National organization supports Berman in Democratic primary
RAYMOND, Wis. – Today, Defend The Vote endorsed emergency room nurse Mitchell Berman for Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District, recognizing his commitment to cracking down on corruption in Washington to make life more affordable for Americans.
“Mitchell Berman is ready to take on the corruption in Washington that’s driving up costs and squeezing families,” said Defend The Vote Executive Director Brian Lemek. “While Mitchell will work to unrig the system, Bryan Steil is literally leading the effort in Congress to block millions of people from voting and empower corporate lobbyists and billionaire donors. We’re proud to stand with Mitchell, and we look forward to helping Mitchell win in November.”
“Our leaders should work to serve the American people and protect democracy, not stoke division and infringe on our ability to make our voices heard,” said Berman. “I’m running for Congress to give representation back to working class folks across our community and address our challenges: fixing the health care system, tackling the affordability crisis, and ending corruption in Washington. Democracy is built on our right to vote and I’m honored to have Defend the Vote’s support in this race.”
When corporate lobbyists write the rules, families pay the price. Costs rise, wages stall, and power concentrates at the top. Berman will fight to rein in special interests and advance anti-corruption reforms to restore accountability in Washington. He’ll defend the right to vote and support legislation like the Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to ensure political power belongs to the people.
Steil has used his position as Chairman of the House Administration Committee to push bills that would block eligible American citizens from voting, bring more dark money into politics, and spread irresponsible and dangerous lies and misinformation about our elections.
Defend The Vote and Defend The Vote Action Fund launched a $14 million cycle plan last year to support their respective missions, with DTV working to elect pro-democracy candidates and DTV Action Fund focused on pro-democracy issue advocacy.
DTV supports candidates through direct donations, fundraising support from its pro-democracy donor network, independent expenditures, issue briefings, message guidance and research, and on the ground and in-state campaign support.
Last cycle, it helped elect 108 pro-democracy candidates, 75% of the candidates it endorsed.
Born and raised in a one-stoplight town in rural Wisconsin, Mitchell Berman learned the values of community, integrity, and hard work from his parents. He was the first in his family to graduate college, working three jobs and taking out student loans to earn his degree. Determined to build a life through grit and perseverance, not privilege, he started working at age 12 and became a union member while in college. Berman is an emergency room nurse who has served veterans at the VA for more than a decade. A devoted husband and father, he’s running for Congress to put people over politics, and to fight for Wisconsin families.
The First Congressional District is one of the most competitive in the country, and has been named a “District in Play” by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. It encompasses Janesville, Kenosha, Racine, Beloit, Elkhorn, Whitewater, and the Milwaukee suburbs of Cudahy, St. Francis, and South Milwaukee. In 2024, Donald Trump carried the swing district narrowly with just 51 percent of the vote. In both the 2023 and 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court elections, Justices Janet Protasiewicz and Susan Crawford won the district handily by 6- and 6.5-point margins, respectively. The primary election will take place on August 11, 2026, with the general election on November 3rd. Learn more at BermanForCongress.com.