Milwaukee Candidates for Wisconsin State Senate
And congressional race for fourth district seat.
Wisconsin State Senate in session. Photo from the State of Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau.
Voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 8 to decide a number of races, including high-profile statewide races. But all voters will also find a Congressional race on their ballot and approximately half of Wisconsin voters will find a state senate race. Senators serve four-year terms with the 33-member senate elected on a staggered, two-year cycle.
See candidates for other races via the link at the bottom of this article.
Want to see what’s on your ballot and where to vote? Visit MyVote Wisconsin to see your polling place and access a sample ballot.
Below you’ll find basic information copied verbatim from candidate campaign materials and a link to any available campaign resources. If you click on their name you’ll be brought to any stories written about the candidate. Candidate names are listed in the order they appear on the ballot.
Representative in Congress District 4
Gwen Moore – Democratic
The first African-American woman in Wisconsin history to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Gwen Moore took her official oath of office on January 4, 2005. In March of 2019, Congresswoman Moore was named Co-Chair for the 2020 Democratic National Convention in her hometown of Milwaukee. In April of 2019, Congresswoman Moore was appointed Regional Vice-Chair for the DCCC by Chairwoman Cheri Bustos. Prior to 2019, Congresswoman Moore was elected Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Women’s Caucus by her fellow female colleagues. She served as Democratic Vice Chair from 2009 to 2011.
In her committee work, Congresswoman Moore is a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. It is the oldest committee of the United States Congress and is the chief tax-writing committee in the House of Representatives. Prior to joining the House Ways & Means Committee, Congresswoman Moore was a member of the House Committee on Financial Services and the House Committee on Budget. Prior to serving on Ways and Means, she served on House Committee on Financial Services.
Tim Rogers – Republican
Milwaukee is where I was born and raised, where I work, and have a family. I am proud to live in the 4th District. In recent years, my fellow citizens and I have seen critical components of our community start to decay. I have witnessed a deteriorating education system, where test scores and graduation rates have declined. I have seen a criminal justice system lacking transparency leading to unfair outcomes. I have seen the issue of aging lead laterals be ignored, risking the health of families across the district. I have seen taxation without proper representation. I will stand up for the people of the district and give them the representation that has been lacking for far too long. I will restore the quality of life in the neighborhoods and always remember who I represent while in Washington.
I graduated from North Division High School in 1978 and went on to study at UW-Parkside and MATC. My Education helped lay the foundation for the rest of my life. Without a good education, I would not have had the basic skills to pursue employment and provide for my family.
Like many of the citizens of the 4th District, I felt that the criminal justice system did not provide a just outcome. I believe it is important for all citizens to be able to have faith in the systems that were intended to protect us. I want to change the justice system into a system that protects all people equally, instead of one that distributes justice unevenly.
My father and uncle owned Rogers and Rogers Soul Brothers Supermarket, a grocery store in Milwaukee, where I learned the value of hard work and what businesses mean to the community. Having many small businesses in the community helps build and nourish the neighborhood. These days, I see urban areas across the country struggling with poor quality drinking water. We can no longer afford to just talk about this issue, we need action now to end this crisis. Tim Rogers is the kind of congressmen we need in Washington.
I am running for political office not to complain about the situation, but to get involved and make the changes needed. Running for political office is not how I normally spend my free time. I have worked for almost 30 years delivering gift baskets and newspapers for two local businesses. Outside of work, I spend my time volunteering in my community and participating in the All Saints Catholic Choir and MPS Alumni Choir.
Robert R. Raymond – Independent
Bio requested
State Senator District 3
Tim Carpenter – Democratic
Tim Carpenter was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was raised by his mother, Audrey, who worked as a switchboard operator, and his father, Ken, who spent his career working at the Falk Corporation.
From an early age, Tim’s parents instilled in him a sense of community and civic duty. Tim remembers the first time when his mom, who contributed to our democratic process as a poll worker for their community, brought him to watch her vote at Morgandale Elementary. Tim’s family was active in church and community events, and Tim learned to treat civic engagement and voting as more than a right, but as a duty.
These values are what first led Tim to run for public office, and he has made it his life’s work. As a senator, he fights to make sure that Wisconsinites come first, and that local governments don’t get micromanaged by the State. Issues that he focuses on are: Public Safety and Justice, Jobs and the Economy, Healthcare, Protecting our Environment, Issues affecting Seniors, Veterans and Military Affairs, and making our government more responsive to the people it serves, to name a few.
Angel C. Sanchez – Republican
It takes the work of lots of people to get things done.
As Alderman, I had 15 interns from the University of Marquette working at the office.
We set up a plan, and got things done.
Property values went up, businesses relocated to our neighborhood, restaurants and bars were trading plates in direct competition with downtown and also did alot withe LGBT community.
We have so much to be thankful for.
State Senator District 5
Jessica Katzenmeyer – Democratic
Jessica Katzenmeyer is a proud, hard-working Wisconsinite who knows what it means to go the extra mile. After moving here for college 24 years ago, Jessica fell in love with the state and wanted to do everything within her power to make a difference. In 2002, she earned her B.A. in communications with a minor in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
With a proud union background, Jessica worked for UPS for over 12 years. She was an active member of Teamsters Local 344, serving three years as elected Secretary on their Political and Legislative Committee, five years on the UPS Safety Committee, and three years on the UPS Employee Relations Committee. The lessons learned from serving in these roles were invaluable, but none were as important as understanding that when people work together, it is possible to make the world a better place.
Jessica decided to turn her passion into action beyond her workplace. She became an active member of her community, volunteering with local and statewide campaigns, advocating for LGBTQ rights, and even performing with her local theater group. In 2017, Jessica became an esteemed alum of Emerge, an organization dedicated to helping women become leaders in government.
However, Jessica lost nearly everything to a devastating house fire in 2019. A mere day after, she fell into a coma and had to be immediately hospitalized, where she nearly died because of health complications brought on by the fire. If it weren’t for the Affordable Care Act, Jessica would have owed over $80,000 to save her life.
The tragic event motivated Jessica to be part of the solution to our country’s ongoing healthcare crisis. She was fortunate to have healthcare but understood that not everyone is as lucky. It became her goal to be a voice for those who do not have access to affordable healthcare.
In 2020, Jessica ran for Wisconsin State Assembly with the hope of helping other Wisconsinites who know what it means to struggle. She became a leading voice in Wisconsin on LGBTQ rights as the state’s second-ever transgender candidate to run for state office, quickly gaining national recognition as an alum of the Victory Institute and being named a top-10 candidate to watch in multiple publications.
Today, Jessica serves on the City of West Allis Plan Commission while being self-employed. Staying true to what initially motivated her to become a community activist, Jessica is running for State Senate to fight for the issues which impact everyday Wisconsinites who know what it means to work hard and overcome adversity.
Rob Hutton – Republican
Rob and his wife Patti both grew up in Brookfield and graduated from Brookfield East High School, where they met through fellow classmates. They reside in Brookfield today and have enjoyed raising their four children in the same community among their grandparents and extended family.
Rob earned his degree from UW-Whitewater and pursued a career in business with a Fortune 500 company. He then owned a logistics firm in Milwaukee, which provided national trucking and warehousing services for key Wisconsin industries. He now owns two industrial coatings firms that serve Wisconsin’s manufacturing industry employing over 75 people. Rob is also a partner in a metal fabricating firm in southeastern Wisconsin.
As a business owner, Rob has witnessed firsthand how government can both help and hinder the growth of a business and its ability to prosper and create jobs. He will use his private sector experience to identify and eliminate barriers in making Wisconsin the most business friendly state in the country. He understands that economic prosperity and thriving communities go hand-in-hand.
In 2012, Rob was elected to serve as a member of the State Assembly for eight years, representing the 13th District. In his time in the Assembly, he led in important legislation such as Right to Work and eliminating the Prevailing Wage law. Rob also authored and co-authored legislation to reduce the size of government, toughen criminal penalties, and provide tax relief for Wisconsin families and businesses.
He has a proven voting record of reducing government spending, expanding educational choices for all families, protecting life, and ensuring the safety of Wisconsin’s most vulnerable children. While in the State Assembly, he served on the Small Business, Corrections, and Education committees.
Rob and Patti enjoy spending time together with family, as well as serving in their church and with various community organizations.
State Senator District 7
Chris Larson – Democratic
State Senator Chris Larson is a proven, progressive leader who believes everyone deserves a fair shot at the American dream.
Born and raised in Wisconsin, Chris graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a degree in Finance and a minor in Political Science.
As the former manager of a sporting goods store, Chris is attuned to the needs of small businesses. In 2008, he successfully ran for Milwaukee County Board Supervisor on a platform of adequately investing in our shared parks and transit system. In his first year in office, he led the coalition “Quality of Life Alliance” which successfully helped pass a countywide advisory referendum to fund our parks, transit, & emergency medical services with a 1% sales tax while reducing property taxes.
In 2010, Larson pushed against the establishment of his own party and was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate to become the youngest serving state senator. Just two years later he was selected by his colleagues to serve as Senate Democratic Leader for the 2013-2014 Legislative Session.
As ranking member of the Senate Education Committee, he has fought against the historic cuts to education while advocating for a proactive agenda of fair funding for all students in our neighborhood schools, expanding access to K3 and K4, affordable childcare, growing apprenticeships, and leading on the move to a K-99 mentality.
As a strong proponent for safeguarding our shared public lands, lakes, and rivers, Chris was a natural fit for the Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Tourism, and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Environment, both of which he has served on.
Larson was one of the 14 Senate Democrats who bravely left the state in February 2011 to stand up for the rights of workers, giving them a voice in the legislative process when the governor was trying to shut them out. Since then, Larson has been at the forefront of fighting against the attacks on workers in Wisconsin through ALEC modeled RTW legislation as well as the repeal of Prevailing Wage as a committee member on the Senate Labor and Government Reform Committee.
In politics, Larson has helped recruit, train, and elect dozens of local, state, and federal elected officials and activists who are leading the movement on social change in Wisconsin and nationally.
Chris is active in his community as a member of numerous neighborhood groups, including: board member of UW-Milwaukee Alumni Association (2013-present) South Side Business Club of Milwaukee, Lions Club, Grassroots North Shore, League of Women Voters, Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, Young Elected Officials, Humboldt Park Friends, South Shore Park Watch, Bay View Neighborhood Association, Bay View Historical Society, Lake Park Friends, Arbor Day Foundation, Badgerland Striders, TriWisconsin, and MPTV Friends.
Chris resides in Bay View with his wife Jessica and their son Atticus and daughter Stella. An avid runner, Chris has completed over 30 marathons and has a long-term goal of running a marathon in every state.
Peter Gilbert – Republican
I grew up in England under Socialism and prefer my freedom that is being eroded
away. Knowledge of socialized medicine. In 1973, ss an experienced combat medic, saved many wounded, including many wounded Egyptians. I was in command of relief for the beleaguered Egyptian 3rd Army. Served on various Veterans committees, both state and local. Advised The White House on avoiding friendly fire casualties before the start of the Desert Storm ground war. Volunteered at the VA, before Covid.
Now I have come out of retirement to save America from the downward spiral we are now in. As a Senator, I will have an impact on the good welfare of all Wisconsinites. I do Community Service Collected and in Oct 2021, I delivered many supplies to the Afghan refugees to the Sparta Nationam Guard Armory, for distribution at Fort McCoy.
Owned my insurance business for 30 years, specializing, in Health, Disability and Long Term Care. I am still offering advice to our legislature. Have advocated for 3 State Bills that were signed into Law. Campaigned in every election, since 2004 with the exception of the February 2017, primaries because I was sick. Always campaigned for all the candidates on the ballot in a given area.
Have advocated for 3 State Bills that were signed into Law
1.) Long-Term Care Insurance Partnership Program, reducing the burden of Title 19 from Taxpayers. I requested Senator Alberta Darling introduced this to Wisconsin, similar to other states.
2.) Testified on behalf of the Iron-Ore Mine, in Northern Wisconsin.
3.) Testified to support the State’s Anti-BDS Law (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) against Israel if conducting business with the State of Wisconsin.
Like my business, I respond to inquiries. Very involved in local and Foreign Policy affecting Wisconsin. The war in Ukraine causing hardship to our farmers because of the high prices of both fuel and available fertilizer. Every person in Wisconsin is also a constituent.
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More about the 2022 Fall Election Guide
- Vote Tuesday: 2nd District Common Council Race - Urban Milwaukee - Nov 7th, 2022
- Vote Tuesday: Milwaukee Candidates for Wisconsin State Senate - Urban Milwaukee - Nov 5th, 2022
- Vote Tuesday: Milwaukee Candidates For State Assembly - Urban Milwaukee - Nov 5th, 2022
- Vote Tuesday: Candidates For U.S. Senate - Urban Milwaukee - Nov 4th, 2022
- Vote Tuesday: Candidates For Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer - Urban Milwaukee - Nov 4th, 2022
- Vote Tuesday: Candidates For Governor and Lieutenant Governor - Urban Milwaukee - Nov 4th, 2022
Read more about 2022 Fall Election Guide here
