By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

Following the 2020 U.S. Census, state redistricting resulted in changes to both the Senate and the Assembly district assignments for the City of Whitewater. In fact, the city was split into two new Assembly districts, being divided by the Jefferson/Walworth County line. This redistricting appears to have played a major role in the city being represented on the state level by only Republican legislators for the first time in a decade. During that time the city was in Assembly District 43, which was served by Democrats Andy Jorgensen (2013-17) and Don Vruwink (2017-23). The city was represented for even a longer consecutive time by Democrats in State Senate District 15, including Judy Robson (1999-2011), Tim Cullen (2011-15), and Janis Ringhand (2015-23.)

Steve Nass (R) will represent Whitewater, which is now in State Senate District 11. Nass defeated Steven J. Doelder (D) by 44,967 to 32,083 votes.

Ellen Schutt (R) will represent the Walworth County portion of Whitewater in the State Assembly, District 31, having garnered 14,704 votes versus the 10,134 favoring Whitewater resident Brienne Brown (D).

Scott Johnson (R) will represent the Jefferson County portion of Whitewater in the State Assembly, District 33, having beaten Don Vruwink (D), who represented the entire city since 2017. Johnson received 13,709 votes vs. Vruwink’s 13,462. Vruwink previously served in District 43, but the redistricting that took place after the 2020 census resulted in his residence being located in District 33 instead of 43.

Bryan Steil (R) will represent the Walworth County portion of Whitewater in the U.S. Congress, District 1, having received 162,562 votes to Ann Roe’s (D) 135,788. The entire city was in District 5 until the recent redistricting.

Scott Fitzgerald (R) will continue to represent the Jefferson County portion of Whitewater in the U.S. Congress, District 5, having received 243,719 votes to Mike Van Someren’s (D) 134,562.

Ron Johnson (R) was reelected to the U.S. Senate by a slim margin, 1,336,873 to Mandela Barnes’ 1,310,451. Effective January, 2023 the only Democrat representing Whitewater in the state or federal legislatures will be Senator Tammy Baldwin.

Whitewater has been a popular target during redistricting.  The city had been in the Congressional 1st district and was represented by Les Aspin from 1971-93 until he was appointed Defense Secretary by President Clinton in 1993.  The city was moved to the 2nd Congressional district after the 2000 census and represented by Tammy Baldwin. After the 2010 census the city was moved to the 5th Congressional district and represented by Jim Sensenbrenner. The city has now come full circle as most of it is back in the First Congressional district. 

Meanwhile, Whitewater resident Dave Gerber (R) was elected Walworth County Sheriff, successfully besting a write-in campaign by his primary opponent, Craig Konopski, by a vote of 34,889 to 3,382.