Sup. Tony Staskunas Won’t Seek Re-Election

Milwaukee County Supervisor Tony Staskunas announced Thursday he would not seek re-election to the county board.

“It has been an absolute privilege to serve the residents of Milwaukee County, first in District 17 and now in District 16,” Staskunas said in a statement. “After careful consideration and discussions with my family, I have decided that the time has come for me to step aside and let new leadership emerge.”

The supervisor, who also practices law, has served on the board since 2013. He previously served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, as a Democrat, from 1997 to 2013, and as a West Allis alderman from 1988 to 1997. Staskunas opted not to run for re-election in 2012 after Republicans in control of the legislature implemented a redistricting of the state’s legislative districts that made Staskunas’ district more conservative.

Then county supervisor Joe Sanfelippo ended up running for Staskunas’ seat in the legislature and Staskunas ran for his seat on the board. In the assembly and on the board Staskunas has represented a purple district and has identified as a moderate Democrat.

Staskunas is a native of the West Allis, having graduated from Nathan Hale High School. He’s also a graduate of UW-Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin Law School.

As a state representative, Staskunas led a legislative push in the Assembly to reform the state’s drunk driving laws.

On the county board, the first half of Staskunas’ tenure — like most supervisors at the time — was marked by battles with former county executive Chris Abele over the budget and major issues of the day like raising the wheel tax. However, Staskunas also broke with the board at times, during battles with Abele, and supported one of the county executive’s proposals to reform the county’s troubled pension system while most of the board opposed it.

Staskunas, a practicing attorney, was a long-serving member of the board’s judiciary committee, serving as chair from 2018 to 2022. He lost his chairmanship of the committee during 2022-2024 legislative session.

“I believe in the potential of our district and hope that by announcing my decision early, we will see several high-quality candidates come forward to continue the important work of this office,” Staskunas said.

Staskunas had not faced a challenger since 2018. In 2021, the board redistricted and Staskunas was moved from District 17 to 16. This upcoming election could be the first time a competitive race is held for the newly drawn District 16.

“I am deeply grateful for the trust and support the residents have shown me throughout my tenure,” Staskunas said. “While I may be stepping away from the County Board, I will always remain a staunch advocate for our community.”