A Democratic candidate for Congress in Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District says she was uninvited from the party’s district convention after a string of inflammatory social media posts defending Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad.
Katrina DeVille, a transgender Democratic Socialist, posted a video to Facebook confirming party organizers rescinded her invitation following backlash over her remarks. When asked by a supporter why she was banned, DeVille responded by saying that she is too “spicy” for 8th District Dems.
At the center of the controversy are DeVille’s comments responding to Bangstad’s widely criticized “free beer the day Trump dies” promotion. In a Facebook post, DeVille wrote that she would “raise a glass and breathe a big sigh of relief the day he’s gone,” adding she “wouldn’t be lying” about that sentiment. DeVille had previously posted that the assassination attempt at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner was staged.
The 8th District Democratic Party has not publicly explained its decision, but removing a candidate from a district convention is unusual and suggests unease within party ranks as candidates compete in a contested primary.
The situation has also drawn criticism of the party itself. Democrats have made transgender rights and visibility a central part of their platform, yet in this case, a transgender candidate says she was barred from participating in a key party event. DeVille’s campaign manager, Emma Embers, posted the following response to the 8th District Democrats’ decision to bar the candidate from speaking at their convention:
The Democratic establishment has chosen the path of cowardice in the face of fascism once again in banning our candidate from our CD convention…Katrina DeVille is a fighter who will always tell it like it is and never bow to the fascists in power.”
DeVille has also aligned herself with state Rep. Francesca Hong, collecting nomination papers on Hong’s behalf and describing her as having “the same heart and drive” as her own campaign.
Her campaign messaging emphasizes a confrontational approach. In campaign materials, DeVille says she is willing to “fight with her life” and is “ready to die on this hill.” DeVille has made support for “gender-affirming care” for minors a focal point of the campaign.
The episode highlights tensions within the Democratic Party as it balances its activist base with broader electability concerns. With the primary still taking shape, the fallout could offer an early glimpse into divisions that may define the race.
DeVille is one of four Democrats currently running for Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District. The winner of the August 11th primary will face Republican Tony Wied in the general election.
