Mitchell Berman, an emergency room nurse, is campaigning as a Democratic candidate in a Wisconsin House seat race. Democrats are aiming to flip the Republican-leaning district in the November midterm elections, with Berman emphasising his experience as a worker.
Berman is challenging incumbent Bryan Steil, a corporate attorney and former aide to Paul Ryan, who represented the district from 2015 to 2019. Berman's campaign suggests Steil has been out of touch with voters facing rising costs, which Berman attributes to White House policies.
Berman, who has worked in healthcare for over 20 years, cites his union membership as a factor in understanding workers' struggles for fair pay and benefits. He also noted the decline in manufacturing jobs in Wisconsin, which fell from 560,000 in 2001 to 460,000 in 2025, with healthcare jobs now surpassing manufacturing in the state.
A July 2026 report by the Midwest Economic Policy Institute and the University of Illinois Project for Middle Class Renewal indicated that tariffs have led to the loss of 3,910 jobs in Wisconsin and cost households an additional $1,095 annually. Berman stated that his opponent has defended tariffs despite these costs, creating an economy difficult for manufacturing jobs.