Sen. Van Wanggaard Won’t Seek Reelection

Van Wanggaard. Photo from Wisconsin Blue Book.

Sen. Van Wanggaard, a longtime Republican lawmaker from Racine County and one of the Legislature’s most recognizable conservative voices, has announced he will not seek reelection in 2026, opening a competitive seat in southeastern Wisconsin and marking the end of a political career shaped as much by personal adversity as by policy fights in Madison.

Wanggaard, who represents the 21st Senate District, has been a fixture in state politics for more than a decade. He was first elected in 2010, was successfully recalled in 2012 as part of the Act 10 recalls, and then reclaimed the seat in 2014. Since returning to the Capitol, he has steadily risen in influence within the Republican caucus, chairing the powerful Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee and taking a leading role on criminal justice and law enforcement issues.

Before entering politics, Wanggaard built a career in public safety, serving as a police officer in Racine County. That experience, and a life-altering injury sustained when a federal fugitive broke his neck and damaged his spinal cord, became central to both his personal story and political identity. He frequently framed his legislative work through a public safety lens, advocating for tougher sentencing laws, victims’ rights, and policies aimed at reducing crime.

His announcement blends that long-running public service narrative with a deeply personal explanation for stepping aside. Wanggaard cited his age — he would be 78 at the end of the next term — and a series of family health challenges in the past four years, including the loss of three siblings, a daughter’s stage 4 cancer diagnosis and a brother’s heart attack and dementia. “My head is telling me it’s time to retire,” he said.

At the same time, his statement underscores the ideological battles that have defined his tenure. Wanggaard sharply criticized Democrats in his announcement.

“I have seen the extreme ideas Democrats have been trying to normalize the last few weeks locally and statewide throughout the session. Ideas that have been proven to be disasters elsewhere,” said Wanggaard. “More than $7 billion in new spending for special interests and government — not the people. Giving power to bureaucrats, forcing costly regulations which will drive up costs for families. Thinking the answer to making things more ‘affordable’ for families is fixed by creating more ‘free’ government programs all paid for by taxes on those same families and employers, driving costs up further. While he wasn’t talking about affordability, President Reagan was right. ‘Government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.'”

Wangaard’s opposition to government programs and his support of Act 10, which slashed public union rights and compensation brought him criticism for “hypocrisy,” as Wangaard worked for 29 years as a police officer, getting union wages and benefits. He retired from that position and earned an annual pension of about $33,000, as Urban Milwaukee reported in 2012. (The total would have risen since then.). This made Wangaard a “double dipper” from Wisconsin governments, collecting that pension along with a salary of $60,924, plus daily expense reimbursements (per diem) of up to $171 for every day the Legislature was in session. He has also earned a second pension for his 14 years as a legislator that should exceed $13,000 per year.

The 21st District includes the north half of Racine County and the southwest corner of Milwaukee County. The district stretches into the southwest edge of Milwaukee, overlapping with Assembly District 61, currently held by Bob Donovan.

Democrat Trevor Jung, the City of Racine transit and mobility manager, has already declared for the Senate seat. He can now run without the disadvantage of going against an incumbent.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin is already targeting the seat as a potential flip target.

Analysis by Marquette University Law School researcher John D. Johnson determined the district, based on its post-2024 redistricting boundaries, leaned 1.2% towards Democrats in the 2024 presidential election, 2.2% towards Democrats in the 2024 U.S. Senate election and 10.7% toward the liberal candidate in the spring 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court election.

The heavily redrawn 61st Assembly District, held by Donovan, is also a flip target and is one of the six closest battleground seats in the Assembly, according to Johnson’s analysis.