Wisconsin Democrats are set to elect the first transgender woman to the state Legislature this fall. 

Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford won a five-way Democratic primary to succeed state Rep. Francesca Hong in the deep blue 76th AD.

The 76th is one of several safe Assembly districts where partisan primaries are expected to determine who represents the district in the Legislature.

A Madison City Council member, Martinez-Rutherford defeated state legislative policy director Isaia Ben-Ami, former Madison alder and legislative staffer Juliana Bennett, musician and community organizer Tony Castañeda, and independent journalist Zoe Sullivan. 

She is set to face Nina Chat in November to represent the district, which includes Madison’s downtown and east side and is one of the most liberal in the country. Chat, who ran unopposed for the Republican nomination, has raised just $200. 

Martinez-Rutherford, on the other hand, led fundraising among Dem candidates and benefitted from some $30,001 in outside spending by the pro-LGBTQ+ Fair Wisconsin PAC.

Elsewhere, Union Grove Village President and electrician Steve Wicklund has bested Walworth County Board Chair Rick Stacey in the GOP primary for the 33rd AD, retiring Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ district.

Wicklund outraised and outspent Stacey by threefold and picked up endorsements from prominent state legislators like retiring Sen. Van Wanggaard, of Racine, and Reps. Amanda Nedweski of Pleasant Prairie and Bob Wittke of Caledonia. 

Vos did not endorse a candidate for the seat, which is expected to stay red.

In other races:

*Dairy farmer Kevin Krentz has won a four-way GOP primary for the 57th AD, west of Oshkosh, to succeed Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Kevin Petersen, who endorsed Krentz. Krentz will face Dennis D. Degenhardt, who ran unopposed for the Dem nomination, in November.  

*West Bend resident Bernie Newman has won the GOP primary for the 58th AD, besting Washington County Board Supv. Chris Bossert. Newman is set to face Democrat Jack Holzman, a retired teacher, in the general election. 

*Brookfield small business owner Amy Zimmerman was ahead in the Dem primary to succeed state Rep. Robyn Vining, D-Wauwatosa, who is running for the state Senate. Zimmerman led Milwaukee attorney David Sanchez by just under 300 votes in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. The winner of that race will face former Wauwatosa Common Council member Mike Morgan in November. 

*UW-Madison Extension Prof. Bill Oemichen led a three-way primary for the 50th AD, which covers Green County and parts of southwestern Dane County. As of 11:56 p.m., Green County was experiencing a server issue that impacted the county’s ability to report election results. Oemichen is running against corrections nurse Bryna Caves and U.S. Cellular employee Josh Mitness.