State’s ‘Whitest’ Districts Tend to Elect GOP Legislators

January 15, 2018

As Wisconsin and the nation prepare to honor civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., a review of U.S. Census data shows Wisconsin residents elect Republican legislators in districts with the highest percentage of white residents, and Democrats in districts with the highest ratio of non-white residents.

In the state Senate, which has 33 legislative districts, Republicans represent nine of the 11 districts with the largest proportion of whites, ranging from 92.5 percent to about 95 percent. Meanwhile, Democrats were elected in nine of the 10 senate districts with the smallest proportion of white residents, ranging from 23.4 percent to about 86 percent. (See Tables 1& 2).

In the state Assembly, which has 99 legislative districts, Republicans represent 29 of the 30 districts with the largest proportion of whites, ranging from about 93 percent to 96 percent. Meanwhile, Democrats were elected in 21 of the 30 assembly districts with the smallest proportion of white residents, ranging from about 15 percent to 84.6 percent. (See Tables 3 & 4).

According to the 2010 Census, “Wisconsin’s population is about 83% white, 6% black, 6% Hispanic, 2% Asian, and 1% American Indian. Individuals of other and multiple races make up less than 2% of Wisconsin’s population.”

Wisconsin’s minority populations are largely concentrated in the state’s only major urban area – Milwaukee.

As a result, 27 of the 33 Senate districts have populations that are more than 80 percent white, and 13 of those districts are more than 90 percent white.

In the Assembly, 81 of the 99 districts are more than 80 percent white, and 52 of the 99 districts are more than 90 percent white.

Table 1
Senate Districts With Largest White Population

Legislator	Senate District	Party	% White	% Non-White
Howard Marklein	17	R	94.9	5.1
Terry Moulton	23	R	94.4	5.6
Sheila Harsdorf*	10	R	94.2	5.8
Duey Stroebel	20	R	94	6
Frank Lasee*	1	R	93.4	6.6
Luther Olsen	14	R	93.3	6.7
Tom Tiffany	12	R	92.8	7.2
Scott Fitzgerald	13	R	92.8	7.2
Kathleen Vinehout	31	D	92.6	7.4
Patrick Testin	24	R	92.5	7.5
Jennifer Shilling	32	D	92.5	7.5

*Recently resigned

Table 2
Senate Districts With Smallest White Population

Legislator	Senate District	Party	% White	% Non-White
LaTonya Johnson	6	D	23.4	76.6
Lena Taylor	4	D	27.6	72.4
Tim Carpenter	3	D	40.2	59.8
Robert Wirch	22	D	62.7	37.3
Fred Risser	26	D	76.2	23.8
Mark Miller	16	D	78.4	21.6
Chris Larson	7	D	82	18
Dave Hansen	30	D	82.5	17.5
Roger Roth	19	R	83	17
Janis Ringhand	15	D	85.8	14.2

Table 3
Assembly Districts With Largest White Population

Legislator	Assembly District	Party	% White	% Non-White
Travis Tranel	49	R	96	4
Rob Swearingen	34	R	95.7	4.3
Rob Summerfield	67	R	95.7	4.3
Lee Nerison	96	R	95.7	4.3
Joel Kitchens	1	R	95.4	4.6
Todd Novak	51	R	95.4	4.6
Warren Petryk	93	R	95.4	4.6
Mary Felzkowski	35	R	95.1	4.9
John Nygren	89	R	95	5
Bob Gannon*	58	R	94.6	5.4
Romaine Quinn	75	R	94.6	5.4
Adam Jarchow	28	R	94.5	5.5
Kevin Petersen	40	R	94.5	5.5
John Spiros	86	R	94.5	5.5
Rob Stafsholt	29	R	94.3	5.7
Sondy Pope	80	D	94.3	5.7
Keith Ripp**	42	R	94	6
Robert Brooks	60	R	94	6
Chuck Wichgers	83	R	94	6
Shannon Zimmerman	30	R	93.9	6.1
Bob Kulp	69	R	93.9	6.1
Cindi Duchow	99	R	93.8	6.2
Kathy Bernier	68	R	93.7	6.3
Jesse Kremer	59	R	93.5	6.5
Nancy VanderMeer	70	R	93.3	6.7
Ed Brooks	50	R	93.2	6.8
John Jagler	37	R	92.9	7.1
Joel Kleefisch	38	R	92.9	7.1
Mark Born	39	R	92.8	7.2
Andre Jacque	2	R	92.7	7.3

*Recently passed away. **Recently resigned.

Table 4
Assembly Districts With Smallest White Population

Legislator	District	Party	% White	% Non-White
JoCasta Zamarripa	8	D	15.2	84.8
Leon Young	16	D	22.2	77.8
Jason Fields	11	D	22.6	77.4
Evan Goyke	18	D	23.4	76.6
David Crowley	17	D	24.6	75.4
David Bowen	10	D	27.6	72.4
Fred Kessler	12	D	32.4	67.6
Josh Zepnick	9	D	33.4	66.6
Cory Mason*	66	D	47.8	52.2
Tod Ohnstad	65	D	65.2	34.8
Daniel Riemer	7	D	70.3	29.7
Jimmy Anderson	47	D	70.8	29.2
Terese Berceau	77	D	71.9	28.1
Lisa Subeck	78	D	75	25
Peter Barca	64	D	75.2	24.8
Melissa Sargent	48	D	75.9	24.1
Mark Spreitzer	45	D	78.3	21.7
Christine Sinicki	20	D	78.9	21.1
Chris Taylor	76	D	81.7	18.3
Dan Knodl	24	R	82.1	17.9
Jonathan Brostoff	19	D	82.3	17.7
Ken Skowronski	82	R	82.4	17.6
Scott Allen	97	R	82.7	17.3
Jeremy Thiesfeldt	52	R	83	17
Eric Genrich	90	D	83	17
Thomas Weatherston	62	R	83.2	16.8
John Macco	88	R	83.7	16.3
Patrick Snyder	85	R	83.8	16.2
Terry Katsma	26	R	84.1	15.9
Tyler August	32	R	84.6	15.4

*Recently resigned.