MILWAUKEE - Republican State Rep. Jessie Rodriguez defeated Democrat challenger David Marstellar in the race for Wisconsin's 21st State Assembly District.
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Rodriguez has represented the district since 2013 and most recently defeated Democrat Nathan Jurowski in 2022 to retain the seat.
Marstellar won the August partisan primary with no challenger.
New district maps
Gov. Tony Evers signed new Wisconsin legislative district maps into law in February. Those maps – used for the Wisconsin Senate and Wisconsin Assembly races – are in place for the November election.
Democrats tried unsuccessfully for more than a decade to overturn Republican-drawn maps. In December 2023, the Wisconsin Supreme Court – having flipped to a liberal majority of justices – ruled the existing maps were unconstitutional.
Evers, a Democrat, proposed the maps that are now law. Republicans who control the state Legislature passed the maps to avoid having the liberal-controlled state Supreme Court draw the lines instead.
Headed into the election, Republicans hold a supermajority in the Wisconsin Senate. They are very close to a supermajority in the Assembly, too, where they hold a 30-seat majority.
Reaction and statements
David Marstellar
"I want to thank everyone who has supported this campaign - all the volunteers, the folks who answered their doors, and my family and friends. This campaign was not about me, but about our shared vision for the future.
"Although we came up short, I am honored to have earned the trust of so many community leaders, neighbors, and new friends. I want to congratulate Jessie Rodriguez and wish her the best of luck representing us in the Assembly.
"I was given a second chance at life and I was proud to use it to get to know people across this community. The results were not what we wanted, but there is still more work to be done. Thank you again to everyone in this work."