The Recombobulation Area is a 19-time 21-TIME! Milwaukee Press Club award-winning opinion column and online publication founded by Milwaukee journalist Dan Shafer.
The Nov. 3 election is coming up soon, and while the race for governor has drawn most of the campaign headlines here in Wisconsin — with good reason, in many cases — the race for control of the Wisconsin State Legislature is also an incredibly big deal, and will determine so much about the future of our great state. This is the first election in the state legislature where the gerrymandered maps are completely gone, with both the Senate and Assembly having all of their elections on new, fairer maps.
As we always do at The Recombobulation Area, we are previewing every last race on the ballot in the Wisconsin State Legislature — the 17 races happening in the State Senate, and the 99 happening in the State Assembly, along with the balance of power overall.
If you missed that when we published last week, you can find it all here.
I’m also adding something a little different this time. I’m making a few endorsements, and we are featuring each of these Recombobulation Area-endorsed candidates with a special podcast conversation.
In recent years, I have not typically endorsed specific candidates in specific races, but I’m making a few exceptions for people who I’ve gotten to know a bit over the years, and who I think very highly of — in their work and as people.
One of those people is Emily Tseffos. She is the chair of the Democratic Party of Outagamie County, she is an educator, a community organizer, and has been a contributor here at The Recombobulation Area — and is a terrific writer.
See some of her work here:
She also does a terrific job at reaching people on social media, in genuine and authentic ways. Democrats could really learn from her!
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Emily is now running for State Senate in District 19 located in the Fox Valley and parts of central Wisconsin. As a tireless advocate for the people of her community and someone with a unique understanding of both the little things and the bigger picture, Emily Tseffos would be an outstanding state senator and has our endorsement.
Find out more about her campaign here.
You can watch this conversation on The Recombobulation Area’s YouTube Channel here:
For a beat-by-beat breakdown, check out our topics and timestamps below:
01:38 Meet Emily Tseffos, running for State Senate in District 19
02:59 From Outagamie County chair to Assembly candidate to Senate run
03:41 Why door-knocking is the best part of campaigning
04:21 A big, sprawling district in the 19th
05:04 Getting through misinformation at the door
05:47 Planting seeds in a red district for the long term
07:08 District geography: Wautoma, Waupaca, Red Granite, New London
07:51 Unfulfilled campaign promises and how Republicans view Milwaukee/Dane Co.
08:31 Naming the “correct villain”: health care premiums and property taxes
09:15 Frustration with cultural-issue questions vs. kitchen-table costs
09:55 Finding common ground even with Republican voters
10:35 Sitting on doors for 20 minutes to really talk through issues
12:18 Surprised “bathroom safety” is still a doorstep topic
15:15 Campaign strategy: micro-targeted digital ads as “digital yard signs”
16:38 Welcoming the politically homeless without shame
17:23 Online hostility vs. real in-person conversations
19:26 Fox Valley “vibe check”: 40-some days out
20:46 Persuasion doors and drawing everything back to prices
22:09 Tariffs hitting agriculture, manufacturing, and small business
23:31 Political shifts across Fox Valley counties
24:11 More opportunities for Democrats to prioritize the Fox Valley
26:02 The big picture: stakes of 2027 and a possible trifecta
26:42 Priorities: public schools, utility costs, relief for working people
28:03 The Joint Finance Committee hurdle
28:44 Dan’s read on Democrats’ chances in the Senate and Assembly
29:27 Final thoughts and sign-off
Dan Shafer is an independent journalist from Milwaukee who writes and publishes The Recombobulation Area. He worked with Civic Media from 2024 to 2026. He’s written for The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Heartland Signal, Belt Magazine, WisPolitics, and Milwaukee Record. He previously worked at Seattle Magazine, Seattle Business Magazine, the Milwaukee Business Journal, Milwaukee Magazine, and BizTimes Milwaukee. He’s won 24 Milwaukee Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards. He’s on Twitter at @DanRShafer.
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Follow Dan Shafer on Twitter at @DanRShafer, at BlueSky at @danshafer.bsky.social, and on Threads at @danshafer.
