Peter Barca, a former Democratic congressman from southeast Wisconsin in the 1990s, recently announced his candidacy for Congress against Republican incumbent Bryan Steil, who is seeking a fourth term. The 1st Congressional District of Wisconsin, previously represented by Paul Ryan, has become more competitive due to new boundary lines adopted in 2022. Barca’s political background includes previous terms in Congress and leadership roles in the state Assembly, making him a well-known candidate in the upcoming election.
Barca’s decision to run for Congress again comes as Democrats nationally target Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District, hoping to regain majority control of the House. The only other competitive district in Wisconsin is the 3rd Congressional District held by Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden. With Republicans currently holding six of Wisconsin’s eight congressional seats, Barca’s candidacy is an important move for Democrats in the state. National Democrats are expected to support Barca’s campaign, making him the first well-known Democrat to officially enter the race.
In response to Barca’s announcement, the Steil campaign criticized him for allegedly prioritizing his political career over the needs of Wisconsin families in the past 40 years. The campaign cited Barca’s opposition to a 2016 bill that would have banned sanctuary cities, as well as a vote he cast in 1993 for a budget bill in Congress that raised the gas tax. The National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson also labeled Barca as a “sacrificial lamb” with outdated policies that do not align with the interests of Wisconsinites.
Barca’s political history includes serving in the state Assembly from 1985 to 1993 before being elected to Congress. After losing his congressional seat in 1995, Barca was appointed by former President Bill Clinton to serve as Midwest regional administrator to the U.S. Small Business Administration. He later returned to the Assembly in 2008 and served as Democratic minority leader from 2011 to 2017. Notably, Barca was a key figure during the fight over collective bargaining rights in 2011, organizing a filibuster lasting more than 60 hours in an attempt to block a bill that limited collective bargaining for public workers.
Barca’s tenure as minority leader faced criticism from fellow Democrats over his support for a $3 billion incentive package for Foxconn, a Taiwanese manufacturing company that planned to build a massive facility in his district. Due to internal disagreements within the Democratic party, Barca ultimately stepped down as minority leader in 2017. He later served as secretary of the state Department of Revenue under Governor Tony Evers before resigning last month. Despite controversies and challenges throughout his political career, Barca’s decision to run for Congress again reflects his ongoing commitment to advocating for working families and addressing issues facing residents of Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District.
