Rep. Elijah Behnke announces bid for 6th Assembly District, setting up Republican primary

OCONTO - State Rep. Elijah Behnke, R-Oconto, has announced his candidacy for the 6th Assembly District, switching from his current 89th District.

Behnke's announcement would set up a Republican primary on Aug. 13 between him and the 6th District's incumbent, Rep. Peter Schmidt of Bonduel.

Behnke has served the 89th district since he won a special election in April 2021 and was reelected to the district in 2022.

In the recent redistricting, Behnke was drawn into the 4th Assembly District, which had similar borders to the 89th District, pairing him with District 4's incumbent Rep. David Steffen, R-Howard. Steffen is seeking his sixth term for the 4th district.

District 4 used to cover Howard, Allouez and Ashwaubenon and now covers Howard, Suamico and Oconto Falls. And District 89 used to run along those northern communities on the bay but now it covers Ashwaubenon and western parts of Green Bay.

Behnke told the Press-Gazette in an interview Friday that his family recently made a decision to move into a smaller home in a more rural area.

He previously told the Press-Gazette in February he planned to run in the 4th District, but his family made the decision to move to the town of Morgan, which better aligns with their rural lifestyle and is in the 6th District.

"Once the maps were settled, I wanted to represent a rural area," Behnke told the Press-Gazette. "I find it easier to relate to the people in the (redrawn) 6th than the (redrawn) 4th."

Assembly District 6 includes municipalities on the western edge of Oconto County with areas in Brown, Menominee, Shawano, Outagamie and Waupaca counties.

Currently, no Democratic challengers have made a bid for the 6th District. Potential candidates have until June 3 to turn in nomination papers to secure a spot on the ballot. Assembly candidates must gather between 200 and 400 signatures.

Behnke told the Press-Gazette, that representing the 89th district was "one of the highest honors of (his) life," but he is excited to meet the people of the 6th District he hopes to represent.

Sophia Voight covers local government and politics in the Fox Valley for The Post-Crescent. She can be reached with feedback and story tips at svoight@postcrescent.com.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: State Rep. Elijah Behnke announces candidacy for 6th Assembly District