Steil, Barca at odds on big issues in race for Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District

Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District has been in Republican hands for nearly 30 years. Now, with the help of a new congressional map, the last Democrat to hold the seat is trying to win it back.

Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil of Janesville currently represents the southeast Wisconsin district. He’s facing off against Democrat Peter Barca, who represented the district from 1993 to 1994.

The district, which was also held for 20 years by former U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, stretches west from Lake Michigan along the southeastern corner of the state. It includes Kenosha and Racine counties, the majority of Walworth County and parts of Rock and Milwaukee counties. 

Ryan got as high as 68 percent of the vote when he ran for the seat. But the new map, which was drawn by Gov. Tony Evers and approved by the state Supreme Court in 2022, adds Democratic areas around Beloit and Janesville, while losing a portion of Waukesha County — which typically votes Republican. 

In 2022, the first election under the new district lines, Steil got 54 percent of the vote. But the district was closer in other contests. In the race for governor, Democrat Tony Evers received 49.3 percent of the vote compared to 49.5 percent for Republican Tim Michels. 

The race may be more competitive, but it will still be challenging for Democrats to defeat Steil, given the district’s slight Republican lean and his status as an incumbent.

Two recent polls, one from a liberal group and the other from a conservative group, both show Steil leading Barca.

In interviews with WPR, both candidates discussed the U.S.-Mexico border, lowering costs for families and abortion as issues they’re focused on. A recent Marquette University Law School poll also found those were the top three issues for voters this fall.

Why they’re running

Steil, who was first elected to office in 2018, said he’s running for reelection to “get our country back on track.” 

“I’m running because there’s a lot of work to be done,” Steil said. “I think we have the policies that are available to us if we’re successful in this election.” 

Steil, 43, spent time working in the manufacturing industry before he ran for office. The Janesville native serves as the chairman of the Committee on House Administration and also sits on the House Financial Services Committee. 

Barca announced his bid for the seat in April. It came after he stepped down as the secretary of Wisconsin’s Department of Revenue. 

Barca, 69, served for nine terms as a representative in the Wisconsin State Assembly. That included a stint as Democratic minority leader before he stepped down from that role in 2017.

The Kenosha resident said he’s running to bring an end to the dysfunction in Congress.

“Virtually everybody I talk to agrees we have a do nothing, dysfunctional Congress,” Barca said. “And it’s an embarrassment to this country.” 

Steil says immigration, inflation top issues

Steil said his focus has been on securing the U.S.-Mexico border and lowering costs for Americans. 

“We need to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, because the unsecure U.S.-Mexico border is having a real impact in our community and our communities across Southeast Wisconsin and across our state,” Steil said. 

Regarding the cost of living, Steil blamed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ administration for prices being so high, suggesting there had been “reckless spending” under their watch. 

“So many families can’t afford the things that they need,” Steil said. 

To lower costs, Steil said he wants to control spending at the federal level, address the “massive burden” of regulations from the Biden-Harris administration and “unleash American energy,” which he claimed would lower inflation. 

“If we control our spending, if we work to bring down costs, families will once again be able to afford the things that they need, and we can get our country back on track,” Steil said.

Barca said he wants to see a bill passed to stop the flow of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border after the U.S. Senate failed to pass a border security bill earlier this year. 

“We need a bipartisan deal,” Barca said. “We need it now. We can’t afford to wait.” 

When it comes to the cost of living, Barca said he wants to lower drug costs and make daycare more affordable for families. 

“We need to do more to rebuild the middle class and make things more affordable,” Barca said.

Barca also said he supports tax breaks for the middle class.

“So when tax cuts are focused on the middle class, that trickles much more through the economy, that helps small businesses to thrive, people then can afford to repair their roof or buy a new refrigerator,” Barca said.

Barca says he’ll protect abortion rights, Medicare, Social Security

Barca has attacked Steil on the issue of abortion, while pledging to support abortion rights if he’s elected.

“Protecting people’s freedoms, you know. Protecting reproductive freedom for women,” Barca said. “My opponent’s an extremist on this issue.”

Steil told WPR he supports allowing abortions in limited circumstances.

“Me, personally, I’ve always held the exceptions and reasonable exceptions (for abortion) for rape, incest and the life of the mother,” Steil said.

Steil also said he doesn’t believe federal funds should be used for an abortion.

Barca said if he’s elected, he’ll protect the Affordable Care Act and other government safety net programs.

“I also ran because I know that Social Security and Medicare are at risk,” Barca said. 

Barca’s campaign launched an ad against Steil, saying that Steil said he was “proud” to be part of a group that was looking to “gut” Social Security and Medicare.

Steil is part of a group of Republican members of Congress who’ve called for spending cuts to balance the budget, but Steil said he’s committed to protecting Medicare, Social Security and benefits for veterans. 

Both candidates said they’d work across the aisle if elected. Barca said he’d be a “bipartisan type of legislator,” while Steil said he’d “dive in and work across the aisle to get things done.”

The Bipartisan Index from the Lugar Center, which “measures the frequency with which a Member co-sponsors a bill introduced by the opposite party and the frequency with which a Member’s own bills attract co-sponsors from the opposite party,” ranked Steil fifth out of Wisconsin’s eight U.S. House members when it comes to working across the aisle.

Money has been flowing to the district. Barca reported raising about $910,000 between July 25 and Sept. 30 and $1.8 million since the election cycle started, according to his most recent report filed with the Federal Elections Commission. Steil reported raising about $849,000 in the most recent fundraising period but $5.2 million since the election cycle began. Steil had significantly more money in the bank as of Sept. 30 — about $3.2 million compared to $98,000 for Barca.