Wisconsin › Outagamie County › Wisconsin Assembly District 53
3 candidates are tracked for Wisconsin Assembly District 53 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Rachael Dowling, David Daniels and Becky Nichols. Candidate information follows official Outagamie County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Rachael Dowling (Independent), David Daniels (Republican), Becky Nichols (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot. The seat is open: Dean R. Kaufert filed a notification of noncandidacy, per the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Wisconsin has no runoffs; the August 11 partisan primary set each party's nominee, and unopposed nominees still print. The field is the Wisconsin Elections Commission's certified Candidates on Ballot list for the November 3, 2026 general election (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Rachael Dowling has served as a Winnebago County Board Supervisor since 2022 and is a multi-small-business owner with nearly two decades of experience in operations and project management, per her campaign site. She is also an FAA Part 107 licensed drone pilot and lives in Menasha. She is running as an independent for Wisconsin's 53rd Assembly District in the November 3, 2026 general election.
2026 priorities (per the campaign site)
- Lower costs for gas, groceries, housing, utilities, and health care
- Require environmental review of large-scale developments such as data centers before approval
- Increase government transparency, including single-issue bills and public recording of government meetings
Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-07.
Campaign site →
David Daniels of Neenah is a husband, father, and small business owner, per Wisconsin Public Radio. He is the Republican nominee for Wisconsin's 53rd Assembly District in the November 3, 2026 general election, running for the open seat left by retiring Rep. Dean Kaufert. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 7, 2026.
Becky Nichols is a public school teacher and longtime Menasha resident who served 12 years on the Menasha City Council, per her campaign site. She is the Democratic nominee for the open seat in Wisconsin's 53rd Assembly District in the November 3, 2026 general election.
2026 priorities (per the campaign site)
- Protect and expand affordable health care
- Fully fund public schools and support teachers
- Lower everyday costs, from groceries to childcare
Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-07.
Campaign site →
