Republican Elijah Behnke will continue to represent the 6th Assembly District for the next two years even as the Wisconsin Legislature will be dominated by Democrats for the first time since 2010.
Behnke, R-Angelica, was able to retain 63.9% of the overall vote Nov. 3 in a district that includes all of Menominee County, most of Shawano County, a good chunk of Oconto County and slivers of Outagamie and Waupaca counties. Behnke received 15,894 votes, compared to the 8,980 votes that went to Shirley Hinze, a Shawano Democrat who failed for a second time to gain a seat that is engulfed in GOP country.
Hinze did win Menominee County, receiving 910 votes to 246 for Behnke. Hinze won 778 of her votes from Keshena, while also getting 132 votes out of 138 in the race in Neopit.
However, Shawano and Oconto counties were much larger counties, and Behnke handily won in both of those counties.
In Shawano County, Behnke received 8,934 votes to 4,802 for Hinze. Behnke won most of the municipalities in the county, with the exception of the Town of Bartelme, where he only received 72 votes to Hinze’s 246; the Town of Red Springs, where the vote was 164-244; and Bowler, where each candidate received 55 votes.
Over in Oconto County, Behnke won by an almost 3-to-1 margin, gaining 3,029 votes compared with 1,144 for Hinze. Behnke won all the municipalities, with the largest margin being in the Town of Gillett, where he received 415 votes, while Hinze only got 97.
Fewer voters in the district cast ballots this year compared with 2024. In Oconto County, Behnke got 4,200 votes that year compared with 1,317 for Hinze. Shawano County cast 11,918 votes for Behnke two years ago versus 5,713 for Hinze, while Menominee County case 1,132 votes for Hinze, while Behnke received 321.
Behnke will be entering his fourth term in the assembly, although it’s his second in the 6th Assembly District after legislative maps were redrawn a few years earlier.
During his campaign, Behnke said he didn’t see the need for data centers for everyday life while saying they were a necessary evil for the U.S. Department of War. He pushed for keeping open enrollment and voucher programs for the state’s schools.
Behnke campaigned on returning the surplus to property owners through tax relief and also help local communities get more money through shared revenue through the state. He recommended a moratorium on the state gas tax to help reduce fuel prices and recommended schools cut down on student technology use before age 12 while vowing to restore the public’s faith in government.
In a phone interview Nov. 4, Behnke said he is pleased to serve another term but is apprehensive about his effectiveness being in the minority in the Assembly.
“I’m kind of sad for the team, but I did expect to win,” Behnke said. “I’m glad I was right about my assumptions.”
He noted there were only 46 safe seats for Republicans in this race, and when it came to districts that were toss-ups, the GOP didn’t win any. Republicans were blamed for national issues, he said.
“I’m thinking inflation and gas prices are every-couple-of-day reminders about where the economy is at, and you see the prices and how you fill up,” Behnke said. “That extra $20 or $40 per fill-up is etching away at your disposable income that you could spend on other things. People are just frustrated with the economy. I think that’s always No. 1. People vote with their pocketbooks.”
Behnke said he was appreciative of voters’ confidence in him, especially as he was in the midst of a big move during the general election season. He had been renting a home in the Town of Chase in Oconto County, but he was recently able to close on a home in the Town of Angelica in Shawano County.
“I’m honored,” Behnke said. “I enjoy being closer to the city of Shawano. It’s a 25-minute drive rather than a 45-minute drive. We trick-or-treated in my neighborhood, and they spoiled my kids, so that was adorable.”
One of Behnke’s priorities once the new legislative session is addressing medical testing on animals, particularly dogs. The case involving dozens of beagles in Dane County being subjected to medical experiments shows there’s a need for reform, he said.
“Wisconsin tends to follow along with federal guidelines on animal testing for different medicines and procedures,” Behnke said. “We want to update that to not include dogs and other household pets.”
Despite being in the minority, Behnke sees plenty of opportunity to reach across the aisle and work with Democrats on issues. One example he cited was the manufactured homes bill he sponsored so companies like North Country Homes in Bonduel have to deal with fewer regulations from the state compared to what stick-built homes deal with.
“Maybe we’ve got to fund the Department of Professional Services a little bit more to get them to sign my bill into law,” Behnke said. “I’m going to work on the exact same things.”
Hinze said she accepted the results of the election, although she’s concerned about whether residents of the 6th Assembly District will get proper representation under Behnke. She claimed Behnke has not been at any public meetings during his previous term, although she was at a town hall Behnke held in 2025 when the state was finalizing its biennial budget.
“The Democrats did what they had to do or set out to do with the trifecta in Madison,” Hinze said. “I’m very grateful for that, even though I didn’t win; but I do expect more from Mr. Behnke in this district than what he has provided before. Change doesn’t happen overnight.”
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
