Angie Sapik announces Senate Run in 2026
I all but predicted Angie Sapik would run for this seat after the new maps were out. The 2026 election cycle will test the 2nd half of the Wisconsin Senate and Sapik, former assembly rep (2020-2022) will be tested in a primary by Dr. Eric Severson, a former assembly rep himself (2010-15) for the 25th Senate District primary.
Who is Angie Sapik?
In the 2022 election cycle and on the campaign trial Angie Sapik told me “Let’s be clear on my stance with cannabis. I support legalizing and regulating the use of cannabis and believe the legislation should be conducted at the state level. I’m a pro-business candidate and cannabis business is booming. I also support decriminalization for possession and the freedom for recreational or medicinal use of cannabis. While I have not authored or co-sponsored a legalization bill, I believe I would be inclined to support such legislation.“
In the November 2022 general election, the 73rd Assembly district was again one of the closest legislative races in the state with Angie Sapik prevailing by only 490 votes.
It should be noted that Sapik represented the district including the City of Superior, which recently passed a referendum for recreational marijuana by over 79%.
Many elected officials come up with catchy names for their newsletters. Back in May 2023, Sapik was really trying to be cute with her “The Buzz” Newsletter. To be honest, she was one of the few Republicans who surveyed her constituents on the issue.
At the end of the 2023-24 legislative session, Sapik emerged as a co-sponsor of the Republican bill authored by Robin Vos. That bill had mandated state owned and run dispensaries, as well as other non-workable provisions in the bill language. The Senate did not even bother to submit companion bill and the Vos/Sapik bill died, despite being sent to co-author Clint Moses’ committee he chaired. The 2023-24 legislative session as a disaster the Republicans on marijuana reform.
Sapik did not run for State Assembly in 2024 under the new maps, the area is now a Democratic district. She went onto to win a write in campaign for Douglas County Supervisor and now is back, with her eye on Senate District 23. She was recently on the DrydenWire and I was able to get some updated words, mannerisms and tone on record with her “stance” on cannabis reform. I will be honest, she came in really fired up but kind of shit out during her first term as a marijuana reformer. I stayed in touch with her behind the scenes and well, I kind of feel she flip flopped a little bit. I felt she also indicated that knowing what she knows now, she would have went harder on the issue and that next time she would. I felt she was indicating a future Senate run and would champion the issue, but I think I was wrong.
Douglas County still has the highest fine possible for personal possession of marijuana, as well as an increasing fine for possession of paraphernalia. (County Ordinance Links: Possession / Paraphernalia) Learn more about the power of counties to decriminalize marijuana at WWW.WiscoCan.org.
The book
Sapik wrote a book about her political adventures and had Robin Vos write the forward or something. I did not read the book and probably will not. Again, to be honest, that turned me off. I had considered Sapik as a possible speaker at a future cannabis conference, but so many industry stakeholders just did not trust Republicans enough to pay to listen to them talk about cannabis reform and her fondness for Vos is really a deal breaker. Wisconsin in general blames Robin Vos for killing cannabis reform time after time.
But back to her latest interview. The way she handles the marijuana question leads me to believe I made the right choices.
Angie Sapik “Marijuana legislation is not a big priority of mine“.
What is next step?
Listen to what the Severson campaign has to say about all this marijuana stuff. In the below video I think we can all see where this is going with this guy. The video is ready to go, right at the marijuana part.
I will keep you posted if another Republican emerges in this district to make it a three way primary. Someone should…..didn’t both these people have their chance already?
If you can, please keep an eye on Severson for me, his website has no contact form, information or email and as of the publishing of this article I could not find that he had any social media or facebook page for his campaign.
If you live and vote in the new 25th Senate District, you might want to keep in eye on her campaign and try to get her to see the light, get her to see that cannabis reform is a top priority to many in this district. Her campaign page from her state assembly run is https://www.facebook.com/angiesapikassembly/, still containing remnants of that past office, but it is re-branded for her Senate run in 2026.
I think this district is a Republican stronghold and the winner of the primary probably all but assures victory in the general election.
Where is Senate District 25 in Wisconsin
The 25th Senate District is located in northwest Wisconsin, where Wisconsin meets Lake Superior, the district comprises all of Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Polk, Sawyer, and Washburn counties. It contains the cities of Superior, Ashland, Bayfield, Hayward, Spooner, and Washburn. The district also includes the Bad River Indian reservation and the Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest.
(Prediction for the 2026 Election: GOP 54% and DEM 46% for new Senate District 25).
