Alderman Peter Burgelis Exploring Run For Congress
But not for the district you would expect.
Peter Burgelis speaks at a January 2023 press conference. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Milwaukee Alderman Peter Burgelis is exploring trading Wedgewood Park for Washington, D.C.
Burgelis, according to a source familiar with the discussions, is being recruited to run for Congress by a prominent Democratic insider.
The first-term alderman would enter the Democratic primary for the 1st Congressional District, currently represented by Republican Bryan Steil.
The 1st District, as of November 2025, leans R+2, but liberal state Supreme Court candidate Chris Taylor won the district as part of her statewide rout.
Burgelis would immediately be the most prominent Democrat in the race, but other candidates are already in the running.
Nurse and Racine Democrat Mitchell Berman, according to newly released fundraising figures, leads the field. He reported raising $209,000 in the most recent fundraising period and has $141,000 on hand.
Other Democratic candidates in the race include Whitewater school board member Miguel Aranda, ironworker Randy Bryce and former Racine emergency services director Lorenzo Santos.
The eventual Democratic nominee is likely to be outspent by Steil in the November general election. The incumbent, first elected in 2018, has a $5.6 million war chest.
With control of the U.S. House of Representatives up for grabs, the race could be heavily affected by outside spending if Democrats ultimately decide it is a flippable district. The 3rd District race between incumbent Republican Derrick Van Orden and repeat challenger Rebecca Cooke is already drawing substantial attention and fundraising.
In running, Burgelis would need to recruit voters outside his southwest-side aldermanic district. The city of Milwaukee is not part of the district.
The 1st Congressional District includes all of Racine and Kenosha counties, most of Walworth County, the eastern part of Rock County and the southern part of Milwaukee County. It includes the Milwaukee County suburbs of Cudahy, Franklin, Greendale, Hales Corners, Oak Creek, South Milwaukee and St. Francis.
He would not need to move. State law requires that congressional representatives live in Wisconsin, but not in their district. The district, subject to a battle over gerrymandering, could also be redistricted to include his Jackson Park home in a future election.
Burgelis, 47, also would not need to give up his seat to run for Congress. Council members are elected on a nonpartisan basis every four years. The next election is April 2028.
The council member hasn’t formally entered the race yet, but didn’t dismiss the idea when asked.
“Families and seniors in the first Congressional district are struggling with affordability and they don’t have anyone in Congress standing up for them,” said Burgelis to Urban Milwaukee. “I’m thinking about it and will make a decision in the near future.”
An outspoken legislator, Burgelis is the vice chair of the Finance & Personnel Committee and the Public Safety & Health Committee. He has been an influential figure on policy matters, including the city budget. His budget amendments have increased funding for road repairs and the Milwaukee Fire Department.
Burgelis has also led pushes to adopt the popular People’s Flag as the official city flag and regulate trampoline placement with an eye on safety. Following a deadly May 2025 fire, he has led the push to improve safety regulations at the city level. The alderman is also an active member of the Licenses Committee.
He was first elected to the council in 2024 after serving a single term on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. He previously ran for the Common Council in the pandemic-altered 2020 race.
Burgelis was the first openly LGBTQ member of the county board and the second such member of the Common Council.
He previously worked as a mortgage lender at U.S. Bank and owned a restaurant in Louisville. Burgelis earned a degree in political science from the University of Louisville.
A first-generation Latvian American, Burgelis previously led Latvian Center Garezers in Michigan.
Several Democrats have previously attempted to unseat Steil and his predecessor, Paul Ryan. Steil defeated Peter Barca in 2024, Ann Roe in 2022, Roger Polack in 2020 and Bryce in 2018, with Roe coming closest with 45.1% of the vote. The last Democrat to hold the seat was Barca, from 1993 to 1995.
The primary is scheduled for Aug. 11.
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