Milwaukee alderwoman Chantia Lewis on Wednesday announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate in the state of Wisconsin.
“As a local elected official, I’ve seen firsthand how decisions at the federal level impact us in Milwaukee and throughout the state,” said Alderwoman Lewis in a statement. “I understand the need to have a voice in Congress that speaks for regular people who are not being represented by Ron Johnson right now. I’m running on behalf of every working-class person in Wisconsin, every parent raising their children through a pandemic and every veteran who is struggling. There’s a whole lot of people who are feeling a whole lot of hurt, and I am in this race for them.”
Lewis is the ninth Democrat to enter the race for the seat currently held by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, who has yet to decide whether he will be seeking a third term.
Lewis proudly served her country in the United States Air Force before returning home to keep her mother’s small business afloat during her battle against cancer, according to a press release from her campaign. In 2016, Lewis successfully ran for Milwaukee’s Common Council where she has brought economic development to her district and sponsored or cosponsored over 300 pieces of legislation.
Lewis announced her candidacy with a launch video (above) saying, “As a wife, a mother, and a city leader, I’ve seen firsthand what this pandemic has done to our economy and our community. I know that Wisconsin families are struggling to make ends meet. I work with small businesses that are fighting every day to survive while the wealthy prosper. Wisconsin can do better than Ron Johnson.”
Lewis’s campaign said in a press release that it is “proud to be the first Black female Senate candidate to have a Black female campaign manager and Black woman heading its consultant team.” Both Lewis and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who announced his campaign for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, are seeking to become the first African American to serve in the Senate from Wisconsin.
