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Peter Barca Re-Elected To Lead State Assembly Democrats

Barca: Democrats Must Do 'Total Reassessment' After Election

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Wisconsin State Capitol
edward stojakovic (CC BY 2.0)

Rep. Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, has been re-elected as minority leader in the state Assembly.

Barca will lead Assembly Democrats as they face the largest Republican majority the state Assembly has seen in decades. When lawmakers return to the Capitol in January, there will be 35 state Assembly Democrats and 64 Republicans.

Barca first assumed the role of minority leader in 2011. He was uncontested in his re-election bid.

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After his re-election, Barca told fellow Democrats he was shocked by the results of last week’s election.

“You know, obviously, this was a gut-wrenching and just a shocking election,” he said. “I thought there would be a Trump wave. I just thought it would go the opposite direction.”

Barca said Democrats need to do a “total reassessment” and work hard to reconnect with working class voters.

“If working class people are not clear that their lot in life is better cast with Democrats than Republicans, as it seems is the case, we have some very serious re-analysis, some in-depth discussions, some grassroots efforts to explore how that could possibly be the case,” he said.

Barca also said he believes most Wisconsinites don’t like the direction the state is going.

Democrats chose their entire leadership team Tuesday. None of the races were contested. Rep. Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, was elected assistant minority leader, Rep. Mark Spreitzer, D-Beloit, as minority caucus chair, Rep. Steve Doyle, D-Onalaska, as minority caucus vice chair, Rep. Beth Meyers, D-Bayfield, as minority caucus secretary, and Rep. Christine Sinicki, D-Milwaukee, as minority caucus sergeant at arms.

Assembly Republicans held their leadership elections Monday.