Sunday, January 20, 2019

Who's running in the 64th Wisconsin Assembly District (2019 special election edition)



Gina Walkington to seek Barca's seat.  (Kenosha News, 1/18/2019)
Walkington, a longtime resident of Bristol who ran against state Rep. Samantha Kerkman, R-Salem Lakes, in last fall’s election for the 61st District Assembly seat, said if elected she would move into Barca’s district. 
“As a mother, activist and organizer I have always been committed to creating meaningful change. Now I’m ready to bring my advocacy to the Wisconsin state Assembly where I’ll work every day to create meaningful change for Wisconsin families,” she said. “I want to thank Peter Barca for his many years of service to the 64th District, and I look forward to meeting and hearing the concerns of voters in the coming weeks and months.”

Majority Caucus Sergeant at Arms Samantha Kerkman (R-Powers Lake) was first elected to the Assembly in 2001.  Gerrymandering in the guise of redistricting not only created a safe space for her but also squeezed an incumbent Democrat out of a job.

Source:  Ballotpedia

Related reading:
How redistricting changed Wisconsin politics.  (NPR, 10/1/2017)
JOHN STEINBRINK: I think we're losing the middle-of-the-road people, unfortunately - those that really feel comfortable working with both sides. 
JOHNSON: Steinbrink counted himself among those middle-of-the-road lawmakers. He'd sometimes vote with Republicans on gun bills, for example. But the 2011 redistricting plan put him in a more Republican district against a Republican incumbent. Steinbrink ran anyway. 
STEINBRINK: And a lot of the farmers I knew - they said, gee, you know, we know you. We like you. But you're a Democrat. And we can't vote for a Democrat.

The stackable, jigsaw art of Wisconsin gerrymandering:  The 21st Wisconsin State Senate District, which includes the 61st, 62nd, and 63rd Assembly Districts. 


And how it corrals the Democratic vote in the urban areas of Racine and Kenosha, i.e., the 22nd Senate District (64th, 65th, and 66th Assembly districts).

Source:  Ballotpedia

Related post:
Wisconsin 2018 elections UPDATE: Who won in the 64th Assembly District? (11/26/2018)

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