Democratic nurse defeats Steil in Wisconsin district

Democrat Mitchell Berman is projected to defeat GOP Rep. Bryan Steil (R) in Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ .

Berman, a nurse working in the Veterans Health Administration, will be the first Democrat to represent the southeastern Wisconsin district since former Rep. Peter Barca (D-Wis.), who left office in 1995.

The Cook Political Report had rated the race as leaning toward the incumbent as of late October.

Berman campaigned on making healthcare more affordable, backing unions and cracking down on “corruption” in Washington, D.C.

The Democrat supports reversing cuts to Medicaid under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Trump signed into law last year. He also backs banning members of Congress, the president and the vice president from owning or trading stocks while in office.

By virtue of his defeat to Berman, Steil will depart the lower chamber after four terms. The chair of the House Administration Committee succeeded former Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) in representing the 1st Congressional District , which covers Kenosha and Racine counties, along with parts of Walworth, Rock and Milwaukee counties.

Once he takes office in January, Berman will become the third Democrat in Wisconsin’s eight-member House delegation, joining Reps. Mark Pocan and Gwen Moore.