RACINE, WI – Mitchell Berman announced that he has been named an Unrig Washingtoncandidate by End Citizens United, a leading national anti-corruption organization, in the race for Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District.
Berman joins more than 300 candidates across the country committed to rejecting corporate PAC money, supporting a ban on congressional stock trading, and cracking down on dark money in politics.
“Folks are tired of watching billionaires and big corporations buy off our politicians and drive up the cost of living for the rest of us. We deserve a representative in Congress who works for us, not for wealthy donors,” said Mitchell Berman. “In Washington, I’ll pass a real ban on congressional stock trading – one that actually bars members of Congress from owning stocks and enriching themselves in office.”
The announcement comes as Bryan Steil faces mounting criticism over his efforts to preserve stock trading loopholes for members of Congress. Steil’s net worth has more than doubled since he was first elected, and his stock portfolio had the fourth largest gains of any member of Congress. Steil’s bill lets members of Congress and their families continue owning individual stocks and buying shares through dividends, while also placing zero restrictions on the White House.
“I’m challenging Congressman Bryan Steil to join me in supporting a true ban on congressional stock trading,” said Berman. “If he doesn’t, the voters will have an opportunity on November 3rd to put an end to Steil enriching himself on the taxpayers’ dime.”
A poll by End Citizens United showed that “80% of voters believe Washington has serious problems that need fixing” and “a majority say reducing corruption should be a top priority for Congress.”
“Mitchell Berman has spent his career taking care of patients while career politicians like Bryan Steil protect the status quo,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “By taking the Unrig Washington pledge, Mitchell proves that he’ll never sell out or become part of the culture of corruption that’s broken Washington.”
A recent poll by House Majority PAC shows Berman leading Steil, 48-47, after a DCCC Analytics poll the week before showed the race dead even. Earlier this month, Berman released a new ad in which he slams Steil for more than doubling his net worth while in Congress.
About Mitchell Berman
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 “Red to Blue” district by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The district 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, and Justice Chris Taylor carried the district by ~20 points in April 2026.
Learn more at BermanForCongress.com.
