Assembly District 4 or 6 could have saw incumbent pairings that could lead to a primary battle. Let’s examine the candidates in these fights. UPDATE: Republicans will see a primary battle in both the 4th and 6th Assembly Districts, while Democrats will have a primary only in the 4th Assembly District.

Battlefield Locations:

AD4: Howard, Suamico, Sobieski, Abrams, Pensaukee, Oconto, Stiles, Oconto Falls, Lena, Spruce, Cullen, Oak Orchard and Little Suamico.

AD6: Clintonville, Shawano, Bonduel, Keshena / Kesiqnaeh, Neopit / Neyopet, Gillet and Suring.

Elijah Behnke (R – ‘on the move’)

The current incumbent in District 89 is Rep. Elijah Behnke (R-Oconto). He was drawn into the 4th District and it was previously reported he plans to run in the newly drawn 6th Assembly District forcing a primary election against the current incumbent Rep. David Steffen.

Behnke took office after a special election win when Rep. John Nygren retired. Behnke is active on his campaign facebook page and has publicized fund raising events. One of his latest posts indicates a big announcement coming up on April 30th? I am pretty sure it was not intended to be a April 20th announcement, because that date came and went, much like another session without Behnke helping reform the marijuana laws in Wisconsin.

Behnke did request more information back in 2018 and provided this brief chat message back regarding marijuana legalization: “Shouldn’t be opening up people to bad habits! But medical is an option.”  Activists in his district say his lack of knowledge on the subject is evident and they believe he does not care.

Behnke was not a co-sponsor of the 2021-22 Republican medical marijuana bill and repeated his performance with a no show on the 2023-24 controversial GOP medical marijuana bill. In fact, when asked about the GOP medical cannabis proposal, Behnke told Fox 11 News “We in Wisconsin have enough bad habits already,” said State Rep. Elijah Behnke, R-89th District. “I just don’t know if we can legalize another one.”

Behnke says he has concerns about abuse, safety, exposure to youth and cracking the door for full marijuana legalization.

“At this time, because police and sheriff’s departments don’t have technology to, like, do a quick on the side of the road, ‘Are you high or not?’ I’m not an amendment away from a yes,” said Behnke when asked if there was anything that could get him on board with medical marijuana legislation.

It is hard at this point to consider him a friendly Republican at this point in his career.

Elijah Behnke (R) is running for the 6th Assembly against Peter Schmidt in the August Primary.

Who gives a Schmidt?

Peter Schmidt (R – Bonduel)

Rep. Elijah Behnke, R-Octonto, originally told WisPolitics he planned to run for the 4th AD. But he now has an April 30 announcement on his new plans, and WisPolitics has reported he’s targeting a run in the 6th. source The 6th Assembly District is right next door to the 4th, but there is a problem there also, the 6th is currently occupied by Republican Peter Schmidt. The campaign facebook page Friends of Peter Schmidt is active, but not so much in re-election mode it seems.

In August 2022, Peter Schmidt (R-Bondeul) faced two primary challengers who both supported full legalization.

As a Representative for the 6th Assembly Peter Schmidt held a few listening sessions in the spring of 2023. Sparse attendance marked the first two listening sessions, but marijuana legalization was one of the topics brought up by an cannabis activist in the district. Schmidt said he is in favor of marijuana being legalized for medical purposes but not for recreational use. “My district won’t support full legalization,” Schmidt said during the Shawano listening session. “The reason why law enforcement is against legalizing marijuana is it’s being laced with other drugs, including fentanyl.” source

Schmidt ended the session as an original co-sponsor of the controversial GOP medical cannabis bill in 2024. Schmidt pitched the bill pretty hard when he had the chance. Schmidt stressed that the Republicans are not seeking to legalize marijuana, which he defined as the smokeable variety, but instead the cannabis that can be distributed by other methods, including gummies, concentrates, oils, tinctures and pills.

“A lot of the people don’t understand that if we allow private pharmacies disperse the medical cannabis, they can get sued or taken to federal court,” Schmidt said. “We don’t want that.”

“Medicine should not cost an arm and a leg, and it should not be profits over the patient,” he said. The state will be selling it at cost, he noted. “We’re not making money,” Schmidt said. “Other states allow private businesses in the medical cannabis, and then they profit it and have a sales tax, and that encourages people to cut corners.” source

“That’s where some of the confusion is,” Schmidt said during a phone interview Jan. 12. “The media is always saying its medical marijuana, and this bill is focusing on the cannabis part. When people think of the word ‘marijuana,’ they’re thinking recreational or the smoking of it. We’re focusing on the medical properties of cannabis.”’

He went on to say this on May 27th, 2024: The view of many Republicans is that marijuana in any form should remain illegal, even though it’s legal in medical and/or recreational uses in Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan, leaving Wisconsin as an island, and the incumbent feels the legislature should be listening to the people who need the cannabis for health reasons.

“That shows I’m listening to the constituents,” Schmidt said. “A lot of people are not in favor of big pharmaceutical companies monopolizing the medical field, and this gives constituents that needed option, but there are too many people afraid to say that they need medical cannabis, especially in my district.”

Up Schmidt Creek

Schmidt noted he is still censured by the county conservatives, even though he won the election, and he said he’s fine with that, because he believes partisan politics is what’s keeping things from being done at the state and federal levels.

Schmidt won his primary election by only 71 votes and the guy who came in second, Dean Neubert later ran as a write in the general election and took 15% or 4,050 votes.

Shirley Hinze (D-Shawano)

A late entry to the 6th Assembly District Race is Shirley Hinze from Shawano. Hinze was secretary of American Legion Auxiliary 492, on the board of the Harbor Advisory Commission in Marquette, Michigan, a Boy Scout leader and a Sunday School teacher. She was a stay-at-home mom for 12 years and a school health volunteer.

As of 6/18 she did not have an active campaign facebook page or website.

There are 99 state Assembly seats and 16 state Senate seats on the ballot this November. The ACLU of Wisconsin sent a questionnaire to all candidates to gauge their positions on access to contraception and IVF, classroom censorship, marijuana legalization, and more. They posted their results on August 21st.

We are not surprised that she answered YES to the ACLU question: Do you support the legalization, regulation, and taxation of marijuana for recreational use by adults 21 and over in Wisconsin?

Now onto the 4th Assembly District

David Steffen (R – Green Bay)

The Incumbent in Assembly District 4 is Rep. David Steffen (R-Green Bay) and he has not yet formally announced his re-election campaign.

Current state law requires incumbents who do not plan to seek re-election to file a declaration with the Wisconsin Elections Commission that formally affirms that they will not seek re-election two weeks before the deadline to file nomination papers. The deadline for 2024 is May 24th. It seems if Behnke is willing to move, Steffen is safe from a potential primary.

Elected in 2014, when previously asked about reforming marijuana laws in 2018, Steffen said “The topic of universal access to marijuana has been met with strong concerns and opposition from those who deal with this issue on a daily basis, namely those in our health care community, law enforcement officers and educators. Until there is a consensus from those on the front line of this issue in Wisconsin, I will not support this initiative.“

Although Steffen was not a co-sponsor of the 2021-22 or the 2023-24 Republican medical marijuana bills, he was often quoted and seemed to defend the controversial GOP medical cannabis proposal submitted late in the the 2024 legislative session. One could say he was the local pitch man for the bill as it was rolled out and Rep. Steffen had several statements that made the main stream media outlets.

He says this bill will address very specific conditions in a specific way to provide some relief to cancer patients and those who suffer from PTSD. “You can expect that for specific, specific and limited number and type of conditions, individuals will be able to get a prescription for a non-smokeable type of marijuana, so there will not be any combustible options available, and they will also be provided through state-operated dispensaries,” said Rep. Steffen. source

He suggested that the bill would allow only incredibly limited access, stating: “If we’re going to let the genie out of the bottle, we’re going to try to control that as much as possible.” “We’re taking a very limited step into these waters,” said Steffen. source

Steffen was also quoted on why the GOP Assembly bill failed to even draw a companion bill in the Senate. “Types of dispensaries. The Assembly wanted to ensure that they were actually government run. The Senate was not entirely up for the idea,” Steffen said.

SIDE NOTE: The controversial medical cannabis legislation Robin Vos (R) authored this session was co-authored by Rep. Clint Moses. This legislation maybe in play in the Assembly, but the Republican Senate has yet to file any version of medical cannabis. Both houses need to pass identical legislation to become law. Assembly Bill 1040 was assured a public hearing a floor vote by Robin Vos and he sent his bill to the Assembly Committee Health, Aging and Long-Term Care that is Chaired by Rep. Clint Moses. Once again Robin Vos and Republicans offer false hope and lied to to the sick, dying and disabled patients of Wisconsin that could have benefited from the therapeutic use of medical cannabis.

“There is no support in Republican caucus to expand to recreational marijuana,” State Representative David Steffen said. “However, the medical community has responded as well as veterans and those who are dealing with cancer.” Steffen said that’s to limit who can access the drug and for what reasons. Still, the debate isn’t slowing down. source

The topic of legalization of marijuana for adult use comes up during the unveiling of any medical marijuana bill and state Republicans like David Steffen, have made it clear — that won’t be happening any time soon. “This will under no circumstances be a step in the direction of recreational marijuana,” Steffen said. “That will not be happening in Wisconsin..” source

Darwin Behnke (R-Oconto)

Late entry to challenge Steffen (R) in a primary is Darwin Behnke from Oconto. He has a personal facebook page as his campaign account. Contacted 6/18

 Darwin Behnke, the father of GOP state Rep. Elijah Behnke, tells WisPolitics he’s trying to gather signatures to run for the 4th AD, the seat his son is leaving to run for another district.

If Darwin Behnke, a 62-year-old mechanic, is anything like his son, marijuana reform is probably not on his radar screen and I will not count on this guy for support in ending prohibition.

Jane Benson (D – Suamico)

Benson challenged Behnke in 2022 and this election could very well be a rematch unless Behnke does run in the 6th and leaves the seat to Steffen. Benson is definitely running for the 4th Assembly District Seat against whoever the GOP puts up against her.

Jane Benson told us “I am pro-marijuana legalization, both medical and recreational” and people from the district confirm it! Pro cannabis constituents are very pleased with the work Benson is doing on the campaign trail and appreciate her support on the issue of marijuana legalization.

Follow the Benson for Assembly Facebook Page for up to date information on this candidate and what she is doing in the district. A quick visit to her campaign website is all that is required to learn a little more about Jane Benson.

Alexia Unertl (D-Suamico)

Late comer to the 4th Assembly District race but made the filing deadline is the Democrat Alexia Unertl from Suamico.

Alexia and I chatted about the issue and she shared this with me: “I want to make it very clear that I am not only in favor of full legalization, but I also support Medicaid expansion, so the medicine Wisconsinites desperately need is not only accessible but also affordable. In addition, I would also support criminal justice reform regarding cannabis-related charges. This would include releasing and clearing the records of any individual serving time or who is currently on paper for possession of cannabis. In addition, we must work to reform treatment options for those who struggle with dependency on pharmaceutical prescriptions as well as appropriately classify Schedule 1 drugs. In many cases, jail is not the place for recovery and withdrawals could potentially be a death sentence. Economic-related advantages to legalization aside, there’s no reason for a safe pain killer (with extremely minimal side effects compared to Tylenol) to be criminalized during an ongoing opioid epidemic.”

Campaign Facebook Page: Alexia for Wisconsin

Stay tuned and get active!

I will provide you additional 2024 Wisconsin State Election coverage throughout the campaign season. This next election is extremely important for marijuana reform and I will continue to bring you information as more candidates make their political moves.

In the event that we end up with divided government in the 2024-25 legislation session, the official formation of The Wisconsin Cannabis Caucus would be a must first step towards reform. The official establishment of this Caucus will represent the growing, bipartisan support in Wisconsin.

Although session as ended we still urge you to contact your elected officials. The top four action alerts are still functionable on The Wisconsin Cannabis Activist Action Network for you immediate use.

Sources: CNanalysis, WisPolitics, Davesredistircing, PeoplesMaps, WEC Candidate Tracking