Elections: 2006 Candidate Profiles

Wisconsin - House (5)

District Geography | Summary | History | Outlook | Polls

James Sensenbrenner (Republican, 14-term incumbent)

Website: www.sensenbrenner.org

Bryan Kennedy (Democrat)

Website: www.bryankennedyforcongress.com

Bob Levis (Wisconsin Green)

Website: www.boblevis.org

Robert R. Raymond (Independent)

Website: www.rraymond.org

District Geography:

Wisconsin's 5th Congressional District comprises the eastern counties of Ozaukee and Washington, along with parts of Jefferson, Waukesha, and Milwaukee counties.

Summary:

Fourteen-term Republican incumbent James F. Sensenbrenner is a prominent House leader who serves as chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary. Sensenbrenner has been at the forefront in the past year fighting for tough immigration reforms in the House. He also touts his record of fighting to eliminate wasteful government spending and protecting the interests of American taxpayers.

Bryan Kennedy, a professor of Portuguese at UW-Milwaukee, supports starting the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, balancing the federal budget, making quality healthcare more affordable including a universal catastrophic healthcare system, increasing pay and benefits to U.S. troops, and improving the quality of K-12 education and access to higher education.

Bob Levis from the Wisconsin Green Party and independent Robert R. Raymond will also be on the ballot.

History:

Sensenbrenner was first elected to Congress in 1978 from what was then Wisconsin's 9th District, winning the open seat of 2-term GOP congressman Robert Kasten. Sensenbrenner beat Democrat Matthew J. Flynn by 22 points in his first of 14 consecutive victories. Twelve of these victories came in the 9th District. In 2002, Sensenbrenner won by 73 points in the newly drawn 5th District, followed by a 35-point victory over Bryan Kennedy in 2004. Sensenbrenner has won by an average victory margin of 62 points. Democrats have failed to field a nominee against Sensenbrenner in five of these 14 races, including four of the last eight.

Outlook:

Sensenbrenner is as solid a lock to win re-election as any U.S. House incumbent in the Upper Midwest, given his long-established popularity in the region and rise to national prominence on a politically popular issue (immigration).

Polls:

None.