GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – After Tuesday’s election, it appears Green Bay’s city council will have more of a liberal lean compared to the past two years.
Battle lines were drawn in the leadup to the election when almost every candidate was endorsed by either the local Republican or Democratic parties.
Democratic candidates fared slightly better, which is a reverse from two years ago when more Republican-backed candidates won.
Joey Prestley is one of four newcomers elected to Green Bay’s 12-member city council. All were endorsed by the Democratic Party of Brown County.
“I know there’s some worries I’m an extreme partisan,” said Prestley. “Somebody said I’m just like Campbell but on the left. I really do want to be a reasonable representative of my district.”
Prestley is referring to Steve Campbell, the incumbent he beat out by 15 votes who was endorsed by the Republican Party of Brown County.
Campbell tells FOX 11 he is not sure yet on whether he will request a recount.
“It was a 15-vote margin,” said Prestley. “It wasn’t a mandate. It’s not everybody agrees with me, so I have to work with people and listen to people.”
Of Green Bay’s newly elected council, which is supposed to be nonpartisan, six were endorsed by local Democrats: Jim Hutchison, Craig Stevens, Prestley, Alyssa Proffitt, Ben Delie, and Kathy Hinkfuss.
Four were endorsed by local Republicans: Jen Grant, Bill Morgan (ran unopposed by received Republican support in 2022), Melinda Eck, and Chris Wery.
Brian Johnson had support from local Republicans, but his opponent did not receive Democratic backing.
Bill Galvin received endorsements from both parties.
Both sides agree partisan involvement in nonpartisan races more prevalent than ever.
“I think we need to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and I really hope, I think our last council did very well communicating, asking questions, having very good healthy discussions and I really hope that is something we can do going forward,” said Grant.
“We’ve had a number of different councils throughout my tenure and I think we still have been able to agree on 90% plus of the issues were focused on,” said Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich.
Genrich, a known Democrat, says there are some issues that failed with the previous council that he feels could pass with the new one like a ban on conversion therapy and listing on tax bills how much money is going to the private school voucher program.
“I made it pretty clear that I think it makes sense for us to have a ban on conversion therapy in the community so long as the state is failing to act,” said Genrich. “With regard to private school voucher transparency, I think that too makes some sense, but again we’ll see if the council decides to revisit that one.”
“We have big things coming like the draft and things that are important that we have to worry about, so I hope we can stay focused on those things,” said Grant.
The first meeting of the new council is April 16th.
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