Voters across northern Wisconsin will head to the polls Aug. 11 to choose party nominees for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, setting up the race to replace incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is stepping down to run for governor.
The district covers 26 counties across northern and central Wisconsin. With an open seat, both Republicans and Democrats feature competitive primary slates.
Five candidates are seeking the Republican nomination in the district:
Michael Alfonso: Alfonso, 26, is an accountant and former podcast producer for The Dan Bongino Show who grew up in Land O’ Lakes and now resides in Hayward. A graduate of UW-Madison, he has worked in construction and concrete industries. He is also the son-in-law of former U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, who represented the district from 2011 to 2019.
Running with the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, Alfonso’s campaign centers on reducing federal spending, lowering energy and housing costs, and securing the southern border. He has also called for reforms to worker visa programs to protect domestic wages and advocated for policies aimed at creating high-paying jobs for young workers in northern Wisconsin.
Niina Baum: Baum, owner of a Rhinelander marketing agency, was raised on a small dairy farm in Price County.
She positions herself as a moderate conservative centered on preserving the rural character of northern Wisconsin. Her key priorities include countering the loss of small family farms, lowering health insurance costs, and supporting small-business investment across rural communities.
Jessi Ebben: Ebben is a public relations executive and marketing specialist from Stanley with multi-generational family farming roots in the region.
Her campaign focuses heavily on rural economic growth and domestic energy. Ebben advocates for expanding traditional energy production to curb inflation and freight costs, deregulation for agricultural producers, and targeted economic support for family farms.
His platform emphasizes strict fiscal discipline in federal budgeting, strong national defense, and expanded support for veterans. Hermening also focuses on small-business growth and local governance, citing his private sector and school board experience as preparation for Capitol Hill.
Donald Raihala: Raihala, a Superior resident who works in home construction, is making his fourth bid for the congressional seat.
His platform centers on working-class economic issues, including housing availability, skilled trades development, and domestic manufacturing support.
Three candidates are competing for the Democratic nomination on the Aug. 11 ballot:
Chris Armstrong: Armstrong, an IT consultant and Amery native, holds a degree from the University of Minnesota.
His platform focuses on ethics reform, voting rights, and government transparency. On economic and social policy, Armstrong advocates for expanding access to healthcare, lowering prescription drug prices, and establishing paid family leave programs for working families.
Fred Clark: Clark served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 2009 to 2015 and brings a professional background in forestry, natural resources, and conservation management.
His primary campaign focuses on natural resource protection, sustainable forestry, and rural infrastructure. Clark’s platform highlights expanding high-speed broadband access, funding roads and bridges, and advancing clean energy development tailored to northern Wisconsin’s economy.
Ginger Murray: Murray is a practicing attorney raised in northern Wisconsin who has served as city attorney in Crandon and family court commissioner for Forest and Oneida counties.
Her candidacy focuses on rural community stability, with an emphasis on addressing healthcare access shortages and preventing regional hospital closures. Murray’s platform also highlights support for rural public school funding, affordable childcare, and middle-class tax relief.
Polling places across the district will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Voters must present an approved photo ID to cast a ballot.
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