16% | D+52.5 | D |
| 20 | 58.37% | 40.39% | D+18 | 55.33% | 39.27% | D+16.1 | D |
| 21 | 47.93% | 51.07% | R+3.1 | 44.81% | 50.06% | R+5.3 | R |
| 22 | 42.44% | 56.73% | R+14.3 | 35.41% | 60.15% | R+24.7 | R |
| 23 | 34.62% | 64.61% | R+30 | 50.43% | 44.81% | D+5.6 | R |
| 24 | 43.05% | 56.18% | R+13.1 | 45.71% | 49.32% | R+3.6 | R |
| 25 | 46.93% | 51.76% | R+4.8 | 35.85% | 58.74% | R+22.9 | R |
| 26 | 45.64% | 53.35% | R+7.7 | 38.91% | 55.22% | R+16.3 | R |
| 27 | 45.07% | 53.89% | R+8.8 | 40.39% | 54.00% | R+13.6 | R |
| 28 | 43.68% | 54.77% | R+11.1 | 32.63% | 61.90% | R+29.3 | R |
| 29 | 48.16% | 50.05% | R+1.9 | 38.58% | 54.01% | R+15.4 | R |
| 30 | 46.24% | 52.24% | R+6 | 42.51% | 50.44% | R+7.9 | R |
| 31 | 46.56% | 52.48% | R+5.9 | 40.68% | 53.70% | R+13 | R |
| 32 | 41.42% | 57.37% | R+15.9 | 34.97% | 59.41% | R+24.4 | R |
| 33 | 39.95% | 58.97% | R+19 | 35.54% | 59.27% | R+23.7 | R |
| 34 | 44.59% | 54.39% | R+9.8 | 35.28% | 60.34% | R+25.1 | R |
| 35 | 46.89% | 52.10% | R+5.2 | 34.68% | 60.52% | R+25.8 | R |
| 36 | 46.49% | 52.48% | R+6 | 32.07% | 64.35% | R+32.3 | R |
| 37 | 45.97% | 52.93% | R+7 | 39.87% | 54.26% | R+14.4 | R |
| 38 | 41.66% | 57.48% | R+15.8 | 38.23% | 56.78% | R+18.5 | R |
| 39 | 42.12% | 56.85% | R+14.7 | 32.76% | 62.11% | R+29.4 | R |
| 40 | 45.04% | 53.94% | R+8.9 | 32.61% | 62.85% | R+30.2 | R |
| 41 | 48.58% | 50.35% | R+1.8 | 36.02% | 59.60% | R+23.6 | R |
| 42 | 51.09% | 48.03% | D+3.1 | 40.26% | 54.51% | R+14.3 | R |
| 43 | 58.46% | 40.22% | D+18.2 | 50.24% | 43.54% | D+6.7 | D |
| 44 | 63.57% | 35.53% | D+28 | 55.44% | 38.62% | D+16.8 | D |
| 45 | 63.99% | 34.88% | D+29.1 | 52.83% | 41.86% | D+11 | D |
| 46 | 63.63% | 35.46% | D+28.2 | 61.74% | 32.95% | D+28.8 | D |
| 47 | 71.05% | 27.83% | D+43.2 | 71.89% | 23.13% | D+48.8 | D |
| 48 | 77.21% | 21.61% | D+55.6 | 76.06% | 19.26% | D+56.8 | D |
| 49 | 56.34% | 42.26% | D+14.1 | 42.01% | 51.26% | R+9.3 | R |
| 50 | 54.10% | 44.84% | D+9.3 | 38.35% | 57.05% | R+18.7 | R |
| 51 | 59.12% | 39.77% | D+19.4 | 48.42% | 46.59% | D+1.8 | R |
| 52 | 45.04% | 53.91% | R+8.9 | 38.03% | 56.66% | R+18.6 | R |
| 53 | 43.36% | 55.55% | R+12.2 | 34.18% | 60.93% | R+26.7 | R |
| 54 | 57.39% | 41.08% | D+16.3 | 49.16% | 44.12% | D+5 | D |
| 55 | 47.32% | 51.08% | R+3.8 | 41.80% | 51.70% | R+9.9 | R |
| 56 | 43.05% | 55.69% | R+12.6 | 37.98% | 56.68% | R+18.7 | R |
| 57 | 58.41% | 39.31% | D+19.1 | 51.73% | 41.22% | D+10.5 | D |
| 58 | 31.25% | 67.77% | R+36.5 | 28.43% | 66.52% | R+38.1 | R |
| 59 | 31.24% | 67.73% | R+36.5 | 25.52% | 69.73% | R+44.2 | R |
| 60 | 31.82% | 67.23% | R+35.4 | 32.35% | 62.53% | R+30.2 | R |
| 61 | 44.42% | 54.59% | R+10.2 | 36.49% | 58.50% | R+22 | R |
| 62 | 45.73% | 53.46% | R+7.7 | 41.17% | 54.02% | R+12.9 | R |
| 63 | 42.73% | 56.47% | R+13.7 | 37.80% | 57.26% | R+19.5 | R |
| 64 | 58.84% | 40.05% | D+18.8 | 52.63% | 42.23% | D+10.4 | D |
| 65 | 67.06% | 31.78% | D+35.3 | 57.76% | 36.48% | D+21.3 | D |
| 66 | 75.23% | 23.77% | D+51.5 | 68.34% | 26.50% | D+41.8 | D |
| 67 | 48.07% | 50.75% | R+2.7 | 36.41% | 58.15% | R+21.7 | R |
| 68 | 51.24% | 47.56% | D+3.7 | 40.11% | 54.44% | R+14.3 | R |
| 69 | 43.65% | 55.15% | R+11.5 | 34.08% | 60.83% | R+26.8 | R |
| 70 | 48.55% | 50.09% | R+1.5 | 36.82% | 57.83% | R+21 | R |
| 71 | 57.55% | 41.03% | D+16.5 | 50.34% | 43.28% | D+7.1 | D |
| 72 | 48.68% | 50.09% | R+1.4 | 36.95% | 58.55% | R+21.6 | R |
| 73 | 60.93% | 37.66% | D+23.3 | 47.53% | 47.49% | D+0 | D |
| 74 | 57.74% | 40.88% | D+16.9 | 46.22% | 49.38% | R+3.2 | D |
| 75 | 47.55% | 51.22% | R+3.7 | 34.53% | 60.84% | R+26.3 | R |
| 76 | 81.64% | 15.70% | D+65.9 | 82.30% | 11.34% | D+71 | D |
| 77 | 82.23% | 16.20% | D+66 | 83.80% | 11.48% | D+72.3 | D |
| 78 | 71.91% | 26.85% | D+45.1 | 75.62% | 19.47% | D+56.2 | D |
| 79 | 60.89% | 38.29% | D+22.6 | 62.65% | 32.43% | D+30.2 | D |
| 80 | 63.93% | 35.08% | D+28.9 | 62.12% | 32.50% | D+29.6 | D |
| 81 | 61.46% | 37.67% | D+23.8 | 51.23% | 43.11% | D+8.1 | D |
| 82 | 43.03% | 56.32% | R+13.3 | 43.69% | 51.79% | R+8.1 | R |
| 83 | 31.12% | 68.10% | R+37 | 29.71% | 65.91% | R+36.2 | R |
| 84 | 42.31% | 56.84% | R+14.5 | 41.43% | 53.68% | R+12.3 | R |
| 85 | 52.04% | 46.78% | D+5.3 | 44.67% | 49.90% | R+5.2 | R |
| 86 | 43.96% | 55.02% | R+11.1 | 36.19% | 59.18% | R+23 | R |
| 87 | 44.81% | 53.95% | R+9.1 | 30.93% | 64.82% | R+33.9 | R |
| 88 | 48.79% | 50.35% | R+1.6 | 43.75% | 50.75% | R+7 | R |
| 89 | 46.02% | 52.97% | R+6.9 | 32.41% | 63.26% | R+30.9 | R |
| 90 | 63.31% | 35.13% | D+28.2 | 53.29% | 39.82% | D+13.5 | D |
| 91 | 60.63% | 37.68% | D+22.9 | 55.95% | 36.72% | D+19.2 | D |
| 92 | 55.89% | 42.98% | D+12.9 | 40.90% | 54.33% | R+13.4 | R |
| 93 | 47.10% | 51.80% | R+4.7 | 38.30% | 56.18% | R+17.9 | R |
| 94 | 51.53% | 47.32% | D+4.2 | 45.50% | 49.03% | R+3.5 | D |
| 95 | 64.46% | 33.93% | D+30.5 | 58.03% | 34.66% | D+23.4 | D |
| 96 | 55.57% | 42.95% | D+12.6 | 42.90% | 51.64% | R+8.7 | R |
| 97 | 39.90% | 59.02% | R+19.1 | 39.37% | 54.43% | R+15.1 | R |
| 98 | 33.69% | 65.46% | R+31.8 | 35.20% | 59.58% | R+24.4 | R |
| 99 | 26.70% | 72.64% | R+45.9 | 28.97% | 66.40% | R+37.4 | R |
| Total | 52.92% | 45.97% | D+7 | 47.01% | 47.78% | R+0.8 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
District history
2016
Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Paul Ryan (R) defeated Ryan Solen (D), Jason Lebeck (L) and Spencer Zimmerman (Trump Conservative) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Ryan defeated Paul Nehlen in the Republican primary, while Solen defeated Tom Breu to win the Democratic nomination. The primary elections took place on August 9, 2016.[28][29]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Paul Ryan Incumbent |
65% | 230,072 | |
| Democratic | Ryan Solen | 30.2% | 107,003 | |
| Trump Conservative | Spencer Zimmerman | 2.7% | 9,429 | |
| Libertarian | Jason Lebeck | 2.1% | 7,486 | |
| Total Votes | 353,990 | |||
| Source: Wisconsin Elections Commission | ||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Paul Ryan Incumbent |
84.1% | 57,364 | ||
| Paul Nehlen | 15.9% | 10,864 | ||
| Total Votes | 68,228 | |||
| Source: Wisconsin Elections and Ethics Commission |
||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ryan Solen |
59.1% | 14,639 | ||
| Tom Breu | 40.9% | 10,142 | ||
| Total Votes | 24,781 | |||
| Source: Wisconsin Elections and Ethics Commission |
||||
2014
The 1st Congressional District of Wisconsin held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Paul Ryan (R) defeated Rob Zerban (D) in the general election.
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Paul Ryan Incumbent |
63.3% | 182,316 | |
| Democratic | Rob Zerban | 36.6% | 105,552 | |
| Independent | Keith Deschler - Write-in | 0% | 29 | |
| N/A | Scattering | 0.1% | 273 | |
| Total Votes | 288,170 | |||
| Source: Wisconsin Government Accountability Board | ||||
2012
On November 6, 2012, Paul Ryan (R) won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Rob Zerban and Keith Deschler in the general election.
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rob Zerban | 43.4% | 158,414 | |
| Republican | Paul Ryan Incumbent |
54.9% | 200,423 | |
| Libertarian | Keith Deschler | 1.7% | 6,054 | |
| Miscellaneous | N/A | 0% | 167 | |
| Total Votes | 365,058 | |||
| Source: Wisconsin Government Accountability Board "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" (dead link) | ||||
2010
On November 2, 2010, Paul Ryan won re-election to the United States House. He defeated John Heckenlively (D) and Joseph Kexel (L) in the general election.[30]
| U.S. House, Wisconsin District 1 General Election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Paul Ryan incumbent |
68.2% | 179,819 | |
| Democratic | John Heckenlively | 30.1% | 79,363 | |
| Libertarian | Joseph Kexel | 1.6% | 4,311 | |
| N/A | Scattering | 0.1% | 134 | |
| Total Votes | 263,627 | |||
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Wisconsin heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- Following the 2016 elections, Democrats and Republicans each held one U.S. Senate seat in Wisconsin.
- Republicans held five of eight U.S. House seats in Wisconsin.
State executives
- Republicans held six of 11 state executive positions, while one position was held by a Democrat and four were held by nonpartisan officials.
- The governor of Wisconsin was Republican Scott Walker.
State legislature
- Republicans controlled both chambers of the Wisconsin State Legislature. They had a 64-35 majority in the state Assembly and an 18-15 majority in the state Senate.
Trifecta status
- Wisconsin was a Republican trifecta, meaning that the Republican Party controlled the state government. Scott Walker (R) served as governor and Republicans controlled the state legislature.
2018 elections
- See also: Wisconsin elections, 2018
Wisconsin held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- One seat in the U.S. Senate
- Eight U.S. House seats
- Governor and lieutenant governor
- Three lower state executive positions
- 17 out of 33 state Senate seats
- 99 state Assembly seats
- Municipal elections in Dane and Milwaukee Counties
Demographics
| Demographic data for Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 5,767,891 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 54,158 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 86.5% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 6.3% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 2.5% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.1% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 6.3% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 91% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 27.8% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $53,357 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 15% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Wisconsin. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
As of July 2017, Wisconsin had a population of approximately 5,800,000 people, with its three largest cities being Milwaukee (pop. est. 600,000), Madison (pop. est. 250,000), and Green Bay (pop. est. 110,000).[31][32]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Wisconsin from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Wisconsin every year from 2000 to 2016.
| Election results (President of the United States), Wisconsin 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | Donald Trump |
47.8% | Hillary Clinton |
46.3% | 1.5% |
| 2012 | Barack Obama |
52.8% | Mitt Romney |
45.9% | 6.9% |
| 2008 | Barack Obama |
56.2% | John McCain |
42.3% | 13.9% |
| 2004 | John Kerry |
49.7% | George W. Bush |
49.3% | 0.4% |
| 2000 | Al Gore |
47.8% | George W. Bush |
47.6% | 0.2% |
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Wisconsin from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
| Election results (U.S. Senator), Wisconsin 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | Ron Johnson |
50.2% | Russ Feingold |
46.8% | 3.4% |
| 2012 | Tammy Baldwin |
51.4% | Tommy Thompson |
45.9% | 5.5% |
| 2010 | Ron Johnson |
51.9% | Russ Feingold |
47.0% | 4.9% |
| 2006 | Herb Kohl |
67.3% | Robert Lorge |
29.5% | 37.8% |
| 2004 | Russ Feingold |
55.3% | Tim Michels |
44.1% | 11.2% |
| 2000 | Herb Kohl |
61.5% | John Gillespie |
37.0% | 24.5% |
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Wisconsin.
| Election results (Governor), Wisconsin 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014 | Scott Walker |
52.3% | Mary Burke |
46.6% | 5.7% |
| 2010 | Scott Walker |
52.3% | Tom Barrett |
46.5% | 5.8% |
| 2006 | Jim Doyle |
52.7% | Mark Green |
45.3% | 7.4% |
| 2002 | Jim Doyle |
45.1% | Scott McCallum |
41.4% | 3.7% |
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Wisconsin in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
| Congressional delegation, Wisconsin 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Republicans | Republicans (%) | Democrats | Democrats (%) | Balance of power |
| 2016 | 5 |
62.5% | 3 |
37.5% | R+2 |
| 2014 | 5 |
62.5% | 3 |
37.5% | R+2 |
| 2012 | 5 |
62.5% | 3 |
37.5% | R+2 |
| 2010 | 5 |
62.5% | 3 |
37.5% | R+2 |
| 2008 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
| 2006 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
| 2004 | 4 |
50% | 4 |
50% | - |
| 2002 | 4 |
50% | 4 |
50% | - |
| 2000 | 4 |
44.4% | 5 |
55.6% | D+1 |
Trifectas, 1992-2017
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
Wisconsin Party Control: 1992-2025
Two years of Democratic trifectas • Ten years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | R | R | R | D | D | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
See also
- Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District election (August 14, 2018 Democratic primary)
- Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District election (August 14, 2018 Republican primary)
- United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin, 2018
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Paul Ryan’s Retirement Makes His District — And The Whole House — More Competitive," April 11, 2018
- ↑ DCCC, "One Year Out: Offensive Battlefield Brimming With Opportunity," November 9, 2017
- ↑ National Republican Congressional Committee, "NRCC Adds Bryan Steil To Young Guns “Contenders”," August 15, 2018
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Randy Bryce," accessed January 31, 2018
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Randy Bryce's 2018 campaign website, "Meet Randy Bryce," accessed January 31, 2018
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Randy Bryce's 2018 campaign website, Issues," accessed September 28, 2018
- ↑ Urban Milwaukee, "Personnel profile: Bryan Steil," accessed September 28, 2018
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Bryan Steil's 2018 campaign website, "About," accessed September 28, 2018
- ↑ ''Bryan Steil's 2018 campaign website, "Steil Campaign Calls on Randy Bryce to Debate," accessed September 6, 2018
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Bryan Steil's 2018 campaign website, "Issues," accessed September 28, 2018
- ↑ Vote Smart, "Ken Yorgan's Biography," accessed November 4, 2018
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Yogan's 2018 campaign website, "Home," accessed November 4, 2018
- ↑ Yogan's 2018 campaign website, "Issues," accessed November 4, 2018
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
- ↑ ProPublica, "Wisconsin’s 1st District House Race - 2018 cycle," accessed November 5, 2018
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
- ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Twitter, "Donald Trump on August 15, 2018," accessed September 28, 2018
- ↑ CNBC, "Paul Ryan endorses GOP front-runner Steil for his house seat, vows fundraising help," June 18, 2018
- ↑ WBAY, "Obama: Nov. 6 'might be the most important election of our lifetimes, October 26, 2018
- ↑ WKOW, "Sen. Bernie Sanders rallies hundreds in Wisconsin, more big names visiting this week," October 22, 2018
- ↑ The Journal Times, "Obama endorses Randy Bryce for Congress," October 2, 2018
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Candidate Tracking by Office," accessed June 2, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Wisconsin House Primaries Results," August 9, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "Quick Facts - Wisconsin," accessed January 15, 2018
- ↑ Wisconsin Demographics, "Wisconsin Cities by Population," accessed January 15, 2018
