MADISON–Assembly Republican leadership recently announced the committee makeup for the 2025-2026 legislative session. While Democratic representation increased in the state legislature, Republican leadership reduced Democratic seats on committees. In response to Wisconsinites losing committee seats, Rep. Vining released the following statement:
“In the absence of Republican-gerrymandered maps, Assembly Democrats won 10 additional seats in the State Assembly–45 of the 99 seats–a significant shift that clearly reflects Wisconsinites’ eagerness for the legislature to work together to find common ground for the common good.
“I am terribly disappointed to see Republican legislative leadership immediately greet Wisconsin’s bright new return to a more fair democracy with hostility and penalty. This eclipse of Wisconsinites’ right to be represented on legislative committees–committees that debate the state’s laws and how the state spends money–appears to be a vindictive swing by Republican legislative leadership.
“When Republicans removed Democrats’ committee seats, they removed the People’s seats. These seats don’t belong to us personally, or to the Democratic party, they belong to the people of Wisconsin–and Wisconsinites deserve to hear their voices on legislative committees.
“It appears if the Republicans can’t rig the maps, they’ll rig the committees, once again showing their refusal to respect the voice of the people. This is not the bright new day Wisconsinites deserve.
“There is far more that unites us than divides us, and it’s that unity that I believe is key to our being a healthy state. One of the most repeated refrains I have heard from my constituents over the last 6 years is, ‘Please work together’, and I think that is a fair expectation. The People of Wisconsin do not want to see these vindictive and partisan games–they want to see us work together!
“Wisconsinites deserve representation, and I look forward to my Republican colleagues pushing back on their leadership and demanding better for the people they represent. May we spend our time in committee working to find common ground for the common good so that we can move Wisconsin forward, together.”
