The five Democratic hopefuls vying for the Assembly seat that covers much of the Isthmus and the city’s east side participated in a forum Wednesday night answering questions on subjects ranging from data centers and housing affordability to funding Wisconsin’s education system.
The Democratic candidates in the running are Democratic legislative aide Isaia Ben-Ami; former Madison alder and legislative chief of staff Juliana Bennett; social worker and WORT show host Tony Castañeda; Madison Ald. Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford; and journalist Zoe Sullivan.
Whichever Democratic candidate wins in the Aug. 11 primary will face Republican challenger Nina Chat. Though, according to the Wisconsin State Journal, Assembly District 76 has never been represented by a Republican, meaning this race will be more or less decided in the primary.
The 76th Assembly District is a safely liberal seat currently held by gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong, who all five candidates endorsed during the forum.
Overall, the Democratic candidates largely agree on policy issues but diverge slightly when it comes to achieving their mission.
