With the Presidential and U.S Senate races taking away all the attention, the most competitive legislative race is in Wisconsin’s 8th State Senate District, where Republican Duey Stroebel faces Democrat Jodi Habush Sinykin. With new legislative maps shifting boundaries, this district now covers Milwaukee’s north shore, parts of Ozaukee, and 1Washington counties, setting the stage for a hard-fought contest.

At stake in Wisconsin’s 8th Senate District race is the direction of Wisconsin’s $4.5 billion surplus, which both candidates view through very different lenses. Incumbent Republican Duey Stroebel has championed using the surplus to cut taxes, including middle-income tax relief, eliminating taxes on the first $100,000 of retirees’ income, and abolishing Wisconsin’s “marriage penalty” tax. Stroebel argues that these changes would provide much-needed financial relief, especially with inflation pressures impacting families and seniors. Conversely, Democrat Jodi Habush Sinykin advocates for directing the surplus toward increased welfare programs, funding climate change initiatives, more public school funding and expanding government employment to address state needs. The outcome of this race will influence whether Wisconsin’s surplus drives tax cuts and reduced financial burdens or expanded state programs and mandates, underscoring the broader ideological divide in the legislature.

Governor Evers vetoed the Republican Legislature tax cuts last budget session, which still leaves Wisconsin with this major surplus and the fight on what to do about it. 

Stroebel, a businessman who has served in the 20th Senate District since 2015, is no stranger to conservative policy efforts. He is a vice chair on the Joint Committee on Finance and has advocated for issues like affordable housing, tough on crime initiatives, increase funding for local governments, and school choice funding increases. However, the redistricting now places him in the newly outlined 8th District, where he hopes to maintain the GOP’s hold despite the district’s recent Democratic leanings.

Habush Sinykin, an attorney known for her work on progressive environmental policy, has made her second bid for the seat after a close race in the 2023 special election, where she nearly unseated another Republican. With new boundary lines shifting the district’s GOP lean from 55.6% in 2022 to 53% in 2024, she sees this race as a key opportunity to make legislative changes, particularly on issues like expanding abortion rights, increasing public school funding, and climate change protections.

Ozaukee County, which lies within the 8th District, has traditionally leaned Republican. However, since 2018, it has shown an increasingly Democratic trend. For instance, in the 2022 midterms, the area supported both Democratic Governor Tony Evers and Republican Senator Ron Johnson, underscoring the district’s evolving political balance.

Both candidates recognize the importance of this election, with Stroebel emphasizing his legislative experience and track record, while Habush Sinykin seeks to bring new perspectives to Madison, aiming to address evolving district concerns. As the November election approaches, all eyes are on Wisconsin’s 8th Senate District to see which way it will swing.