MILWAUKEE— Milwaukee Alderman Peter Burgelis is ending his campaign for Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District, saying Democrats should unite behind a single candidate in their effort to unseat Republican Congressman Bryan Steil.
Burgelis announced Wednesday that he is suspending his campaign after launching his bid for Congress in April.
In a statement, Burgelis thanked volunteers, donors and supporters who backed his campaign and said the decision came after careful consideration.
“I entered this race because I believe southeastern Wisconsin deserves leadership that is accountable, accessible, and focused on delivering results for working families,” Burgelis said. “The stakes in this election are too high to lose sight of our common purpose.”
Burgelis said defeating Steil should be the Democratic Party’s top priority and announced he has reached out to fellow Democratic candidate Mitchell Berman to offer his support moving forward.
“I called Mitchell to offer help in any way I can as we work toward the shared goal of defeating Bryan Steil and the harmful Trump regime,” Burgelis said.
He said while his congressional campaign is ending, his commitment to public service remains unchanged.
“It has been an incredible honor to meet and earn the support of so many people throughout southeastern Wisconsin. I am proud to continue serving the residents of the 11th Aldermanic District and continuing to deliver results for them.”
Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District includes Kenosha, Racine and Walworth counties, along with parts of Milwaukee and Rock counties. The general election is scheduled for Nov. 3.
