Area voters are likely to find different names on their ballots when they vote for their state Assembly and Senate representatives this fall.
When Gov. Tony Evers signed what he described as Fair Maps for Wisconsin on Feb. 19, he altered the political landscape in Oconto, Shawano and Menominee counties.
The newly drawn districts do not include two of Oconto County’s three incumbent state senators and one of its Assembly representatives, and another representative is faced with the prospect of running for reelection against an incumbent Brown County representative and fellow Republican.
Oconto County is now part of four Assembly districts — the 4th, 6th, 35th and 36th — and two Senate districts — the 2nd and 12th.
Most of Shawano County is now in the 2nd District, and seven southwestern towns and the villages of Wittenberg, Tigerton and Birnamwood have been moved into the 29th Senate District, currently represented by Sen. Cory Tomczyk, R-Mosinee.
Menominee County, which was formerly part of the 12th Senate District, was moved into the 2nd Senate District, currently represented by Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay.
Two state senators whose districts included parts of Oconto County were moved into one district along with a third senator from De Pere. The 30th Senate District, which formerly reached from Green Bay north to Marinette, is now entirely within Brown County and includes the residences of Cowles; Eric Wimberger, R-Green Bay; and Andres Jacque, R-De Pere.
Senate District 2
The 2nd Senate District, which has no incumbent under the new maps, was redrawn to include most of Oconto County south and east of Suring, along with all of Menominee County and parts of Shawano, as well as the villages of Bonduel, Bowler, Cecil and Gresham and 16 of Shawano County’s 25 towns.
The district also includes parts of Waupaca and Outagamie counties, including Little Chute, Seymour and neighborhoods in Appleton and Kaukauna.
Cowles has indicated an interest in moving so that he can run for reelection to the 2nd District, which contains much of the territory he has represented in the Senate since 1987.
The 4th Assembly District, which is part of the 2nd Senate District, includes the Oconto County towns of Abrams, Lena, Little River, Little Suamico, Maple Valley, Oconto, Oconto Falls, Pensaukee, Spruce and Stiles; the cities of Oconto and Oconto Falls; and the village of Lena. Current incumbents are state Reps. Elijah Behnke, R-Oconto, and David Steffen, R-Howard.
The 6th Assembly District, still represented by state Rep. Peter Schmidt, R-Bonduel, now includes Menominee County; the Shawano County portions of the 2nd Senate District; the Oconto County towns of Breed, Chase, Gillett, How, Morgan and Underhill; the city of Gillett; and the villages of Pulaski and Suring, as well as a portion of Waupaca County.
Senate District 12
The lines of the 12th Senate District, represented by Sen. Mary Felzkowski, R-Tomahawk, now include only seven northern Oconto County towns. Her district includes the 35th Assembly District, now represented by state Rep. Calvin Callahan, R-Tomahawk, and the 36th Assembly District, where state Rep. Jeffrey Mursau, R-Crivitz, is the incumbent.
“Although I still strongly disagree with the intent behind the Governor’s map to draw numerous sitting legislators out of their district — leaving thousands of Wisconsinites without proper representation — this map contained the least amount of change out of the four liberal-drawn maps that were recommended to the Supreme Court,” Felzkowski said in a statement. “As the maps change yet again, it is with a heavy heart that I say farewell to Menominee County and the Menominee Tribe, southern portions of Oconto County, townships in northern Shawano and the Stockbridge-Munsee Band.”
Only the Shawano County towns of Aniwa and Hutchins, and the villages of Mattoon and Aniwa and Mattoon, along with the Oconto County town of Townsend, remain a part of the 35th Assembly District.
District 36, also part of the 12th Senate District, now includes only the towns of Bagley, Brazeau, Doty, Lakewood, Mountain and Riverview in Oconto County. Mursau and Felzkowski previously represented all but the easternmost part of Oconto County.
Senate District 29
Tomczyk’s district was altered to include the Shawano County villages of Wittenberg, Birnamwood, Tigerton and Eland as well as the towns of Almon, Birnamwood, Fairbanks, Germania, Grant, Morris and Wittenberg. That region is also part of the new 87th Assembly District, represented by Rep. James Edming, R-Glen Flora.
The Senate district encompasses areas of Marathon, Portage, Waupaca and Wood counties. The maps moved 85th Assembly District Rep. Pat Snyder, R-Schofield, into the 87th by a block and a half, but he has indicated he still plans to run for the 85th and move if he wins reelection.
Senate District 30
Wimberger was elected to represent the 30th Senate District and Behnke the 89th Assembly District; under the old maps, those districts extended north through eastern Oconto and Marinette counties to the city of Marinette.
Wimberger still lives in the new 30th, but the new 89th is entirely within Brown County.
Wimberger voted against the maps, which were developed after the new liberal majority of the state Supreme Court overturned the maps that were in effect for the 2022 elections.
“The court’s ruling is without foundation in the Wisconsin Constitution or state statute, and they simply declare new rules without referencing any state authority to do so,” Wimberger said. “In doing so, they effectively make the legislature an extension of the court. This is a judicial takeover of the Legislature that violates the principles of divided government, and I am simply not willing to give up without a fight. That’s why I voted no on adopting a court-induced map.”
wbluhm@newmedia-wi.com
New legislative maps shuffle area lawmakers
