Biography
Ben Brist is the Democratic candidate for the Wisconsin State Assembly, District 61, in the November 3, 2026 general election, where he faces incumbent Republican Robert Donovan.[1][2] A U.S. Army veteran and West Point graduate, he won the August 11, 2026 Democratic primary over Lawanda Chambers and Brian Bock.[1]
Ben Brist earned a bachelor's degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2017 and a graduate degree from Harvard University, and he served in the U.S. Army from 2017 to 2024, according to Ballotpedia.[1] In a Ballotpedia survey, he said he is a sixth-generation Wisconsinite who served seven years on active duty, first as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division and later as a company commander in the 4th Infantry Division, with two deployments to the Middle East.[3] He said he returned to Wisconsin with his wife, Hannie, after finishing his service and graduate studies.[3]
Brist listed affordability, public education, healthcare and conservation as his policy priorities in the survey.[3] He said he would work to fully fund public schools, bring down healthcare costs and expand access, and protect Wisconsin's parks, lakes and rivers.[3]
- 1.Ben Brist · Ballotpedia Reference
- 2.Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
- 3.Ben Brist - Candidate Connection survey responses · Ballotpedia Candidate's own words
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21. Not yet independently fact-checked.
Wisconsin Assembly District 61
Ben Brist is on the Nov 3, 2026 ballot for Wisconsin Assembly District 61 as D. Not researched in depth — candidate list only.
