Who's running in Wisconsin's 1st congressional district
2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
2 candidates · ballot order · Bryan Steil currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Renewing the Affordable Care Act subsidies and reversing Medicaid cuts in the 2025 budget law.
Capping out-of-pocket health costs and expanding Medicare drug-price negotiation.
Rolling back tariffs and reversing tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy.
Protecting Pell Grants, career and technical education funding, Title I and federal research funding.
Infrastructure investment using union labor.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Registered nurse for 23 years, including a decade at the VA; first in his family to graduate college.
Won the August 11, 2026 Democratic primary with about 44%.
Endorsed by the United Auto Workers, AFT Local 212 and Rep. Pat Ryan.
In 2025 filed an election-fraud complaint over the Racine Unified School Board recall petitions; the Wisconsin Elections Commission dismissed it for lack of evidence.
Filed his pre-primary FEC report about two hours late, which his campaign blamed on a bookkeeping issue; the state Republican Party filed a complaint.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
He would legislate 'from empathy and firsthand experience, not as a career politician' — as a nurse he sees every day how insurance practices and government policy stand between patients and care.
— Mitchell Berman, WUWM candidate questionnaire
'I saw a culture of corruption in Washington that protects corporate special interests and insiders instead of solving problems, and knew I had to do something about it.'
— Mitchell Berman, primary-night statement reported by WPR
Arguments against
His win shows 'radical activists have taken control of the Wisconsin Democrat Party'; he opposes the tax relief in H.R. 1 and spent his time 'suing local school boards' — a reference to his dismissed 2025 complaint over the Racine Unified recall.
— Bryan Steil campaign spokesman, reported by Kenosha County Eye
His late campaign finance filing raises the question of 'whether he is ready for the responsibility of representing them in Congress'.
— Anika Rickard, Republican Party of Wisconsin spokesperson
What we couldn’t verify
His campaign website was not read directly.
The outcome of the Republican complaint over his late FEC report was not known.
Whether he and Steil will debate had not been reported.
Lowering costs by cutting government spending, expanding American energy and reducing regulation.
Banning members of Congress and their families from trading individual stocks.
Reducing housing costs.
Voter ID and proof of citizenship to register, through the SAVE Act and the American Confidence in Elections Act.
Securing the US-Mexico border.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
US Representative for Wisconsin's 1st District since January 2019; chair of the House Administration Committee since 2023.
Former staffer to House Speaker Paul Ryan.
His committee originated the SAVE Act, which passed the House and stalled in the Senate.
Introduced the Stop Insider Trading Act and a bill to bar lawmakers from betting on political prediction markets.
Voted for the 2025 Republican budget law (H.R. 1).
Won 54% in 2024; unopposed in the August 11, 2026 Republican primary.
Arguments in favor
He 'remains focused on the issues that matter most to voters — making life more affordable, reducing the cost of housing, and banning members of Congress from trading stocks', and backed H.R. 1's tax relief on tips, overtime and seniors and its larger child tax credit.
— Bryan Steil campaign spokesman, reported by Kenosha County Eye
His main responsibility 'is to be accountable to the people who elected me, which is why I've held numerous listening sessions' — and he held an in-person town hall in 2025 when many Republicans had stopped.
— Bryan Steil, quoted by WUWM; WPR reporting on his Elkhorn town hall
Arguments against
Steil 'is a creature of Washington with a rolodex of special interests and insider allies' who 'backed every Trump price hike now hurting Wisconsin families in order to give a handout to his wealthy donors.'
— Rep. Suzan DelBene, DCCC chair
He voted again against a bipartisan three-year extension of ACA tax credits, leaving about 26,000 people in the district paying an average of 69% more.
— DCCC
He celebrated Wisconsin's $94.3 million federal award to fight lead in drinking water after voting against the funding.
— WUWM, citing the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
What we couldn’t verify
Steil did not answer WUWM's 2026 candidate questionnaire.
Whether he will debate Berman had not been reported.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Wisconsin held its partisan primary on August 11, 2026. Two candidates advanced: Republican incumbent Bryan Steil, unopposed in his primary, and Democrat Mitchell Berman, who won a four-name primary with about 44% over Lorenzo Santos and Miguel Aranda; Milwaukee Alder Peter Burgelis dropped out on July 15 and endorsed Berman but remained on the primary ballot. No independent or third-party candidate qualified in the Wisconsin Elections Commission's June 2026 ballot-access review; a Common Class candidate was denied. The district covers Kenosha and Racine counties, most of Walworth County, and parts of Rock and Milwaukee counties, including Janesville and Beloit. It has been held by Republicans for more than 30 years; Steil won 54% in 2024. The DCCC has named it a target seat. Candidates are listed Democrat first, following Wisconsin's rule of ordering parties by their share of the last governor's race; this order is assumed, not confirmed from a sample ballot.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Wisconsin ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Wisconsin Elections Commission.