Democrat Tara Johnson wins 96th Assembly District

WISCONSIN (Civic Media) – Democrat Tara Johnson has been called the winner of the race for the 96th Assembly District in Wisconsin.

The Associated Press made the call on Wednesday.

The Democratic Party was favored in this district going into the election, according to CNalysis. The district was considered likely Democrat with a projected margin of 13 points.

Johnson is the executive director of the United Way of La Crosse, and a member of the La Crosse County Board, where she has served for 20 years and became the first woman to serve as Chair, serving half of the time in that position. She was considering a run for Congress against Derrick Van Orden, but opted instead to run for Assembly under new maps. She won a competitive primary in August, defeating Steve Campbell with more than 70% of the vote. 

Johnson defeated Republican incumbent Loren Oldenburg, who has served in the Assembly since 2019. He’s currently the Chair of the Committee on Environment and Vice-Chair of the Committee on Agriculture. 

The 96th Assembly District includes Vernon County and part of La Crosse county in western Wisconsin.

For more analysis on the 2024 Election, you can visit our Election Coverage website here. A preview of all state races is available on our 2024 Wisconsin Legislature Voter Guide.