Karen DeSanto
Wisconsin State Assemblymember, District 40 since 2024. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
Wisconsin State Assemblymember, District 40Circus performer
- In office
- 1 yr
- Since 2024
- Bills became law
- 0
- 157 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.0%
- Chamber median 0.0%
- With party
- 98%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +16.0
- Won 2026
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Prevention
- Rural Development
- Speaker's Task Force on Rulemaking
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Administration, Department of — Budget and fiscal issues · Failed in the Senate Mar 2026
Children — Protection and services · Failed in the House Mar 2026
Disease · Failed in the House Mar 2026
Parochial and private schools · Failed in committee Jul 2026
Employment · Failed in committee Jun 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where DeSanto sits in the Wisconsin State Assembly
DeSanto is closer to the center than 42% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Greta Neubauer, Christine Sinicki, Lee Snodgrass
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 5:09 PM ET
With DeSanto’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats98%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills11%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: DeSanto’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | DeSanto | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 19, 2026 | SB 176: Relating to: an income and franchise tax exemption for broadband expansion grants and for… | Yes | No | Yes | Passed 60–34 |
| Feb 19, 2026 | SB 291: Relating to: making certain child care expenditures eligible for the business development… | No | No | Yes | Passed 63–31 |
| Feb 19, 2026 | SB 36: Relating to: an income tax exemption for cash tips paid to an employee. (FE) | No | No | Yes | Passed 60–31 |
| Feb 19, 2026 | AB 180: Relating to: requiring the Department of Health Services to seek any necessary waiver to… | No | No | Yes | Passed 71–22 |
| Feb 18, 2026 | SB 785: Relating to: including information about investigations of license holders in an online… | No | No | Yes | Passed 66–32 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time DeSanto was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wisconsin Assembly District 40 | Won | D+16.0 | D+4.9 | +11.1 |
| 2024 | Wisconsin State Assembly, District 40 | Won | D+8.2 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $57.1K
- Spent
- $57.5K
- Cash
- $16.4K
Source: Wisconsin Ethics Commission filings through Oct 19, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 1:46 AM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| Citizens for Karen DeSanto State | Active |
Source: Wisconsin Ethics Commission filings through Oct 19, 2026Updated Nov 1, 2026, 1:46 AM ET
Seats DeSanto has held
- Wisconsin State Assembly, District 40 · since 2024
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who DeSanto has run against
- Julie Helmer (R) · 2026 general, won
- Jerry Helmer (R) · 2024 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: civicAPI (unofficial)
How we know DeSanto
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/521bd1d9-d819-4637-88be-f496966b7617
- Wikidata Q40743381
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 1:51 PM ET