2024 is a generational opportunity for progressives to change the State Legislature in Wisconsin. Following new legislative maps, there will be more Democrats elected this November.

The key question is how many progressive Democrats will win their elections.

Citizen Action members can play a huge role in both. We need you to succeed in November!

Like all previously endorsed candidates, all of these endorsed candidates completed a Citizen Action 2024 candidate questionnaire, were interviewed by Citizen Action members from the regional organizing cooperative, and recommended for endorsement to our Board. All endorsements are then voted on and approved by the statewide Citizen Action of Wisconsin Board.

There will be more State Legislative candidate endorsements announced in September.

Please contact the organizer listed for each candidate to get active talking to voters in support of our endorsed candidates.

Assembly District 7: Karen Kirsch

As a long time progressive activist and healthcare organizer with Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Karen Kirsch is well prepared to be a state representative. 

Karen is a true healthcare champion. Karen will fight to expand Badgercare healthcare coverage to more working people and small businesses in the state by supporting a BadgerCare Public Option. In addition, she wants paid family leave and expanding access to child care. 

“We can’t build healthy communities if we don’t have healthy people. In Madison, I’ll fight for Badgercare Expansion, a BadgerCare Public Option,  and Prescription Drug Reform because no one should have to worry about going bankrupt because they got sick.

In addition to fighting for healthcare for all, I’ll protect a woman’s right to choose and funding for our public schools.” – Karen Kirsch

Karen will also be a strong supporter of workers’ and their unions and will fight for better funding of our public schools, not unaccountable voucher schools. 

Learn more about Karen Kirsch.

To get involved helping elect Karen Kirsch with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Assembly District 13: Robyn Vining 

State Representative Robyn Vining is a leader in the Assembly on healthcare. She is a co-sponsor of the BadgerCare Public Option bill that will greatly expand access to working people and small businesses. She also wrote legislation to cap prescription drug costs, and fought to improve access to mental health. Robyn supports legislation to improve maternal and infant health outcomes and reduce health outcome disparities for women and babies of color.

Robyn will continue her fight to adequately fund our public schools, not private voucher schools. She will work to restore the Wisconsin Idea of providing high quality education to all of our citizens.

Most importantly, Robyn works collaboratively with Citizen Action to accomplish her goals. 

Learn more about Robyn Vining.  

To get involved helping elect Robin Vining with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Assembly District 14: Angelito Tenorio

Angelito Tenorio has a political and organizing background, Angelito is a former West Allis Alderperson. Angelito will prioritize combating climate change, investing in our public schools, increasing affordable housing, expanding healthcare coverage and lowering costs, while supporting good-paying union jobs.

Angelito’s experience as an alderperson in West Allis prepares him well for the state assembly. While an alder, Angelio concluded Wisconsin needs a more progressive tax system to adequately fund our priorities and local government. He saw firsthand the problem of having underfunded city services. 

“Together, we can advocate for good-paying union jobs and expand access to healthcare, mental health resources, and childcare. I will support affordable housing initiatives. I believe in investing in our kids, teachers, and public schools. I will prioritize combating climate change and protecting our environment. I will fight for workers, social justice, reproductive rights, civil rights, racial equity, and LGBTQIA+ rights.” – Angelito Tenorio

Learn more about Angelito Tenorio.

To get involved helping elect Angelito Tenorio with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Assembly District 61: LuAnn Bird

This district is an important opportunity to flip a former gerrymandered Republican seat to Democratic.

LuAnn Bird is the former Executive Director for the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin. She is currently a school board member for the Whitnall School District and lives in Hales Corners where  she is a caregiver for her husband.

LuAnn will be a leader in the Assembly fighting for proper funding for public schools in the next state budget so school districts are forced to go to local referendums to fund basic school services. She also wants to see an end to the private voucher program that is taking money away from public schools. 

LuAnn backs a BadgerCare Public Option to ensure more working people and small businesses have access to comprehensive and affordable healthcare coverage.

LuAnn supports making voting easier, not harder. She also supports implementing a permanent way to draw fair maps.

Learn more about LuAnn Bird.

To get involved helping elect LuAnn Bird with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Assembly District 62: Angelina Cruz

Angelina Cruz is a 20 year educator in the Racine Public School District and is the current president of the Racine Educators Association (REA). Angelina’s focus will be on properly funding public schools in the state and starting to make up for over a decade of the state failing to find our schools at the rate of inflation and therefore causing reduced investment in our children’s future. Changing the public school funding formula is one of her key policy priorities. 

Angelia will be a strong supporter of labor rights as the key to improving our economy and the well being of workers and their families.  

Angelia will work closely with Citizen Action and its members on expanding access to BadgerCare health coverage to more people and fighting climate change in a way that produces the most good paying, union green jobs for our communities.

Learn more about Angelina Cruz. 

To get involved helping elect Angelina Cruz with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Assembly District 66: Greta Neubauer 

State Representative Greta Neubauer has demonstrated clear leadership abilities as the current Minority Leader for the Assembly Democrats. 

Greta has committed to working with Democrats across the state to ensure that they have the majority in the next State Legislature so we can start to pass progressive legislation in the 2025-26 session. Greta helped recruit over 120 Democratic State Assembly candidates who are running in 97 of the 99 districts! 

Greta will work closely with Citizen Action and our members to pass key pieces of legislation, including fully funding public schools, a BadgerCare Public Option, and addressing climate change and creating good, union green jobs.

Learn more about Greta Neubauer.

To get involved helping elect Greta Neubauer with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Assembly District 86: John Small

John Small supports the Citizen Action platform, and committed to fostering a co-governing relationship with Citizen Action members. John has a long history of working in local government, which gives him an edge in terms of the relationships that he has in the rural communities in his district.

John supports accepting the federal money to expand Medicaid in Wisconsin and the BadgerCare Public Option which would provide comprehensive affordable healthcare coverage to small businesses and working people.  

John supports our Climate Action plan which will commit Wisconsin to meet a 40% reduction in carbon by 2030, with the goal of creating good, union green jobs. He has a track record of advocating for clean water at the local level. John also supports criminal justice reform that seeks to lower the state’s high incarceration rates, which is double Minnesota’s. 

Learn more about John Small.

To get involved helping elect John Small with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

State Representative Jodi Emerson has served the Eau Claire community in the State Assembly since 2019, and has been a consistent member of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. 

Jodi has worked closely with Citizen Action on a variety of issues, including co-sponsoring the BadgerCare Public Option Bill. Jodi ​will continue to prioritize making child care more affordable and addressing the housing crisis facing many Wisconsin communities, including Eau Claire.

Jodi is a hard-working candidate, with a strong campaign team, and has already raised $100,000 and is ready to win re-election. 

Learn more about Jodi Emerson.

To get involved helping elect Jodi Emerson with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Previously Endorsed State Legislative Candidates

Assembly District 10: Representative Darrin Madison

State Representative Darrin Madison has a proven voting record as a progressive leader in the Assembly. As a lifelong organizer, he has consistently stood in defense of progressive values and social justice. His state legislative record and core values completely align with the Citizen Action’s platform.

Darrin is a co-sponsor of key Citizen Action healthcare legislation calling for expanding healthcare coverage and reducing costs. Darrin will be a leader on our campaign to regulate monopolistic hospitals and health systems.

Darrin is a leader in pushing the state to reform Wisconsin’s criminal justice system, including reevaluating what actually makes us safe and reducing Wisconsin’s outrageously high prison populations.

Learn more about Darrin Madison.

To get involved helping elect Darrin Madison with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Assembly District 19: Representative Ryan Clancy

State Representative Ryan Clancy has a proven voting record as a progressive leader in the Assembly. As a lifelong activist, organizer and advocate, he has consistently stood in defense of economic and civil rights and social justice.

His record and values completely align with the Citizen Action’s platform. Ryan has a strong understanding of our policies and issues and helps lead on advocating for them.

Ryan will continue to lead the fight for a state budget that finally meets the state’s obligation to give every kid a great public education.

Ryan is a leading supporter of new legislation calling for public oversight of unaccountable hospital chains to address the price gouging and devastating closures in the Milwaukee area and around the state that are threatening access to the care we need.

Learn more about Ryan Clancy.

To get involved helping elect Ryan Clancy with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Assembly District 30: Alison Page

This district is an important opportunity to flip a former gerrymandered Republican seat to Democratic.

Alison Page spent her career in health care, first as a nurse and later rising to leadership as CEO of Western Wisconsin Health. She’s made a career of strengthening rural health care. Alison is centering making health care more accessible and more affordable, and strengthening our rural hospitals in her campaign.

Alison’s healthcare experience will be invaluable as we fight for BadgerCare Expansion, the BadgerCare Public Option Bill, and hospital accountability legislation. In addition, Alison will focus on lowering costs for working families, particularly costs on basic necessities like groceries and child care.

Learn more about Alison Page.

To get involved helping elect Alison Page with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Assembly District 71: Vinnie Miresse

Vinnie Miresse currently serves on the Portage County Board of Supervisors, and is very active in the greater Stevens Point community. He is very supportive of Citizen Action’s platform.

Vinnie is committed to accepting federal medicaid money to expand BadgerCare, and offer a Badgercare Public Option to small businesses and the uninsured. Vinnie also will support  efforts to bring hospital and health system accountability to communities in Wisconsin.

Vinnie is also very committed to get to 100% renewable energy by the year 2050 or sooner.

Learn more about Vinnie Miresse.

To get involved helping elect Vinnie Miresse with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Assembly District 85: Yee Leng Xiong

This district is an important opportunity to flip a former gerrymandered Republican seat to Democratic.

Yee Leng Xiong is a member of the NC Organizing Co-op. He is a leader in the Hmong community and has served the wider community as well. Yee Leng currently serves on the Village of Weston Board as well as the Marathon County Board of Supervisors.

Yee Leng will champion public education funding. He will fight for a state budget that finally meets the state’s obligation to give every kid a great public education.

Yee Leng will work to create an alternative to predatory health insurance companies, a BadgerCare Public Option, with lower premiums and no claims denials.

Yee Leng will also prioritize removing lead pipes and remediating contaminated areas in our communities

Learn more about Yee Leng Xiong.

To get involved helping elect Yee Leng Xiong with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Assembly District 89: Ryan Spaude

This district is an important opportunity to flip a former gerrymandered Republican seat to a Democratic seat.

Ryan Spaude is the fifth generation of his family to live in northeast Wisconsin. He grew up in Little Suamico, and I went to public school in grades K-12. I currently work as a prosecutor in the Brown County District Attorney’s Office.

As a product of public schools, Ryan Spaude will fight for a state budget that finally meets the state’s obligation to give every kid a great public education.

Ryan recognizes the value of working with community leaders and other organizations in order to advance our shared priorities, and will work with Citizen Action members to accomplish our shared progressive goals. We agree with Ryan that the Legislature needs leaders who will take action.

Ryan believes the historic $7 billion budget surplus is an opportunity to raise the minimum wage, fully fund the Child Care Counts Program, and finally expand BadgerCare. We agree.

Learn more about Ryan Spaude.

To get involved helping elect Ryan Spaude with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Assembly District 93: Christian Phelps

This Assembly district is an important opportunity to flip a former gerrymandered Republican seat to a progressive Democratic seat.

Christian Phelps was born and raised in Eau Claire. He has been an advocate for the Chippewa Valley community for over a decade as a community organizer and tireless advocate for our public schools. Christian was instrumental in the passage of recent local school referendums to support students and educators.

Christian will fight for a state budget that finally meets the state’s obligation to give every kid a great public education, and NO school district is forced to go to a referendum to fund what our kids need

Christian has a breadth of knowledge on many progressive issues, including the environment, healthcare, criminal justice reform, and strengthening democratic institutions.

Christian says it best, “I’m proud to be the pro-public candidate: pro-public education, pro-public land, pro-public health, pro-public participation in democracy.

Learn more about Christian Phelps.

To get involved helping elect Christian Phelps with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]

Assembly District 96: Tara Johnson

This district is an important opportunity to flip a former gerrymandered Republican seat to Democratic.

Tara Johnson is a founding member of the Driftless Organizing Cooperative and long time member of Citizen Action. She is a former La Crosse County Board member and Executive Director of the United Way of La Crosse.

Tara is very supportive of Citizen Action issues and our platform, particularly making sure we all have healthcare coverage. Tara will also work with Citizen Action members to take real steps to reform our monopolistic health system that has resulted in uncontrolled costs and unplanned closures leaving communities vulnerable and without answers. Tara says we can and must do better.

Tara Johnson will also focus on creating economic opportunity through more good jobs that pay family supporting wages, restoring reproductive rights, funding child care, and protecting our democracy.

Learn more about Tara Johnson.

To get involved helping elect Tara Johnson with Citizen Action, contact: [email protected]