Transportation Secretary's Son-in-Law Seeks Open Wisconsin House Seat

A 26-year-old Republican is running in the August 11 primary for Wisconsin's open 7th Congressional District seat. The candidate is the son-in-law of the U.S. Transportation Secretary, who previously held the seat for nearly nine years. The candidate has received an endorsement from President Trump and financial support from the Transportation Secretary's former congressional account.

A super PAC backing the candidate has received $1 million from that account and another $1 million from a Wisconsin-based Republican megadonor.

The candidate points to historical figures who entered public office at age 26 and cites his marriage at age 22 and recent fatherhood as evidence of maturity. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2022 and worked briefly for a podcast hosted by a Trump supporter.

One opponent is a 66-year-old former Marine who was held hostage in Iran in 1979 and later served 16 years on a local school board. Another candidate is an executive at a Wisconsin furniture company who has received support from multiple Republican megadonors.

Some county Republican leaders in the district have questioned whether the youngest candidate has sufficient experience. One county party chair stated that other candidates have better credentials and greater knowledge of the district. The candidate has received donations from transportation interests.

A spokesperson for the Transportation Department said the secretary is focused on executing the president's agenda. The primary will determine whether national endorsements and fundraising can overcome local concerns about experience in a district where President Trump won by 22 percentage points in the last presidential election.