Building on working class candidate victories in Spring elections to make a Wisconsin that works for everyone

MADISON – Wisconsin Working Families Party is announcing its endorsed candidates for the August 11 state legislative primary. These endorsements build on the Party’s victories and the working class champions supported by the Party and elected statewide this spring. These  endorsements are focused on supporting current working families champions in the legislature as well as opportunities to win open seats and build working people power in the Assembly.

“As voters are poised to elect a Democratic trifecta in Wisconsin, WFP knows that any blue won’t do,” said Corinne Rosen, State Director of Wisconsin Working Families Party. “Our endorsed candidates are working people champions who will deliver transformative change to people’s lives by delivering the things that matter most – good jobs, affordable housing, accessible and affordable healthcare, and strong public schools.”

The Wisconsin Working Families Party endorsees are: 

• Milwaukee Alderperson JoCasta Zamarrippa for Wisconsin Secretary of State.
• Trevor Jung for State Senate in District 21, which covers the north side of the City of Racine and nearby villages, as well as several southern suburbs of Milwaukee County.
• Representative Ryan Clancy for the State Assembly District 19. He is facing a challenge from a well-funded corporate Democrat. 
• Representative Angelina Cruz for State Representative in District 62, which covers the north side of the City of Racine and nearby villages. 
• Representative Ben DeSmidt for State Representative in District 65, which covers the majority of the City of Kenosha and the northern half of the nearby Village of Pleasant Prairie. 
• Newcomer Ismael Luna for State Representative in District 8. He is running to unseat the incumbent – Sylvia Ortiz-Velez – who is a Democrat but has declined to caucus with Assembly Democrats. 
• Challenger Jordan Roman for State Representative in District 12. He is taking on Democratic incumbent Russel Goodwin.
• Insurgent Josh Mittness for State Representative for the open seat in District 50.
• Newcomer Lawanda Chambers for State Representative in District 61. The seat is one of the ADCC’s top targets and was narrowly won by Republicans last cycle.

Candidates endorsed by Wisconsin Working Families Party won big in the Wisconsin Spring elections, showing strength in swing Congressional districts and gaining seats on local governmental bodies across the state. In every top-of-the-ticket municipal race with Working Families Party-endorsed candidates, the working families champions won. 

The infrastructure WIWFP is building is key to the Party’s future in the state; a decision on fusion voting in Wisconsin is expected in early 2027, and the work we put in now will position WI WFP to build a party by and for Wisconsin’s working people.

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The Working Families Party is the party for the working class of all races. We all work hard to take care of our families and contribute to our communities. We deserve leaders that will fight for us. But some politicians are teaming up with greedy corporations to drive up the cost of everything from groceries to housing, childcare and college–and they’re attacking our basic freedoms like abortion rights and the right to vote. The Working Families Party is regular people coming together to fight for a country that puts working people first.