Katrina Shankland (born August 4, 1987) is an American community organizer and Democratic politician from Stevens Point, Wisconsin. She served six terms as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 71st Assembly district from 2013 to 2025.
She was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for U.S. House of Representatives in Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district in 2024.
Biography Shankland was born in Wausau, Wisconsin, in 1987, and raised in rural Wittenberg, Wisconsin. As a child, she participated in the Scripps National Spelling Bee after winning Wisconsin's Badger State Spelling Bee in 2000. She graduated from Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School in 2005 as valedictorian of her class. She went on to attend University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point at Wausau and Marquette University before earning her bachelor's degree in political science and Latin American studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2009. She continued her education after joining the Assembly, earning her master's degree in 2019 from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point.
After graduating from college, she was employed for several years as a coordinator for the Midwest Renewable Energy Association. She also became involved as a community organizer for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and was active for the campaign of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in the 2012 Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election.
Political career Shankland entered the Democratic primary race for Wisconsin State Assembly in the 71st Assembly district, which ultimately attracted nine candidates. Shankland narrowly won with 27% of the vote in the August primary, with a winning margin of 44 votes. In the general election, she faced fellow first-time candidate Patrick Testin, carrying 60% of the vote and winning the seat for the 2013–2014 term. She was reelected without opposition in 2014, 2016, and 2018, and defeated challengers in 2020 and 2022 to win a fifth and sixth term.
On October 2, 2023, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Shankland planned to launch a campaign for United States House of Representatives in 2024, challenging first-term Republican incumbent Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district. Shankland confirmed the news and officially announced her campaign for Congress the next day. She was defeated in the Democratic primary by Rebecca Cooke.
Electoral history
Wisconsin Assembly (2012–2022) Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 2012 Primary Democratic 1,383 26.96% Dem. 1,339 26.10% 5,130 44 Dem. 836 16.30% Dem. 771 15.03% Dem. 319 6.22% Dem. 142 2.77% Dem. 118 2.30% Dem. 117 2.28% Dem. 101 1.97% General Democratic 17,619 60.82% Rep. 11,279 38.94% 28,968 6,340 2014 General Democratic 17,134 97.79% --unopposed-- 17,521 16,747 2016 General Democratic 21,834 98.90% 22,076 21,592 2018 General Democratic 20,548 97.75% 21,022 20,074 2020 General Democratic 17,753 55.51% Rep. 14,206 44.42% 31,979 3,547 2022 General Democratic 15,930 57.05% Rep. 11,976 42.89% 27,923 3,954
U.S. House of Representatives (2024) Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 2024 Primary Democratic 42,316 50.51% Dem. 34,812 41.55% 83,776 7,504 Dem. 6,624 7.91%
References
External links Official website Campaign website
Representative Katrina Shankland (2021) at Wisconsin Legislature 71st Assembly District map