2024 Wisconsin State Legislature Voter Guide: Assembly District 53

This is part of The Recombobulation Area and Civic Media’s 2024 Wisconsin State Legislature Voter Guide. Read the first part of the series, “New Board, New Game,” here. See the full district-by-district breakdown of the Wisconsin State Senate here. See the comprehensive Voter Guide here.

D: Duane Shukoski

R: Dean Kaufert

The 53rd is a new district in the Fox Valley, and being an open seat in a swingy party of the state means this is bound to be highly competitive. This district now includes Neenah and Menasha, along the northwest of Lake Winnebago. 

The Democratic candidate here is Duane Shukoski, who worked for nearly four decades at Kimberly-Clark, as part of the union and later as Environmental Coordinator at three plants. This is his first time running for elected office.

He’ll face Republican Dean Kaufert, who has a wealth of political experience. He served in the State Assembly from 1991 to 2015, and was the mayor of Neenah from 2014 to 2022. He’s also the owner of The Dome, a sports bar in Neenah. WisPolitics reported that Robin Vos was lobbying Kaufert to come out of retirement and run for this seat. Kaufert was one of the few Assembly Republicans to vote against the controversial Act 10. 

While the math suggests this is a pick-up opportunity for Democrats, Kaufert’s political experience in the region suggests he might have certain advantages in a campaign like this. 

CNalysis: Lean D (FLIP)

• Proj. margin: D+8

Modeled 2022 outcome: D+6.8