Former Menasha Common Council member Rebecca Nichols is running as a Democrat for Wisconsin’s open 53rd Assembly District. She faces Republican David Daniels of Neenah and independent Rachael Dowling of Menasha in the November 3 general election. Incumbent Republican Dean Kaufert is not seeking reelection.
Nichols served on the Menasha Common Council from 2013 to 2025 and on the Winnebago County Board of Supervisors from 2022 to 2024. She ran unsuccessfully for Menasha mayor in 2020 against incumbent Don Merkes and again in 2024 against Austin Hammond.
In June 2023, the Menasha Common Council deadlocked 4-4 on a proposal to raise the next mayor’s starting salary to $80,000, a 14% increase from the existing $70,000. The salary would then rise 2.5% annually, reaching $86,151 by 2027-2028. Nichols voted in favor of the higher pay. Mayor Merkes broke the tie in favor of the increase, according to a June 26, 2023, report in The Post-Crescent.
State law prevented Merkes from receiving the higher salary unless he won reelection. He later chose not to run. The Post-Crescent reported in November 2023 that Nichols had already begun campaigning for the open mayor’s seat. She told the paper,
“I was planning to run for a long time. I have been actively fundraising and talking with folks since summer.”
Nichols advanced from the February 2024 primary but lost the April general election to Hammond by 102 votes, according to unofficial results. Hammond received 1,678 votes to Nichols’ 1,576. It was her second consecutive defeat in a Menasha mayoral race.
District 53 covers the greater Neenah-Menasha area and parts of Appleton in northeast Winnebago County and southern Outagamie County. It is considered to be one of the most competitive seats in the state.
Daniels, an Air Force veteran and owner of Radon Safe Homes and Compassion Homes, has listed lowering property taxes as a top priority on his campaign site. The 53rd District race is among several open seats that could shape control of the Wisconsin Assembly in 2027.
