Even in face of GOP domination, Dassler-Alfheim holds out hope for Dems to regain control

Senator Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (D-Appleton) sat down with The Dairyland Patriot to talk about her first year representing Senate District 18 in the state legislature, her expectations going forward and her hopes for Democratic progress next year. Senate District 18 runs along the west shore of Lake Winnebago from Appleton through Oshkosh.  

Kristin Dassler-Alfheim, a former Appleton alderperson, is no rabid ideologue and ran her campaign last year around the theme of ‘rational thought.’ Perhaps that is why she expressed so much frustration at the dysfunction she encountered over her first year in office.

“I think what surprised me the most is the amount of dumb stuff,” she says. “I literally have a button on my desk or table, and when we have meetings and things come up, I’ll just reach over and hit it. It literally is my voice saying, ‘That’s dumb’.’”

What irritates her most is what she refers to as ‘manufactured dysfunction.’  Dassler-Alfheim says that there are plenty of people on both sides of the aisle who understand that essential issues must be solved. Still, many popular bills – and virtually any bill authored by Democrats – are ignored.

“The majority controls what gets talked about, what gets a hearing, what comes to the floor, and what gets voted on,” she says. “It is an abuse of power that I truly didn’t understand.”

She points to SB23 as one such example. The hugely popular postpartum bill would extend Medicaid coverage for new mothers for up to one year.  It passed in the Senate 32-1. But Assembly Speaker Robin Vos refused to bring it up for a vote in the Assembly, even though a vast majority of the members supported it.  

“What we all want is a functioning government that speaks for the people,” she says. “That’s what it is supposed to be. And when you learn these small knobs are turned that don’t allow it actually to function, it’s just wrong.”

Iceberg issues

Dassler-Alfheim says that through it all, she has appreciated the opportunity to learn how the whole process works. She says people have strong opinions about issues that they may only understand superficially, that they’re often unaware of the complexity involved. She refers to those as ‘iceberg’ issues. Learning what lies beneath the tip of the iceberg is the challenging part because there is so much more information below the surface, she explains.

“The biggest thing for me in the first year is trying to meet with as many people as I can and understand the issues,” she says. “Not just what’s on the top of the water, but what’s underneath – to really get a good idea of what goes on. And how intricate every issue is. I am curious about every topic so I do try to listen, learn and then do my best to make decisions.  Sometimes you have to be willing to pivot from a position that you held because you didn’t have all the information.  I really try hard to be an open door so that I understand all the information. So this was a year of learning.”

The learning process didn’t slow Dassler-Aflheim in her attempts to execute her vision for the state. She authored or co-authored over 50 bills. Those included healthcare, education, veterans services, shared revenue, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, and others. In addition, Senator Dassler-Alfheim sits on several committees: the Sporting Heritage Council, the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, and the Women's Council.

Working across the aisle

Dassler-Alfheim is respected by Democrats and Republicans for her willingness to learn. She asks a lot of questions, offers common-sense amendments, and votes for what’s best for her district. She also spends time in the district, regularly meeting with school superintendents and mayors. Her visits to everything from homeless shelters to manufacturers provide Dassler-Alfheim with a broad perspective of life in the Fox Valley, she says. 

“I said from the beginning that rational thought and pragmatic action, good communication, and a willingness to learn and hear the whole story are who I am,” she says.

In addition to all the legislative work, Dassler-Alfheim continues her personal business in financial services and insurance, where she conducts referrals and workshops.  

Important legislation looms but will any of it get a hearing?

The Senate will meet for a few days in January and February, and perhaps in March.  Dassler-Alfheim says she expects the trend to continue: Republican bills will pass while Democratic bills remain in limbo.

The Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship Program is currently stalled. SB 436, is a critical Wisconsin initiative established in 1989 to preserve natural communities, protect water quality, and expand outdoor recreation.  The funding is set to expire in June 2026, and no funding was included in the 2025-27 budget. The Republican version of the bill provides what Democrats consider to be inadequate funding and too much red tape.  

Dassler-Alfheim’s suggestion is a compromise on the funding and the creation of an advisory board to oversee the program.  “This has been a widely popular program. Every community has benefited from this program. So, at this point, it is at a standstill.”

Senator Dassler-Alfheim supports a bill guaranteeing a sum-sufficient reimbursement rate of 42% for special education for public schools as promised when the budget was passed back in June.  That  is now projected to be only about 35%.  She also supports a property tax bill, which would provide information itemizing the cost of private school funding to taxpayers.  

She is not hopeful that those bills and other Democratic priorities will be addressed in the upcoming floor sessions.

Winning in 2026 will take strategy, cohesion

Democrats are hoping to win a majority in both the Senate and the Assembly in the November 2026 election, while holding on to the governorship.  Since 1992, Democrats have held a trifecta for only two years, 2009-2010. Republicans held trifectas for approximately 10 years over that period, including a continuous span from 2011 to 2018.

Dassler-Alfheim says she worries about the potential chaos of presenting a coherent Democratic Party message for the 2026 elections, noting that there could be some understandable friction when a lot of passionate, frustrated people try to unite.

“Some of them have been penned up for 15 years in the minority, who are just screaming mad,” Dassler-Alfheim says. “We have to ensure the least amount of chaos and the most amount of strategic success.  And the only way you do that is by actually planning.  And that is a little bit more of a business philosophy, but it’s how you have to do it.”

Dassler-Alfheim says she also worries about the many cuts to the revenue stream Republicans have enacted over the past decade via tax cuts and other legislation. She says Democrats will have to be realistic even if they do manage to win all three branches of government.

“The challenge with being in the minority for so long is that every group has been trying to be properly funded for 15 years now, and the expectation once we get the majority is that everybody is going to get what they want,” she says. “It just can’t happen. We are going to have to try and find revenue sources, which is a scary conversation to have.”

What does Dassler-Alfheim consider the best strategy for Democrats to win long-term control? 

“You do it with honey, not vinegar,” she says. “‘Honey’ is saying we believe in the Constitution.  ‘Honey’ is saying we believe in the balance of the three arms of government.  ‘Honey’ is saying we believe in the whole Bill of Rights.”

Senator Dassler-Alfheim says she feels she is in the right place at the right time, that her skill sets are ideal for the possible transition of power to come. 

“I have worked with a transition team at almost every point of my career, so I think that I can bring a skill set to our family, to our team, that kind of heals and strategizes at the same time,” she says. “Switching from the minority for as long as we’ve had it to the majority, which is obviously our goal, is not easy. There’s a lot of strategy that has to be calculated so that we do it effectively and then hold that majority for the long term.”

Even in face of GOP domination, Dassler-Alfheim holds out hope for Dems to regain control © 2026 by Carol Lenz is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0