AD 51: Ben Gruber vs. Todd Novak & The Third Party Factor

Assembly District 51 is one of the genuinely competitive Assembly contests in the broader Senate District 17 battleground race. Democrat Ben Gruber is challenging Republican incumbent Todd Novak in a district covering Iowa and Lafayette counties and portions of Dane and Grant counties.

For Wisconsin’s hemp and cannabis industry, this race deserves attention. Both candidates have different records and relationships with reform efforts, and voters have an opportunity to examine those differences.

Ben Gruber (D) has publicly been identified as a supporter of AB 1061, the Democrats’ comprehensive adult-use marijuana legalization bill from the 2025-26 legislative session. A Better Wisconsin Together lists Gruber among the leaders it identifies in connection with its legislative priorities, including sensible legalization and taxation of marijuana.

Industry stakeholders have also engaged directly with Gruber. During the September 10 Wisconsin Cannabis and Hemp Regulatory (WCCR) meeting, members reported having met with Gruber and characterized him as highly favorable. That matters. Candidates who are willing to listen, learn the details and engage with people working in the industry can become important partners in the Legislature.

Todd Novak (R) has not been the worst Republican on hemp and cannabis issues. His record is more nuanced than a simple partisan label, and the industry should continue evaluating his actions and willingness to support reform.

There is some interesting election history here. In 2014, Novak won a four-way Republican primary to earn his party’s nomination. The general election was a three-way contest against Democrat Dick Cates and Libertarian Adam Laufenberg. Novak won by just 65 votes, a difference of approximately 0.3%. Laufenberg received 1,177 votes, or 5.3% of the total.

Novak’s cannabis record also deserves a closer look. During the 2019-2020 legislative session, Wisconsin saw two versions of Republican medical marijuana legislation, and Novak sponsored both. A constituent survey in his district found 84% support for medical marijuana reform. Citizen lobbyists in the district also reported that Novak was supportive of reform measures.

In the 2021-22 session, Novak continued to support Republican medical-only legislation but was absent from important decriminalization measures. The 2024 Republican Assembly medical cannabis proposal faced opposition from many stakeholders and did not attract Novak as a co-sponsor.

Then came the 2025-26 session. Following another close election, Novak co-sponsored the controversial Republican medical marijuana bill, which was fast-tracked in the Senate but never received a public hearing in the Assembly. He also co-sponsored AB 606, the Three-Tier Hemp Regulation Bill, a proposal opposed by many in Wisconsin’s hemp industry.

That is an important distinction. Novak has demonstrated a willingness to support certain medical marijuana proposals, but his support for AB 606 puts him on the record with a hemp regulatory model that many independent Wisconsin businesses and industry stakeholders have challenged.

This is not a race where stakeholders should automatically write off the incumbent or assume the challenger will deliver. Both deserve to be judged on their records, their answers and what they are prepared to do next.

Third-Party Candidate: Nathan Tataje

The third-party candidate is a long shot, but in a close race, votes drawn away from either major-party candidate need to be considered. I appreciated the time Nathan Tataje gave me and wanted to share his perspective as a candidate in this Assembly race.

Tataje is running as a Catholic distributist candidate with the American Solidarity Party. Here is how he described his positions on cannabis:

“Across the board minimum: Statewide decriminalization.

Medical Marijuana: Full legalization. The church has made it clear that prescribing drugs for therapeutic or medicinal reasons is completely within bounds of church teaching.

Recreational: While the church does not condone the recreational use of substances that inherently impair higher reasoning, it does factor in rules of proportionality and cost/benefit analysis. I do not believe the majority of cannabis ‘crime’ punishments are in any way proportional to the ‘crime’ itself.

I also believe that with no local/state sponsored oversight in place to proactively track the effects, profits and expenditures made from the industry, we are causing more harm than good by simply not accounting for anything substantial that indicates why people are using these products. Essentially, while I can oppose the use of substances for the sake of rational impairment, I believe it would be more prudent to open up to a regulated market that allows us to study the social and economic effects more effectively.”

Tataje’s position is different from both major-party candidates, particularly in his emphasis on proportionality, decriminalization and the value of a regulated market.

Third party candidates in highly competitive district provides additional support for hemp cannabis reform and could be looked at as “pot”entially reversing the 2014 general election noted above if Tataje, running under the American Solidarity Party, takes enough votes away from Novak in this 2026 race.

The Bottom Line

Assembly District 51 has demonstrated that elections can be decided by very small margins. Novak’s 65-vote victory in 2014 is a reminder that every vote can matter.

For hemp and cannabis stakeholders, there are three distinct perspectives in this race: Gruber’s public support for AB 1061 and positive engagement with industry members, Novak’s mixed legislative record, and Tataje’s support for decriminalization and medical marijuana legalization alongside a more cautious approach to recreational use.

The next Legislature will have important decisions to make about Wisconsin’s hemp industry, medical cannabis and comprehensive marijuana reform. Voters in AD 51 should make sure all three candidates understand that these issues matter to their constituents.

Stay tuned

I will continue to provide you additional 2026 Wisconsin State Election coverage throughout the campaign season. This next election is extremely important for cannabis reform and I will continue to bring you information as more candidates make their political moves.

In the event that we end up with divided government in the 2027-28 legislation session, the official formation of The Wisconsin Cannabis Caucus would be a must first step towards reform. The official establishment of this Caucus will represent the growing, bipartisan support in Wisconsin.

Although session has ended for 2025-26 we still urge you to contact your elected officials, as they technically can continue to work, hold committee hearings and potentially vote on any issue that is deemed to be a great priority to Wisconsinites. The top action alerts are still functionable on The Wisconsin Cannabis Activist Action Network for you immediate use.

A huge thank you once again to all my Election Coverage Sponsors, please support them if you can. One easy way to find them all and where they are throughout our great state of Wisconsin is to use The Stoner’s Travel Guide to Wisconsin website map and tag system, here you go, check them all out: https://thestonerstravelguide.com/places/tags/2026-election-coverage-sponsor/

Source references for publication:

• A Better Wisconsin Together – Fighting for Us — Gruber’s inclusion among AB 1061 supporters.
• AB 606 legislative sponsorship and history.
• Assembly District 51 election history.
• Wisconsin Public Radio – Competitive Assembly races.