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Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District election, 2026 (August 11 Democratic primary)

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← 2024
Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: June 1, 2026
Primary: August 11, 2026
General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times:

7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in Wisconsin

Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending
Inside Elections: Solid Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District
1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th
Wisconsin elections, 2026
U.S. Congress elections, 2026
U.S. Senate elections, 2026
U.S. House elections, 2026

A Democratic Party primary takes place on August 11, 2026, in Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District to determine which Democratic candidate will run in the district's general election on November 3, 2026.

Candidate filing deadline Primary election General election
June 1, 2026
August 11, 2026
November 3, 2026



A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Wisconsin utilizes an open primary system; registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[1]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

This page focuses on Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:

  • Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
  • Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 8

Rick Crosson (D), Benjamin Hable (D), Mark Scheffler (D), and Katrina DeVille (D) are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Wisconsin District 8 on August 11, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Rick Crosson
Rick Crosson  Candidate Connection
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
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Benjamin Hable
Image of Mark Scheffler
Mark Scheffler  Candidate Connection
Image of Katrina DeVille
Katrina DeVille  Candidate Connection

There are no incumbents in this race.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Rick Crosson

Image of Rick Crosson

WebsiteFacebookYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I’m a US Army retired Lt Colonel & Master Army Aviator. I am also a former logistics and transportation corporate executive seeking the opportunity to once again serve my country. I have held a diplomatic passport while serving as military liaison to the government of Mexico, and also served in command and staff positions in combat aviation units. I am motivated to unify this country by reestablishing Congressional authority as a genuine check and balance to executive overreach. My key areas of focus are affordability, accountability, and results that uplift every American."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Healthcare as a fundamental human right.

Affordable housing, a livable wage, and a stable economy

A strong emphasis on education.

Mark Scheffler

Image of Mark Scheffler

WebsiteFacebookYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "Mark is a Different Kind of Democrat with deep roots in rural Wisconsin. He grew up surrounded by dairy farm families in rural Marathon County and leads on economic issues, social sustainability, and environmental stewardship."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Mark supports modernizing the tax code by eliminating the income tax and replacing it with a #TinyTax (tax on ALL transactions in the U.S. economy). This tiny tax would reduce taxes on working families and small businesses by up to 80% while shifting the tax burden to large corporations, mega-millionaires and billionaires. At a rate of only 40 cents per $100 in transactions, the Tiny Tax would generate up to $12 trillion annually to fully fund every program senselessly cut by Elon Musk and DOGE. It would balance our budget, fully fund universal primary healthcare coverage for every American from birth through Medicare age, and cut our national debt in half over the next 20 years.

Mark is committed to restoring our constitutionally-mandated separation of powers by expressing his loyalty to the Constitution and to the House of Representatives by serving as an Independent while in office. He is committed to neutralizing partisan gerrymandering through his "Fair Share Democracy" program which eliminates the effect of partisan redistricting nationwide. He is also committed to enshrining the right to privacy, including reproductive freedom, the right to keep and bear arms, the right to express one's self as a citizen alone may wish, the right to travel without being surveilled, and the right to read/write/think anything you may choose.

Mark supports next-generation agriculture, including creating a massive market in renewable biofuels for electricity generation and renewable gas production. He believes that farmers and outdoor sports enthusiasts are among our best stewards of our land, water and air and Mark will work with representatives on both sides of the aisle to support and strengthen rural America.

Katrina DeVille

Image of Katrina DeVille

WebsiteFacebookXYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I'm a Transgender Woman Democratic Socialist running for every-day Americans on the progressive ideals they deserve. My main focus consists of Medicare For All, A Living Wage For Americans, Affordable Housing, Taxing Churches, Free Childcare For All, Rebuilding Our Crumbling Infrastructure, Restoring Government Accountability, Lowering The Cost Of Living, Ending Government Domestic Terrorism, Ending Citizens United, and Human Rights. I was born in Wisconsin and have lived here my entire life. I grew up in Fond du Lac, went to college at UWGB, and have lived all over this beautiful state; from Malone to Oshkosh, Salem to Neenah, and Elkhorn to Green Bay. I've been a musician for over 30 years, and have played all over this state, as well as in 30 of our United States and 7 countries. Listening and communicating with people of all varying backgrounds and beliefs has been something I've done for decades, and is a strong asset I bring to the political realm. I've also owned a small business for 20 years, running my own custom car shop, so I feel like I understand the struggles of blue collar Wisconsinites very well. I promise to bring a level of accessibility and transparency to the 8th Congressional District seat. I will do everything possible to be the very best Representative for all of us and the Congresswoman you deserve."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

I promise to always put the lives and freedoms of Wisconsinites first.

I promise to always be accessible, transparent, and willing to listen to everyone I represent, not just those who voted for me.

Americans and Wisconsinites are hurting. With the skyrocketing price of healthcare, a rapidly worsening economy, and government institutions being actively violent and hostile toward citizens, people need immediate help to survive. Medicare For All, raising the minimum wage, fighting for human rights, and holding our government officials accountable are just a few of the things I'll be working to get done first. Immediate relief is so very important right now; I'll make sure Americans get the help they so badly need.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Wisconsin

Election information in Wisconsin: Aug. 11, 2026, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

  • In-person: Aug. 11, 2026
  • By mail: Postmarked by July 22, 2026
  • Online: July 22, 2026

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

N/A

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: Aug. 9, 2026
  • By mail: Received by Aug. 6, 2026
  • Online: Aug. 6, 2026

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: Aug. 11, 2026
  • By mail: Received by Aug. 11, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

July 28, 2026 to Aug. 9, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (CT)

Campaign finance

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Rick Crosson Democratic Party $2,900 $603 $7,394 As of December 31, 2025
Benjamin Hable Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Mark Scheffler Democratic Party $46,983 $25,756 $21,227 As of December 31, 2025
Katrina DeVille Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. 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."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

District analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.

  • District map - A map of the district in place for the election.
  • Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2026 U.S. House elections in the state.
  • Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
  • State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.


Below is the district map in place for this election. Click the map below to enlarge it.

2023_01_03_wi_congressional_district_08.jpg
See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2026
Information about competitiveness will be added here as it becomes available.

Partisan Voter Index

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is R+8. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 8 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Wisconsin's 8th the 154th most Republican district nationally.[2]

2020 presidential election results

The table below shows what the vote in the 2024 presidential election was in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by The Downballot.

2024 presidential results in Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District
Kamala Harris Democratic PartyDonald Trump Republican Party
41.0%57.0%

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in Wisconsin, 2024

Wisconsin presidential election results (1900-2024)

  • 15 Democratic wins
  • 16 Republican wins
  • 1 other win
Year 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Winning Party R R R D R R P[3] R D D D R D R R R D R R D R R D D D D D D D R D R
See also: Party control of Wisconsin state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Wisconsin's congressional delegation as of October 2025.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Wisconsin
Party U.S. Senate U.S. House Total
Democratic 1 2 3
Republican 1 6 7
Independent 0 0 0
Vacancies 0 0 0
Total 2 8 10

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Wisconsin's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.

State executive officials in Wisconsin, October 2025
OfficeOfficeholder
GovernorDemocratic Party Tony Evers
Lieutenant GovernorDemocratic Party Sara Rodriguez
Secretary of StateDemocratic Party Sarah Godlewski
Attorney GeneralDemocratic Party Josh Kaul

State legislature

Wisconsin State Senate

Party As of October 2025
     Democratic Party 15
     Republican Party 18
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 33

Wisconsin State Assembly

Party As of October 2025
     Democratic Party 45
     Republican Party 54
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 99

Trifecta control

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

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Wisconsin in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Wisconsin, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Wisconsin U.S. House All candidates 1,000 N/A 6/1/2026 Source

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 5.62," accessed January 5, 2026
  2. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025
  3. ↑ Progressive Party


Wisconsin's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Tammy Baldwin (D)
Ronald Johnson (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
Tony Wied (R)
Republican Party (7)
Democratic Party (3)


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