Oct 17, 2024 Story by: Editor
For the first time in more than a decade, the balance of power in the Wisconsin Legislature could be up for grabs in 2024. This change comes as a result of new redistricting measures ordered by the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s liberal majority, making many districts competitive for the first time. Voters across the state, particularly in the Green Bay area, are finding themselves in toss-up districts.
Nowhere is this shift more visible than in Green Bay, where three 50-50 races are unfolding without incumbents.
“Hello! How are you?” greeted Pat Buckley, a Wisconsin Assembly candidate, while speaking with a potential voter during a door-to-door canvassing session.
“I’m running for state Assembly, so I wanted to introduce myself,” Christy Welch said to another resident.
“What’s important to you, if I can ask?” inquired Wisconsin Senate candidate Jim Rafter to a constituent.
Candidates across Green Bay are not only introducing themselves but also helping voters navigate the new district boundaries.
“I’ve knocked a lot of doors in the last couple of months, and many people aren’t yet aware of these changes; a lot of it is just educating them,” Buckley explained.
“I would say the majority of folks whose door I knock on know about the redistricting but don’t know their specific district number,” added Ryan Spaude, Buckley’s opponent in the 89th Assembly District race.
Spaude, a Democrat and Brown County District Attorney’s office prosecutor, described the new district as a “nice, compact, contiguous, competitive district.”
Pat Buckley, a retired police officer and current member of the Brown County Board, echoed the sentiment of working across party lines: “On the County Board, we’re supposed to be nonpartisan… My job is to bring those people together to help get things done,” he said.
On the east side of Green Bay, in the newly drawn 88th Assembly District, Republican Ben Franklin and Democrat Christy Welch are vying for an open seat. Franklin, a veteran and small business owner, is a newcomer to Wisconsin and to politics. Welch, chair of the Democratic Party of Brown County, was motivated to run after Roe v. Wade was overturned.
“When Roe v. Wade was overturned, that was not just a tipping point, but a shoving point,” she said.
In the overlapping 30th Senate District, Jim Rafter, a Republican and Allouez village president, and Jamie Wall, a Democrat and business consultant, are competing to represent the area in the state Senate.
“I work with people and try to get them together around the table… to solve problems. That’s the kind of mindset I’d want to bring to Madison,” said Wall.
Rafter, noting his experience running a nonpartisan village board, said, “We’re a nonpartisan board… We don’t focus on the party.”
All three races were made competitive due to redistricting. “You could just tell that that old map — it was rigged,” Spaude remarked. “It ran through parts of Brown County that really didn’t have much to do with each other, and now it’s contiguous.”
Economic concerns and abortion have emerged as dominant issues among voters. “The number one issue would be economics,” said one voter.
“Meaning inflation, cost of living?” asked Franklin, to which the voter responded, “Both.”
Democrats are hearing similar feedback, with Welch adding, “People are concerned about costs… grocery store prices, housing, childcare.”
Abortion remains a central issue, with all three Republican candidates supporting a statewide referendum on the topic. Franklin proposed, “I would recommend putting it up for a vote — a referendum… and let the people decide on a timeline.”
Democrats, however, feel that the issue is resonating with voters of all backgrounds. “There are a lot of women and men unhappy with the current status,” Welch shared.
Although Donald Trump’s influence looms large, candidates are treading carefully. “I will certainly vote for Donald Trump. Do I think his final word is gospel? No, I don’t,” Franklin said, while Buckley noted, “I’d prefer to look at the policies.”
Rafter opted to remain neutral, stating, “I’m focused on the people of the 30th district,” and declined to clarify his vote for Trump.
For Spaude, Trump’s polarizing effect is noticeable. “There are so many people like me in this district. I’ve lost count of the number who say, ‘I normally vote Republican, but lately, I’m voting for a lot of Democrats,’” Spaude observed.
With each side energizing its base, the winners will likely be determined by those who knock the most doors and raise the most funds. “It’s going to be won by whoever knocks the most doors, raises the most money… and connects with voters,” Welch said.
Candidates know it’s a long road to Election Day. “It’s crazy when you think about it,” Wall observed. “The downside of living in the epicenter of American politics is that it’s going to be exhausting.”
“Green Bay is the battleground of the battleground states,” Franklin emphasized, acknowledging its potential to decide Wisconsin’s future. Source: PBS Wisconsin
