The Badger Project

North Shore, Ozaukee County Senate Race Is State’s Most Expensive

And also viewed as its most competitive. Stroebel being challenged by Habush Sinykin.

By , The Badger Project - Oct 10th, 2024 08:58 am
From left, Sen. Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville) is facing Democratic challenger Jodi Habush Sinykin in the 8th State Senate District.

From left, Sen. Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville) is facing Democratic challenger Jodi Habush Sinykin in the 8th State Senate District.

A state senator in Wisconsin makes a little more than $57,000 per year. But the contenders for the 8th Senate District have each raised well over ten times that in their attempt to win the seat.

Approaching a total of $2 million with weeks still remaining before the election, Republican state Sen. Duey Stroebel and his Democratic opponent Jodi Habush Sinykin have raised the most of any state Legislature race in 2024. They are running for the hyper-competitive 8th Senate District, which includes the northern Milwaukee suburbs of Grafton, Menomonee Falls and Whitefish Bay.

Stroebel has reported raising more than $700,000 through late September, including a $200,000 donation to himself, according to his latest mandatory reports to the state. But Habush Sinykin, an attorney from Whitefish Bay, has reported raising nearly $1.2 million in 2024 through late September. The Democrat also raised and spent nearly $1.5 million last year in her unsuccessful bid to win the seat in a special election.

More than $700,000 of Habush Sinykin’s 2024 campaign cash has come from the state Democratic Party, a striking example of the organization’s huge fundraising advantage over the state GOP. By comparison, the Republican Party of Wisconsin has given Stroebel a paltry $83,000.

Thanks to a loophole in state campaign finance law created by a 2014 U.S. Supreme Court case and left open by the Republican-controlled Legislature, political parties can receive unlimited donations from individuals, and can donate unlimited amounts to candidates.

The 8th Senate District, in yellow, became more friendly to Democrats in the most recent redistricting.

The 8th Senate District, in yellow, became more friendly to Democrats in the most recent redistricting.

Stroebel was first elected to the state Senate in a special election in 2015 after serving two terms in the Assembly. But he currently serves in the neighboring 20th Senate District. His home was moved into the 8th in the redistricting earlier this year, so he will need to win in the new district to remain in the state Senate.

That may be a tougher climb than he’s used to. The district became friendlier to Democrats when it changed, said Ryan Weichelt, a UW-Eau Claire geography professor who focuses on redistricting.

“It will most likely be the closest state Senate race, in my opinion,” he said.

The Democratic candidate is a partner at Habush Habush & Rottier, the prominent personal injury law firm in Milwaukee. She has served on the Wisconsin Groundwater Advisory Committee and the Wisconsin Legislative Council’s Special Committee on the Great Lakes Compact as a policy expert in freshwater stewardship. She was also appointed to the Wisconsin DNR’s Wolf Management Plan Committee in 2021, according to her campaign website.

Stroebel sits on several high-profile committees, including as the vice-chair of the Legislature’s powerful, budget-writing Joint Committee on Finance. He also serves as chair of the Committee of Government Operations.

While political parties are not limited by state campaign finance laws, individuals, political candidates and political action committees are. A candidate for state Senate can take no more than $2,000 per election from any of them.

Stroebel has received the maximum $2,000 from more than 70 contributors, including from the PACs of Microsoft, Walmart, the Wisconsin Insurance Alliance, the Wisconsin Builders Association and the Bell Ambulance Inc. Employees PAC, according to his most recent campaign finance reports.

But along with political parties, no caps exist on the amount political candidates in Wisconsin can donate to themselves, per state law. This has allowed Stroebel to donate $200,000 to his own campaign.

Habush Sinykin has received the maximum $2,000 donation from more than 50 contributors in 2024, including many unions, such as the Wisconsin Laborers District Council and Wisconsin State Council of Carpenters, according to Follow the Money. She also received the maximum donation from Lynde Uihlein, a top political donor to Democrats in Wisconsin and cousin of Republican megadonors Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein, and Robert Habush, her father.

Habush Sinykin also received a total of $12,000 from several members of the Lubar family of the Lubar & Co. private investment firm in Milwaukee.

All that political cash translates into waves of political advertising, on the airwaves, online and in mailboxes in the hyper-competitive 8th.

Even before the state’s legislative districts were redrawn earlier this year, the district had a history of close elections. In the 2020 presidential election, 49.5% of the district voted for Biden there, while 48.9% voted for Trump, Weichelt said.

Then the district got a little more left-leaning in the most recent redistricting, as “the inclusion of the areas near Whitefish Bay add more Democratic voters,” Weichelt said.

The top donors to Stroebel in the 2024 election cycle (so far)

DONOR NOTES AMOUNT
DUANE (DUEY) S STROEBEL JR. INDIVIDUAL $200,001
COMMITTEE TO ELECT A REPUBLICAN SENATE OF WISCONSIN PARTY COMMITTEE $69,772
WISCONSIN REPUBLICAN PARTY PARTY COMMITTEE $13,568
WISCONSIN REALTORS ASSOCIATION PAC $2,000
GEORGE MITCHELL INDIVIDUAL $3,041
ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS OF WISCONSIN PAC $2,500
JESSICA CANNIZZARO INDIVIDUAL $2,100
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS LLC PAC $2,000
MICROSOFT CORP PAC $2,000
NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE PAC $2,000
WALMART PAC $2,000
WISCONSIN BUILDERS ASSOCIATION PAC $2,000
WISCONSIN INSURANCE ALLIANCE PAC $2,000
MICHAEL (MIKE) SCOTT SHANNON INDIVIDUAL $2,000
HOWARD (HOWIE) S RICH INDIVIDUAL $2,000
RICHARD E OFFERDAHL INDIVIDUAL $2,000
DEVIN LEMHIEU CAMPAIGN CMTE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $2,000
DAN KNODL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $2,000
FRANK STANGL INDIVIDUAL $2,000
RACHEL A ENGLISH INDIVIDUAL $2,000
GREATER MILWAUKEE ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS PAC $2,000
TAXPAYERS FOR MARKLEIN PAC $2,000
FRIENDS OF VAN WANGGAARD PAC $2,000
REALTORS ASSOCIATION OF NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN PAC $2,000
CECELIA WELLS INDIVIDUAL $2,000
GORDON J VELDBOOM INDIVIDUAL $2,000
DIANE M HENDRICKS INDIVIDUAL $2,000
STEPHEN ROBBINS INDIVIDUAL $2,000
WILLIAM LAMACCHIA INDIVIDUAL $2,000
COWLES FOR SENATE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $2,000
DONALD (DON) D WAHLIN INDIVIDUAL $2,000
DARSHAN S DHALIWAL INDIVIDUAL $2,000
PETER C FARROW INDIVIDUAL $2,000
JAMES J OSTROM INDIVIDUAL $2,000
PATRICK J ENGLISH INDIVIDUAL $2,000
JAMES M LAPEYRE JR INDIVIDUAL $2,000
MICHAEL H WHITE INDIVIDUAL $2,000
JOHN M VOSTERS INDIVIDUAL $2,000
JOHN B CRICHTON INDIVIDUAL $2,000
PATRICK TESTIN CAMPAIGN CMTE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $2,000
CITIZENS FOR ROB HUTTON PAC $2,000
JACL KELLNER INDIVIDUAL $2,000
WENDY GRAFF INDIVIDUAL $2,000
JULIAN BRADLEY CAMPAIGN CMTE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $2,000
RANDALL GROTH INDIVIDUAL $2,000
TAXPAYERS FOR KAPENGA PAC $2,000
MARY JONAS INDIVIDUAL $2,000
ROB STAFSHOLT CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE PAC $2,000
ERIC WIMBERGER CAMPAIGN CMTE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $2,000
SUSAL MITCHELL INDIVIDUAL $2,000
JOHN MELLOWES INDIVIDUAL $2,000
MARY CZAJA FELZKOWSKI CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $2,000
COALITION FOR COMMUNITY SOLAR ACCESS PAC $2,000
TODD WILLER INDIVIDUAL $2,000
SUSAN MINAHAN INDIVIDUAL $2,000
DANIEL RICH INDIVIDUAL $2,000
GOPAC ELECTIONS FUND PAC $2,000
BELL AMBULANCE INC. EMPLOYEES PAC $2,000
DAVID BOERKE INDIVIDUAL $2,000
JOSH JAGLER CAMPAIGN CMTE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $2,000
DANIEL MINAHAN INDIVIDUAL $2,000
TRAVIS ANDERSON INDIVIDUAL $2,000
DANIEL WELLS INDIVIDUAL $2,000
QUINN FOR SENATE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $2,000
REALTORS Association of Northeast Wisconsin PAC $2,000
TODD FRYATT INDIVIDUAL $2,000
JOSEPH RICH INDIVIDUAL $2,000
FRIENDS OF JOSH SCHOEMANN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $2,000
WILLIAM BRACHMAN INDIVIDUAL $2,000
SAM YOUNESZADE INDIVIDUAL $2,000
BERNADETTE DAWSON INDIVIDUAL $2,000
CATHERINE CRICHTON INDIVIDUAL $2,000
ROD COPES INDIVIDUAL $2,000
WILLIAM INGRAM INDIVIDUAL $2,000
HELEN VELDBOOM INDIVIDUAL $2,000
KENDALL BREUNIG INDIVIDUAL $2,000
SAM YOUNES INDIVIDUAL $2,000
KEEGAN ENGLISH INDIVIDUAL $2,000

Top donors to Habush Sinykin in the 2024 election cycle (so far)

NICHOLAS OFFERMAN NOTES AMOUNT
STATE SENATE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE OF WISCONSIN PARTY COMMITTEE $474,280
WISCONSIN DEMOCRATIC PARTY PARTY COMMITTEE $235,632
DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF OZAUKEE COUNTY PARTY COMMITTEE $9,000
EMILYS LIST PAC $2,000
OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL 139 PAC $2,000
WISCONSIN LABORERS DISTRICT COUNCIL PAC $2,000
WISCONSIN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION COUNCIL REGION 6 PAC $2,000
SEIU WISCONSIN STATE COUNCIL PAC $2,000
WISCONSIN STATE COUNCIL OF CARPENTERS PAC $2,000
DANIEL J BADER INDIVIDUAL $2,000
LINDA C BADER INDIVIDUAL $2,000
ELECTRICAL WORKERS LOCAL 494 PAC $2,000
JOHN W MILLER JR INDIVIDUAL $2,000
PLUMBERS & GASFITTERS LOCAL 75 PAC $2,000
JOAN B LUBAR INDIVIDUAL $2,000
CYRUS LYLE INDIVIDUAL $2,000
MARIANNE S LUBAR INDIVIDUAL $2,000
SHELDON B LUBAR INDIVIDUAL $2,000
NANCY KAPLAN INDIVIDUAL $2,000
DAVID LUBAR INDIVIDUAL $2,000
LEONARD SOBCZAK INDIVIDUAL $2,000
MARILYN PELZ INDIVIDUAL $2,000
PETER V MCAVOY INDIVIDUAL $2,000
MADELINE KELLY LUBAR INDIVIDUAL $2,000
BEVERLY (BEV) GREENBERG INDIVIDUAL $2,000
ANDREW (ANDY) F RUMER INDIVIDUAL $2,000
TRACY STEIN INDIVIDUAL $2,000
MARK SPREITZER CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $2,000
JOHN CROUCH INDIVIDUAL $2,000
BARRY MANDEL INDIVIDUAL $2,000
FRIENDS OF DIANNE HESSELBEIN PAC $2,000
AFSCME WISCONSIN COUNCIL 32 PAC $2,000
HOWARD FRANKENTHAL INDIVIDUAL $2,000
TINA COLE INDIVIDUAL $2,000
TOMAS TORRES INDIVIDUAL $2,000
MICKY SADOFF INDIVIDUAL $2,000
TOM SURRETTE INDIVIDUAL $2,000
ROBERT HABUSH INDIVIDUAL $2,000
DAVID MARCUS INDIVIDUAL $2,000
NICHOLAR OFFERMAN INDIVIDUAL $2,000
MARTIN KATZ INDIVIDUAL $2,000
MARK LARSON INDIVIDUAL $2,000
PETER HOLBROOK INDIVIDUAL $2,000
FRIENDS OF KELDA ROYS PAC $2,000
ALEX LASRY INDIVIDUAL $2,000
SEIU WISCONSIN HEALTHCARE & SERVICE WORKERS STRONGER TOGETHER PAC $2,000
RON SADOFF INDIVIDUAL $2,000
DON & MARY JO LAYDEN INDIVIDUAL $2,000
DOUGLAS M HAGERMAN INDIVIDUAL $2,000
BROWNE GREENE INDIVIDUAL $2,000
SUSAN LUBAR INDIVIDUAL $2,000
LYNDE UIHLEIN INDIVIDUAL $2,000
LISA ZETLEY INDIVIDUAL $2,000
GERALD WHITHEAD INDIVIDUAL $2,000
DEBRA KATZ INDIVIDUAL $2,000

This article first appeared on The Badger Project and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Comments

  1. Mingus says:

    Some member of the Joint Finance Committee anonymously killed a purchase by the Wisconsin Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund for the iconic Cedar Gorge Clay Bluffs near Port Washington because some unnamed builder wanted to develop the area. I would think that this developer would have approached a local members of the Joint Finance Committee to have this purchased halted. The optics of such transaction would indicate that there could have been a quid pro quo. Since Joint Finance Committee decisions are done in secret, the public will never know. A reasonable person would conclude that Duey Strobel knew what has happening and did nothing to stop it raising questions about an inappropriate relationship between a member of the committee and the developer. Duey needs to tell the truth and let his constituents know what actually happened.

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