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.