Vinnie Miresse

Vinnie Miresse

Democratic Party

Candidate, Wisconsin State Assembly District 71

Wisconsin State Assembly District 71

Tenure

2025 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

1

Predecessor: Katrina Shankland (D)

Compensation

Base salary

$60,924

Per diem

$171/day (with overnight); $85.50/day (no overnight; also the maximum for Dane County reps)

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 11, 2026

Next election

November 3, 2026

Education

Bachelor's

University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, 2001

Personal

Birthplace

Wisconsin

Profession

Construction professional

Contact

Official website

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

Personal Facebook

Vinnie Miresse (Democratic Party) is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing District 71. He assumed office on January 6, 2025. His current term ends on January 4, 2027.

Miresse (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the Wisconsin State Assembly to represent District 71. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. He advanced from the Democratic primary on August 11, 2026.

Biography

Vinnie Miresse was born in Wisconsin. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point in 2001. His career experience includes working as a construction professional. Miresse has been affiliated with Midwest Renewable Energy Association, Central Rivers Farmshed, Wisconsin Farmers Union, CREATE Portage County, Wisconsin Counties Solid Waste Management Association, and Portage County Business Council.

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Committee assignments

2025-2026

Miresse was assigned to the following committees:

• Environment Committee
• Forestry, Parks, and Outdoor Recreation Committee
• Sporting Heritage Committee

Elections

2026

See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2026

General election

General election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 71

Incumbent Vinnie Miresse and Jeff Disher are running in the general election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 71 on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Vinnie Miresse (D)
	Submit photo	Jeff Disher (R)

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 71

Incumbent Vinnie Miresse advanced from the Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 71 on August 11, 2026.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Vinnie Miresse	99.9	8,942
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	11

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,953
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 71

Jeff Disher advanced from the Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 71 on August 11, 2026.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Jeff Disher	99.9	3,616
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	5

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,621
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Endorsements

See also: Our approach to covering endorsements

Vinnie Miresse received the following endorsements and voter guide recommendations. To send us additional endorsements, click here.

• Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC)
• Wisconsin State AFL-CIO
• Wisconsin Conservation Voters

2024

See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2024

General election

General election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 71

Vinnie Miresse defeated Bob Pahmeier in the general election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 71 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Vinnie Miresse (D)	53.1	18,631
	Submit photo	Bob Pahmeier (R)	46.8	16,416
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	18

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 35,065
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 71

Vinnie Miresse advanced from the Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 71 on August 13, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Vinnie Miresse	99.7	8,656
		Other/Write-in votes	0.3	22

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,678
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 71

Bob Pahmeier advanced from the Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 71 on August 13, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Bob Pahmeier	99.7	4,425
		Other/Write-in votes	0.3	14

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,439
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

See also: Our approach to covering endorsements

To view Miresse's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements or voter guide recommendations for Miresse in this election.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Vinnie Miresse has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Vinnie Miresse asking him to fill out the survey. If you are Vinnie Miresse, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?

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You can ask Vinnie Miresse to fill out this survey by using the button below or emailing vinnie@vinnieforassembly.com.

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Vinnie Miresse completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Miresse's responses.

Expand All

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Vinnie is running for Wisconsin State Assembly because he believes that politics can be a vehicle for improving people’s lives. In a time of increasing skepticism about the role of government in society, his goal is to inspire optimism, create change, and deliver results to the people of Wisconsin.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Let’s get Wisconsin back on track with bipartisan leadership. Wisconsin has a long tradition of being a purple state. For far too long, partisan bickering and gamesmanship have prevented Wisconsin from moving forward. With competitive legislative maps legislators will be forced to work together again. It’s time for our elected leaders to engage in honest discourse about what Wisconsinites need. We share many common goals and values; now we need to seek and find common ground. Let’s bring our authentic selves to the table for an honest conversation and renew the neighborliness that we’re all longing for. When I am elected, I will work with anybody who is willing to work with me to move Wisconsin forward.
• I’ve worked every day of my life with my body, and my hands and knees can prove it. It’s time that working folks have representation that reflects our Wisconsin values. Act 10 destroyed public sector unions and OUR right to collectively bargain for our wages and labor conditions. A living wage in Wisconsin has never been less achievable. Folks are working two, even three jobs, just to make ends meet, and it's never been harder to get ahead. As a business owner and laborer, I will stand with working folks, fight for better wages, repeal Right to Work, and ensure the right to unionize in the public and private sectors. We must lower taxes on the middle class, stop the handouts to the rich, and level the playing field for everyday folks.
• Let’s commit to investing in our future through funding public schools, technical colleges, universities, teachers, and childcare. Teachers are with our children for a third of the day. Let's face it, they are not only educators, but they are counselors, confidants, role models, coaches and so much more. Teachers are heroes. They do all of this and often pay for educational materials and snacks with their own money. It’s time that we stand with teachers and educators at all levels. Fair compensation for our educators, so we can grow our own talent so we can retain a diverse and inclusive workforce with a high quality education and deep skill sets, will create the foundation for successful and thriving communities throughout Wisconsin.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Access to high quality, affordable healthcare. Protecting reproductive freedoms. Protecting family farms. Deep ecology and regenerative farming practices. Restoring science and data to the Department of Natural Resources. Climate resilient policy. Strong and empathetic public safety. Non-partisan redistricting reform. Embracing a robust creative economy. Protecting our democracy.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My wife for her determination and commitment to our family and community, and my children for being an endless source of inspiration and education on how to be a better father.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

So many books, films, poetry, art, and experiences.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty and Integrity. Living by the golden rule.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Boundless energy. Determination and commitment to the public good. Experience. Compassion and empathy.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To listen to the will of people and be their voice as an elected representative. To be responsible by evaluating all of the data and facts of the policy that will be implemented, and how that policy will effect people's lives and society's function. To be visionary in our progress as a society. To have empathy and compassion. To act in the best interest of the public good.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

At age 9, I remember witnessing the Challenger shuttle explosion live on television while at school.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Raking leaves and mowing lawns for folks in the neighborhood from age 8-12.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Work together to find solutions to move Wisconsin forward.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Climate change/climate resiliency; protecting our democracy; social, economic, environmental justice; transition to a renewable/clean energy economy; clean water for all; opioid/fentanyl epidemics; public health; increase need for health and human services; affordable healthcare, partisan bickering; among many others.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Experience matters.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely. Building relationships and coalitions is key to be and effective leader. By working together we can accomplish more.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Recently, I was knocking doors in a poverty stricken neighborhood that I had knocked years before prior to COVID. The woman who answered this particular door asked why I was even there in her neighborhood. She stated, "you should be careful... it's rough around here. Nobody ever comes to talk to us." She asked "why do you even bother? We don't matter." This moved me profoundly, because I realized that elected official and candidates had ignored her and her community. I am running for office to give all people a voice, so that all people can be heard.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

The use of emergency powers is an Executive function of government. A good Executive will include the legislature in aspects of the decision making process, but the use of emergency powers is ultimately under Executive authority.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

A full repeal of ACT 10.

What committees interest you?

Committees on... Agriculture; Colleges & Universities; Energy & Utilities; Environment; Local Government; Sporting Heritage; Campaigns & Elections; Rural Development; Foresty, Parks, & Outdoor Recreation; and others.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

We must be transparent with the people's dollars while we govern in the people's house.

Would a state ballot initiative process be good or bad for your state?

Currently, it is the Constitutional amendments to remove Executive authority to use emergency powers and place them in the hands of the legislature. This is a power grab by the legislature and would be a terrible move for the State of Wisconsin.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Vinnie Miresse campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024	Wisconsin State Assembly District 71	Won general	$338,528	$329,156
Grand total			$338,528	$329,156
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Election Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards, State legislative scorecards in Wisconsin

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

• 2025

Below you can find the scorecards found for the Wisconsin State Legislature in 2025.

• The Freedom Index — Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.

See also

2026 Elections

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Candidate

Wisconsin State Assembly District 71

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Wisconsin State Assembly District 71

Website

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Katrina Shankland (D)	Wisconsin State Assembly District 71 2025-Present	Succeeded by -

[show]

Current members of the Wisconsin State Assembly

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Robin Vos

Majority Leader:Tyler August

Minority Leader:Greta Neubauer

Representatives

District 1

Joel Kitchens (R)

District 2

Shae Sortwell (R)

District 3

Ron Tusler (R)

District 4

David Steffen (R)

District 5

Joy Goeben (R)

District 6

Elijah Behnke (R)

District 7

Karen Kirsch (D)

District 8

Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D)

District 9

Priscilla Prado (D)

District 10

Darrin Madison (D)

District 11

Sequanna Taylor (D)

District 12

Russell Goodwin (D)

District 13

Robyn Vining (D)

District 14

Angelito Tenorio (D)

District 15

Adam Neylon (R)

District 16

Kalan Haywood (D)

District 17

Supreme Omokunde (D)

District 18

Margaret Arney (D)

District 19

Ryan Clancy (D)

District 20

Christine Sinicki (D)

District 21

Jessie Rodriguez (R)

District 22

Paul Melotik (R)

District 23

Deb Andraca (D)

District 24

Daniel Knodl (R)

District 25

Paul Tittl (R)

District 26

Joe Sheehan (D)

District 27

Lindee Brill (R)

District 28

Rob Kreibich (R)

District 29

Treig Pronschinske (R)

District 30

Shannon Zimmerman (R)

District 31

Tyler August (R)

District 32

Amanda Nedweski (R)

District 33

Robin Vos (R)

District 34

Rob Swearingen (R)

District 35

Calvin Callahan (R)

District 36

Jeffrey Mursau (R)

District 37

Mark Born (R)

District 38

William Penterman (R)

District 39

Alex Dallman (R)

District 40

Karen DeSanto (D)

District 41

Tony Kurtz (R)

District 42

Maureen McCarville (D)

District 43

Brienne Brown (D)

District 44

Ann Roe (D)

District 45

Clinton Anderson (D)

District 46

Joan Fitzgerald (D)

District 47

Randy Udell (D)

District 48

Andrew Hysell (D)

District 49

Travis Tranel (R)

District 50

Jenna Jacobson (D)

District 51

Todd Novak (R)

District 52

Lee Snodgrass (D)

District 53

Dean Kaufert (R)

District 54

Lori Palmeri (D)

District 55

Nate Gustafson (R)

District 56

Dave Murphy (R)

District 57

Kevin Petersen (R)

District 58

Rick Gundrum (R)

District 59

Robert Brooks (R)

District 60

Jerry O'Connor (R)

District 61

Robert Donovan (R)

District 62

Angelina Cruz (D)

District 63

Robert Wittke (R)

District 64

Tip McGuire (D)

District 65

Ben DeSmidt (D)

District 66

Greta Neubauer (D)

District 67

David Armstrong (R)

District 68

Rob Summerfield (R)

District 69

Karen Hurd (R)

District 70

Nancy VanderMeer (R)

District 71

Vinnie Miresse (D)

District 72

Scott Krug (R)

District 73

Angela Stroud (D)

District 74

Chanz Green (R)

District 75

Duke Tucker (R)

District 76

Francesca Hong (D)

District 77

Renuka Mayadev (D)

District 78

Shelia Stubbs (D)

District 79

Lisa Subeck (D)

District 80

Mike Bare (D)

District 81

Alex Joers (D)

District 82

Scott Allen (R)

District 83

Dave Maxey (R)

District 84

Chuck Wichgers (R)

District 85

Patrick Snyder (R)

District 86

John Spiros (R)

District 87

Brent Jacobson (R)

District 88

Benjamin Franklin (R)

District 89

Ryan Spaude (D)

District 90

Amaad Rivera-Wagner (D)

District 91

Jodi Emerson (D)

District 92

Clint Moses (R)

District 93

Christian Phelps (D)

District 94

Steve Doyle (D)

District 95

Jill Billings (D)

District 96

Tara Johnson (D)

District 97

Cindi Duchow (R)

District 98

Jim Piwowarczyk (R)

District 99

Barbara Dittrich (R)

Republican Party (54)

Democratic Party (45)

Capital: Madison

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