Democratic field for U.S. Senate seat grows to 8

MADISON — The field of Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson continues to grow, with a Milwaukee attorney a former candidate for the state Legislature joining the race.

Johnson has not said whether he will seek a third term.

The most recent Democratic candidates to file paperwork to run are Milwaukee attorney Peter Peckarsky and Adam Murphy, an information technology business owner from Franklin. Peckarsky ran to be the Democratic National Committee chairman in 2017 but dropped out. Murphy lost to Julian Bradley in the 2020 state Senate race for a district in southeast Wisconsin.

Peckarsky announced his candidacy on Saturday and Murphy has filed paperwork to run with the Federal Election Commission.

They join five other announced candidates and a sixth who is poised to enter the race.

The other announced candidates are state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski; Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson; state Sen. Chris Larson, of Milwaukee; Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry; and Dr. Gillian Battino, a Wausau radiologist.
Steven Olikara, founder of the Millennial Action Project, has formed an exploratory committee and is also expected to run. Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes is also considering a run for the Senate.