Mark Spreitzer
State senator
Democrat
Beloit
Elected Experience
Wisconsin State Senate (2023-Present); Wisconsin State Assembly (2015-2023); Beloit City Council (2011-2015)
Q&A with the Candidate
Why should voters elect you?
I have a proven track record of fighting for the priorities of the 15th District, providing excellent constituent services, and showing up to public events to meet people where they are. I’m running for re-election because there is more work to be done, and I am already a legislative leader on many of the most pressing issues facing our district, including housing, AI and data center regulation, supporting our family farms, and reducing the burden of property taxes. I serve as the Senate Democratic Caucus Chair and am in a position to play a lead role in a Democratic majority. We must tackle the high cost of child care, health care, housing, and everyday necessities while providing targeted tax relief to seniors and working people.
What is the top issue in your district? How would you address it?
The cost of everyday goods and services is going up, and too many people feel priced out of child care, health care, housing, and other necessities. At the same time, big tech companies are moving quickly to deploy AI and build data centers across our communities before we have time to put guardrails in place. I would continue to expand access to child care by subsidizing both parents and providers and partnering with businesses. I would expand access to affordable health care by creating a public option for people to buy into insurance through the state and cracking down on prescription price gouging and insurance denials. I would crack down on AI algorithmic price gouging that is raising the price of consumer goods and services.
How should Wisconsin government operate differently than in the past?
We need sustainable long-term solutions to our biggest challenges, especially funding and staffing for critical services. We need to diversify local funding and reduce reliance on property taxes. We need to modernize our school funding formulas and ensure public school funding keeps up with inflation to end the cycle of districts having to go to referendum to raise property taxes for basic needs. We need to address funding gaps for transportation and natural resource management as past revenue streams haven't kept up with modern needs. We need to update state law to recognize the need for shared services and increased collaboration in providing fire and EMS service. We need to adequately staff our state agencies so they can be proactive in responding to emerging needs.
What is your favorite fun Wisconsin history fact?
Wisconsin was the first state in the country to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, all the way back in 1982, and signed into law by Republican Gov. Lee Sherman Dreyfus. We were also the first state in the country to elect an openly LGBTQ+ person to Congress who was already out when first elected, sending Tammy Baldwin to the U.S. House in 1998. As a gay man, I’m proud to serve in a state that has led on issues of equal rights. However, Wisconsin has since fallen behind, relying on U.S. Supreme Court decisions to allow for same-sex marriage and to bar discrimination against transgender people. I’m proud to have authored bills to update our LGBTQ+ equality laws and lead once again.