Michael Heidenreich makes a run at 6th Congressional District

OSHKOSH, WI—(WISS)— 2026 is an election year. While many municipalities, school boards, and county boards will have elections in February and April. Later in the calendar, federal positions will be determined. One of those federal races will be for the 6th Congressional District. Michael Heidenreich is one of seven Democratic candidates competing to take on Incumbent Glenn Grothman. 

Heidenreich of Lodi said he is uniquely qualified to serve as a U.S. Representative, especially for the district’s working-class residents.

 This is my duty to do because I’m actually capable of doing it. And because we just can’t keep letting people who are running because they want to be Congress people, versus they want to accomplish something. And also, as Democrats, we haven’t come close in this district in years,” Heidenreich said. “ Bottom line is when you have the means at hand to do something, I think you have the responsibility to act, and I have those means at hand. I need to act.”  

Platform   

When discussing his platform and the key issues he would like to address as a representative for the 6th Congressional District, Heidenreich said he is focusing on the items he would be able to influence as a freshman congressman. 

 I try to be real honest about not just what I want to change, but what I can change,” said Heidenreich. “Because let’s be honest, the first two years, if I get into office, I likely would not be able to pass a whole lot unless we had enough senators to override a presidential veto.”

Tariffs

Heidenreich said Congress needs to stand up to President Donald Trump’s administration, especially where tariffs are concerned.

 ”The very first things we need to do is, one, it is Congress’s job to set tariffs, not anyone else’s!” Heidenreich continued,  “That is something that right away we can address and say, ‘No! There’s no emergency. There are tariffs. It’s our job to actually set them.’”

Universal Healthcare

At a time when subsidies for the Affordable Care Act marketplace have been discontinued and health care is at the forefront of the mind for many Wisconsinites, Heidenreich said that Universal Healthcare is just a fundamental human right. It’s a good idea as well.

“ It is also good for the country and good for everybody across the board,” he explained. “Even the people who look at it as, ‘Oh! We’re going to lose that to invest in!’ No. You’re going to gain all of your employees having good quality healthcare and not having to have that fight every time you try and do some kind of negotiation for pay. There’s no one who that would not benefit.”

Education

Other than Universal Healthcare, Heidenreich said it is essential to examine other ways the government invests in America and its people over the long term. And he names educational policies as needing attention.

 The way we’ve been investing in education is not just a crime, but damn stupid!” said Heidenreich. “The reason I don’t have a college education, a college degree, I had to stop. Not because I wasn’t getting straight A’s, but because of the money. When the only way people with a 4.0 average are going to school right now, other than lucking into a scholarship, is by going into the military or going into debt.”

He added, “ I tell people that anytime we’re talking about anything–healthcare, education, anything–that is an investment in another person, don’t look at it as, ‘How would that help me?’ Look at it as when that person is bettered; when your neighbor is bettered, you are better because they’re part of your community!”

National Security and Wartime Aggressions

Speaking on the international climate in the time of war between Russia and Ukraine, and Israel and Palestine, Hedenreich said diplomacy is one of his key concerns. 

“ I think that that’s gonna be one of the defining challenges of the upcoming five-year period. Is how we’re going to address other aggressive nations,” said Heidenreich.

6th Congressional District needs

Looking at the 6th Congressional District itself, Heidenreich said tariffs are affecting the district’s economy. He said tariffs are a sales tax, whether passed directly or indirectly on to the consumer; it is the average person who ends up paying them. Additionally, it makes for bad business. 

“ I talked to a couple execs (of large companies) who said they can’t make plans because they have no idea what their input costs are gonna be down the road, down to the smallest businesses, who, suddenly, can’t get their shipments in from anywhere.”

Background

Originally from Germantown, Heidenreich has lived in the Columbia County area for 10 years and in Wisconsin his whole life. He works with Alliant Energy and is a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (I.B.E.W). He said he has been involved in politics behind the scenes since he was a teenager. And now is the time to put himself forward. 

“ This last election just made me realize, oh, you need to do more than just volunteer. You need to give up my time actually running for public office,” he said.

Overview of 6th Congressional District Race

The 6th CD comprises Columbia, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Manitowoc, Marquette, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Waushara Counties, as well as parts of Calumet, Dodge, and Winnebago Counties.

The list of Democratic contenders for the 6th Congressional District is long. In addition to Heidenreich, Aaron Wojciechowski, Brad Smith, John Macho, Amanda Bell, Joey Marschall and Kortney Oldham, are also running. The candidates will face off in the Democratic primary on August 11, 2026.

On the Republican side, incumbent Grothman faces a challenge from Johnathan Peetz of Pardeeville.