Democratic leaders in the Wisconsin Assembly are declaring war on two of their own members by challenging their nomination signatures and attempting to keep them off the ballot, the Heartland Post has learned exclusively.
Milwaukee Democrats Sylvia Ortiz-Velez and Russell Goodwin both face challenges to the nomination signatures they submitted to the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) ahead of the June 1 deadline to qualify for November’s election. Ortiz-Velez’s challenge was filed by Morgan Hess, the executive director of the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee (ADCC). Goodwin’s challenge was filed by his challenger with assistance from Hess and the ADCC, sources said.
This is highly unusual, as the ADCC exists to help elect Democrats to the Assembly and support their campaigns. Ortiz-Velez and Goodwin, however, have been targeted by Democrat leadership for months for occasionally voting with Republicans.
Earlier this year, Goodwin voted on a Republican bill banning biological males from participating in K-12 girls sports. Immediately afterward, Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer barred Goodwin from the Assembly floor so that he would not be able to vote with Republicans on the remaining bills dealing with transgender issues.
During the legislative session, Republicans highlighted Neubauer’s practice of keeping her members away from the Assembly floor so that they cannot vote on GOP bills and Ortiz-Velez confirmed that she, too, had been barred when it was learned that she would vote with Republicans.
A short time later, Ortiz-Velez was criminally charged with making threats to her fellow Assembly Democrats in a text thread that led Neubauer to revoke her access to the Wisconsin Capitol. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ office investigated and determined that there was no threat and restored Ortiz-Velez’s access the following day. Capitol Police, however, referred criminal charges against her to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, which charged Ortiz-Velez with disorderly conduct. She pleaded no contest and paid a $300 fine.
The charges were widely seen as highly political, as Ortiz-Velez has routinely voted with Republicans and has been a vocal critic of Democratic leadership, Neubauer in particular. She also faces a primary challenger supported by her party. Two other Milwaukee Democrats who have butted heads with Neubauer are also being prmaried: Priscilla Prado, who very publicly feuded with Ortiz-Velez and caused a major distraction last fall, and socialist Ryan Clancy, who has been trying to push leadership much farther to the left and openly questioned Neubauer’s leaderhsip.
Ortiz-Velez and Goodwin have until 5:00 pm Sunday evening to file affidavits responding to the challenges to their nomination papers or they will not qualify to run for re-election. Candidates for Assembly must submit a minimum of 200 valid signatures to qualify. WEC will make a final decision on ballot access next week.
