WISCONSIN — Today the Working Families Party announced its first round of endorsements for the 2022 spring election cycle. The grassroots political group’s endorsements highlight a slate of progressive challengers fighting for bold changes in their communities: Kierstin Hueslemann for Dane County Supervisor, District 27, April Kiyega for Dane County Supervisor, District 15 and Eric Rorholm for Milwaukee County Supervisor, District 3.
These first-time candidates are working mothers and community leaders who have lived experiences with the issues they’re fighting for. They’ve pledged to shift resources away from policing and invest in housing, education, jobs and infrastructure, fight for progressive taxation and bold action on climate, voting rights and healthcare access. The WI WFP is also proud to support Working Families elected champions Alder. Joe Maldonado for Fitchburg Alder (District 1, Seat 2) and Supervisors Ryan Clancy (District 4) and Steven Shea (District 8) for Milwaukee County Supervisors. WI WFP is also excited to back Supervisor Heidi Wegleitner for Dane County Supervisor (District 2) and Supervisor Sarah Smith for Dane County Supervisor (District 24) for re-election.
“I am so excited to be a Working Families Party candidate,” said Kierstin Huelsemann, WFP candidate for Dane County Supervisor of District 27. “Their commitment to transformative changes that build communities and center working families and those historically excluded from political processes is right in line with why I am running for Dane County Board of Supervisor of District 27. I am honored that WFP is supporting me and grateful to be a WFP champion.”
“I’m honored to receive the endorsement from the Wisconsin Working Families Party,” said April Kiyega, WFP candidate for Dane County Supervisor, District 15. “As someone who has experienced many injustices within the system, it is refreshing to be supported by an organization that aims to repair harms and end systemic racism, support workers, families and small businesses, address the inequities that were brought to light by the pandemic and more. I am looking forward to working with WI WFP on these and many other issues.”
“I’m proud to be a WFP candidate,” said Eric Rorholm, WFP candidate for Milwaukee County Supervisor, District 3. “WI WFP members and activists have been on the ground fighting for the things our communities want and deserve — real public safety, affordable housing, bold climate action and a government that works for our neighborhoods, not the wealthy and well-connected. I’m excited to get to work with WFP on building a Milwaukee that works for the many, not the few.”
“I am always excited about local spring candidates, but even more so our first round of 2022 WFP champion candidates,” said Priscilla Bort, organizer for the Wisconsin Working Families Party. “They are committed to public education, housing as a human right, and transparency, just to name a few. Wisconsin will be a more fair state because of their leadership.”
The Working Families Party is a grassroots political party that recruits, trains, and elects the next generation of progressive leaders to office. In 2021, WI WFP’s endorsement of Mandela Barnes gave a big boost to the former WFP leader, and WI WFP activists and staff ran statewide get out the vote efforts to elect a slate of progressive candidates in Milwaukee, Madison and Racine. In 2020, WI WFP ran a massive volunteer-driven get out the vote effort, where dozens of WFP members and activists came together from across the state to help elect President Joe Biden. Over the course of three months, the WI WFP collected 95,000 commitments to vote from voters across the state — nearly quadruple Trump’s margin of victory in Wisconsin for 2016, and helped protect Gov. Evers’ veto in the state legislature.
Previously, the Party helped elect Gov. Tony Evers and WFP Board Member and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, and swept the MPS elections — a victory that served as a mid-point for an incredible progressive winning streak for the WFP in local elections across America. The WI WFP then went on to pass the MPS referendum and win key seats in the April election.
