U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil and Democratic challenger Mitchell Berman meet today for a radio debate at 10 a.m. at WCLO in Janesville, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Programming director Tim Bremel moderates. The debate airs on WCLO AM-1230 and FM 92.7 and streams on the station’s website, YouTube, Facebook, and the Big Radio app.
Steil, a Janesville Republican and former aide to Paul Ryan, first won the seat in 2018. He defeated Randy Bryce 54.6 percent to 42.3 percent. He won reelection in 2020 with 59.3 percent against Roger Polack, in 2022 with 54.0 percent against Ann Roe, and in 2024 with 54.0 percent against Peter Barca. Steil seeks a fifth term in a district that has been Republican for more than 30 years and covers Racine and Kenosha counties plus parts of Walworth, Rock, and Milwaukee counties.
Steil holds a large cash advantage. Federal filings show he ended September with about $4.2 million on hand after spending more than $2.9 million in the latest period. Berman, an emergency room nurse from the Town of Raymond, finished September with roughly $338,000. Berman narrowly outraised Steil in contributions from late July through September, but Steil’s overall resources remain far larger. National Democrats added Berman to their Red to Blue program.
Recent public polls show the race within one point. A House Majority PAC poll had Berman at 48 percent and Steil at 47 percent. Earlier surveys showed the race tied or Steil leading by one. Cook Political Report moved the district from Likely Republican to Lean Republican. Berman’s campaign has focused on costs, health care, and Steil’s votes, while Steil’s side emphasizes his record and Berman’s positions.
Heartland Post reporting on Berman is likely to surface. One story detailed records from the 2015 Ashley Madison data breach linking Berman’s Yahoo email to an account with a $268 transaction on Feb. 24, 2015, and a $19 charge on March 26, 2015. Berman married his wife Jillian in January 2015. His campaign confirmed the accounts and attributed the activity to his 20s and night-shift work. A separate 2016 Adult Friend Finder breach also tied the same email to an account active into October 2016.
Another Heartland Post report covered a September 2023 incident at Raymond School. After dropping off his kindergarten daughter, Berman demanded public records at the school office. Superintendent Michael Garvey had him escorted out. The school then entered a multi-day modified soft lockdown that barred visitors, restricted outdoor recess, and scheduled bathroom breaks. The action coincided with anonymous threats against school board members and a mailed threat involving the superintendent’s family. Garvey told families the lockdown was taken “out of an abundance of caution and to avoid any further distractions from learning” and was “not based on a threat to our students.” Berman later led recall efforts against board members.
Another angle that might arise is some of Berman’s campaign ads. The ads show him with shotguns, a Glock, gun cases, and children on ATVs while presenting as a rural Wisconsin sportsman. The NRA highlighted statements in which Berman claimed to support the Second Amendment while backing red flag laws and limits on high-capacity magazines. The district includes significant rural areas where those issues draw attention.
Steil’s consistent margins and fundraising edge form the baseline for the race. Berman’s primary win and national support have made the contest more competitive than in prior cycles. Today’s debate gives both candidates a chance to address those records directly before the November 3 election.
