Mark Scheffler announces run for 8th Congressional District

APPLETON, WIS. (WISS) – Mark Scheffler officially announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District last week.

Running as a Progressive Democrat, Scheffler, who is the retired owner of Appleton Wealth Management Group, pledges to run a different kind of campaign.

 ”People’s politics today are resentment and fear, and anger and loathing and poison, and those aren’t my politics at all,” he said.

One way he says his campaign will be different is that it will be free from corporate PAC money, special interest influence, and party machine funding.

“People in the 8th Congressional District are like a lot of people in the country. They’re just sick of the partisanship. They’re sick of the partisan politics. And the thing that I hear time and time again from Republicans–I hear this all the time– They will elect someone that they can trust,” Scheffler said. 

“And I know this for absolute certainty. The moment I take party money is the moment that that entire side of the congressional district recognizes that they just can’t trust my objectivity. Politicians talk all the time about representing everybody. You can’t represent everybody if you’re under the thumb of your political party or if you’re under the thumb of someone who has contributed millions of dollars to your congressional campaign.” 

Scheffler has pledged to commit to a budget of $5 per voter. That works out to about $2.1 million in total. And he said 90 percent of all funds will be spent locally in the district. This includes hiring a local campaign manager, using in-district vendors for campaign materials, and organizing events that are rooted in the local communities of Northeast Wisconsin.

Scheffler’s platform is built on a ‘prosperity economy’ grounded in economic, social, and environmental sustainability. 

“ I’m a progressive Democrat, but I’m a progressive in the same sense that one of the great politicians in Wisconsin history, Bob La Follette, was a progressive. I’m a progressive in the same way that Teddy Roosevelt was a progressive. I’m interested in moving us forward. And that’s not about moving left or moving right. The Wisconsin motto, after all, is ‘Forward,” said Sheffler. “And I think the best way to do that is to have progressive policies, policies that help conservatives and Democrats alike.

Scheffler emphasized that winning the Congressional district will require building broad coalitions and has committed to reaching across the political divide for support.

“One of the things that I talk a lot about is reshaping our national politics to be more reflective of the values and virtues of the good people of Northeast Wisconsin. All of us,” Scheffler said. “I don’t see that the national politics is really respectful and is civil. And so that’s one thing that I really want to change. And I really want to reshape the Democratic Party to be much more like the people of Northeast Wisconsin. I want to help nudge the Republican Party to be a lot more like the people of Northeast Wisconsin as well!”

Scheffler resides in Appleton and has lived in the Fox Valley for over 30 years. He’s a lifelong Wisconsin resident and a retired business owner. 

Sheffler is not the only Democrat running for the 8th Congressional District. Rick Crosson, a former Green Bay Area Public School District Board Member, also announced his campaign in August. 

The winner of the Democratic Primary on Aug. 11, 2026, will face 8th CD Incumbent Tony Wied, who last week told a local television station that he will seek reelection. 

However, Scheffler said he is not running against anyone or anything. He is running for the people.

“ I’m not running against Rick Crosson. I’m not running against Tony Wied. Those politics have to end. I’m running for the seat, and if I’m called by the people of the 8th Congressional District, I’ll answer that call,” Scheffler said.

The 8th Congressional District covers all of Green Bay and Brown, Calumet, Door, Kewaunee, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, and Waupaca Counties, and parts of Winnebago County.