SD 31: Jeff Smith (D) vs Michelle Skinner (R) Competitive Senate District 2026
Two entrenched incumbents battle it out in the new Senate District 31 during the 2026 Election cycle. With the new maps, Jesse James is drawn into this district and will face Incumbent Jeff Smith. I touched on this back in October 2025 in my preview article about the upcoming 2026 election, and I laid down some strong predictions!
Senator Jesse James (R) – UPDATE 4/15/2026 James retires and will not seek this seat.
James is redistricted into the Senate District 31, which will lean 53.6% Democrat and there will be a Democrat Incumbent in the new Senate 31.
Back in the Assembly, James was a leading prohibitionist in the Assembly. Then Rep. Jesse James, was also a co-sponsor of the 2019 Republican attempt to create a medical marijuana program (the “pill bill” that did not allow smoking products or home grows).
He has been outspoken as wanting to be the lead on stopping recreational marijuana reform from happening in Wisconsin. Long time prohibitionist and mega rich man Senator Duey Stroebel was listening when Rep. James was mouthing off, and the two collaborated to concentrate on finding some way to increase penalties for certain cannabis use, extracts. During the 2021 legislation session, Rep. Jesse James circulated a bill to increase the penalty levels for BHO, butane hash oil products, both manufacturing and simple possession. Author of SB 440 – Butane Hash Oil Enhanced Penalty Bill.
James is a Member of the Council on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse.
More recently, in 2025 Senator James co-author of the controversial “Tavern League Three Tier Bill” that attempted to ‘highjack’ the hemp cannabis industry.
Although Jesse James campaign website still is branded with “SD 23”, I highly expect this guy to run. Follow his campaign facebook page also. He is not the worst Republican on the issue, but he definitely has not listened or responded to industry experts regarding SB 681/AB 606.
The New Republican Challenger Emerges
Michele Magadance-Skinner (R – Altoona)
Skinner’s career experience includes working in the journalism field at TV-13 in Wisconsin. She also has worked in journalism in Georgia and Minnesota. Additionally, her career experience includes owning a recruitment business in Eau Claire.
Just elected in April of 2024 to be on the Eau Claire County Board of Supervisors District 11.
Skinner is coming of a loss against Democrat Jodi Emerson in 2024, which was one of the most competitive assembly races in 2024.
During the 2024 campaign she did not make any public statements I can find regarding her support for cannabis reform and she did not respond to my questioning.
I urge the voters of this district to contact her asap to gauge her interesting in helping reform the cannabis laws in Wisconsin.
As of April 15th, her campaign facebook page still indicates her past run for State Assembly and her campaign website link is dead, which tells me the retirement from James comes as a surprise to many, including Skinner. Will she be the only Republican to seek this seat or will we see a primary? With no GOP Incumbent and being labeled as a competitive seat, there should be a few Republicans lined up seeking this seat and the fact their are not makes the case for a likely Democratic controlled Senate in 2027-28.
Assistant Minority Leader Senator Jeff Smith
- Elected to Town of Brunswick Board (chair), 2001-2007; Assembly 2006–10. Elected to Senate since 2018.
- Leadership positions: Assistant Minority Leader 2023-26; Minority Caucus Chair 2021.
Member of Council on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Former member of the Wisconsin Council on Tourism.
His 2023 Op Ed piece in the Peirce County Journal entitled Save lives, stop prohibition touched on the Senator’s support for taxation of cannabis and went on to say “Like other food, drug and alcohol products, our elected bodies determine what is legal and regulated. When we buy our food in a grocery store or alcoholic beverages in a tavern, consumers can be confident that they are buying products that have been approved and inspected for safe consumption. Marijuana legalization will create a safe product for consumers while opening doors for farmers and entrepreneurs to get involved in a well-regulated market.”
Senator Smith has been a consistent voice of reform and as well as a co-sponsor of legislation to reform the cannabis laws in Wisconsin.
The Senator’s 2024 Winter Survey and his 2025-26 Winter Survey includes cannabis legalization question to constituents. Senator Smith has always been willing to engage with his constituent base and industry stakeholders on the subject of hemp cannabis reform.
Interesting election/political history: Smith was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2006, unseating the Republican incumbent Rob Kreibich. Then Smith left the Assembly for several years before getting elected to the Senate in 2018. Kreibich (R) is now back in the Assembly after winning an election in 2024. Kreibich served 14 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly (1993–2007 and was back for 2025-26), representing Eau Claire County. It is kind of unusual for politicians to leave Madison and then come back, but it seems to be more common in the past two decades.
Please visit the official campaign website for Jeff Smith and follow his campaign facebook page for upcoming events.
Where in Wisconsin is the 31st Senate
The 31st Senate district of Wisconsin is located in western Wisconsin, the district comprises all of Eau Claire County, southeast Dunn County, and parts of southern Chippewa County and northern Trempealeau County. It includes the cities of Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, and Menomonie.
Keep in mind
Two of the Assembly Districts in this Senate district are also competitive.
Assembly District 92 is poised to be Frederickson-D trying to take down Incumbent Clint Moses-R. The 92nd Assembly District comprises parts of southwest Chippewa County and central Dunn County. It includes the cities of Chippewa Falls and Menomonie and the parts of Eau Claire which fall in Chippewa County, along with the villages of Elk Mound and Lake Hallie.
The 91st Assembly District also barely went to Democrat Jodi Emerson in 2024 who defeated Michele Skinner by 1101 votes. Emerson is the Incumbent and has been a solid supporter of cannabis reform measures. Assembly District 91 starts on the East Side of the City of Eau Claire and includes Altoona, Fall Creek, Ludington, Wilson, Augusta and Fairchild areas of Chippewa and Eau Claire Counties. This district was predicted to lean Democrat and that is probably why the new maps chased the Republican Incumbent Hurd away. As of March 14th, 2026, no Republican has declared they are running.
Where to get active?
Statewide:
The Wisconsin Cannabis Activist Network maintains a profile on the Action Network Platform, which contains all the action alerts for statewide legislation. Please sign up as a volunteer and become politically active during the 2026 election.
Locally:
2026 Election Coverage Sponsor Steve’s Hemp in Eau Claire is paying attention and working hard to help protect hemp in Wisconsin. Thank you for all you are doing! Feel free to visit Steve at the Eau Claire store or online at Steve’s Hemp Action Center. Please follow Steve’s Hemp on Facebook for up to date events and sales!
Also a 2026 Election Coverage Sponsor, Calm and Collected Cannabis in Chippewa Falls will be very active this election cycle.
Now is not the time to sit on the sidelines, get involved with your local politically active crowd! You cannot spell politics with POT and only you can put the ACT in activism!
