Contact (Karas): vote@petekaras.com | PeteKaras.com
Contact (Manske): Manskeandy23@gmail.com | AndyManske4Governor.com
MUSKEGO/FRANKLIN, Wis. — June 10, 2026 — Pete Karas, Wisconsin Green Party candidate for Secretary of State, and Andy Manske, Republican candidate for Governor, today jointly condemned a Facebook post by Republican Secretary of State candidate Jay Schroeder attacking Milwaukee Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa, a Democratic candidate for the same office, on the basis of her sexual orientation and ethnicity.
In the post, Schroeder urges supporters to help him “defeat” Zamarripa by identifying her not by her record or qualifications, but as a “self professed lesbian latino.”
“Let me be clear: JoCasta Zamarripa is my opponent too. I want to beat her in November — on ideas, on vision, on what’s best for Wisconsin,” said Karas. “But who she loves and where her family comes from have nothing to do with whether she’s fit to serve. Jay Schroeder is betting Wisconsin voters are as small as his post. They aren’t.”
“I’m a Republican, and I’m saying plainly: this is not the argument our party should be making,” said Manske. “Win on policy and ideas. A candidate who stoops to attacking someone’s race or sexuality instead of delivering for Wisconsin will be rejected by voters and they should be. Let that be a lesson to everyone in the Republican primary for Secretary of State.”
Manske added, “The post should come down, and an apology is not enough for me. If he makes the ballot, his anger puts every reform-minded Republican in this state at risk, including Tom Tiffany and me.”
The two candidates — from different parties, running for different offices — said they issued the statement together to make one point: rejecting bigotry in Wisconsin politics is not a partisan position.
“The Secretary of State serves all 5.9 million of us,” Karas said. “When a Green and a Republican can agree on something in an election year, you know it’s basic decency.”
Karas and Manske called on Schroeder to remove the post and on candidates of every party to denounce it.
Pete Karas is the Wisconsin Green Party candidate for Secretary of State and a former Racine City Alderman. Andy Manske is a Republican candidate for Governor and a medical service technician from Franklin.
Donate today at PeteKaras.com!
Every dollar helps. Every share helps. Every conversation with a neighbor helps.
We’re still standing. We’re still on the ballot. And we’re going all the way to November.
For democracy — real democracy,
– Pete
About Pete Karas
Pete Karas is the Green Party candidate for Wisconsin Secretary of State. He is a small business owner, a former member of the Racine City Council, a UW-La Crosse graduate, and a lifelong Wisconsinite. His campaign takes no corporate PAC money. Learn more at petekaras.com
