Voters across central and eastern Wisconsin are preparing to cast their ballots on November 3 to select their representative for the state Assembly District 39 seat in Madison. The legislative contest features a head-to-head match between Republican incumbent Alex Dallman, who is seeking another term in office, and Democratic challenger Michael Skivington, an experienced local official and educator.
Assembly District 39 encompasses a diverse rural and suburban footprint spanning several counties. Its boundaries cover western Fond du Lac County, taking in the city of Ripon, the villages of Rosendale, Brandon, and Fairwater, as well as the towns of Ripon, Rosendale, Eldorado, Metomen, Springvale, Lamartine, and Alto. The district also includes the entirety of Green Lake and Marquette counties, alongside portions of Winnebago, Adams, and Columbia counties.
Representative Alex Dallman, a 34-year-old resident of Markesan, is running to retain the seat he has occupied since winning his first election to the state Assembly in 2020. Listing his current occupation as a full-time legislator, Dallman is campaigning on his record representing rural interests in the state Capitol and his continued ties to community and civic organizations throughout the district.
Dallman holds a bachelor’s degree from Edgewood University, which he completed in 2015. Beyond his legislative duties, his civic and political involvement includes past service as the chair of the Green Lake County Republican Party, as well as memberships in the Green Lake County Farm Bureau, the Berlin Conservation Club, the National Rifle Association, and St. John’s Lutheran Church in Markesan.
Challenging the incumbent is Michael Skivington, a 57-year-old resident of the Town of Green Lake. Skivington currently works as an independent real estate agent and enters the race with significant background in local municipal government, having served two terms as an elected board supervisor for Green Lake County.
In addition to his county board experience, Skivington brings a long career in education to his candidacy. He previously worked as a public high school teacher for grades nine through 12 and as a college professor. Skivington possesses bilingual language proficiency in English and Spanish, informed by extensive periods of living and pursuing academic studies in multiple foreign countries.
Skivington’s academic background includes multiple advanced degrees from Wisconsin institutions. He earned a Ph.D. in education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2006, a master’s degree in education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2002, and an undergraduate degree in sociology from UW-Oshkosh in 1997.
On a personal level, Skivington has been married for 36 years to his wife and real estate partner, Carol. The couple has two adult children: Claire, 27, a UW Law graduate who co-founded and coaches the AAU Dogs Basketball travel team alongside her husband Derrick, and Spencer, 24, a UW-Oshkosh graduate working as a public school educator. Skivington has also been an active member of the Federated Church of Green Lake for more than 25 years, serving on its Diaconite Board, working as an usher, and volunteering at community brat fries.
Explaining his motivation for seeking reelection, Dallman emphasized his commitment to serving as an active voice for rural communities in Madison. He noted that his legislative priorities include safeguarding agriculture and tourism as primary economic drivers, expanding career and technical education, delivering broad tax relief, limiting the growth of state bureaucracy, protecting gun rights under the Second Amendment, supporting pro-life principles, and maintaining election integrity.
Dallman pointed to his past legislative record, emphasizing his focus on securing major tax reductions and state funding for local infrastructure while remaining directly accessible to his constituents across the district. When outlining his top priorities if reelected, Dallman highlighted economic affordability, proposing continued tax cuts and deregulation to make Wisconsin more business-friendly and open new commercial markets.
Additionally, Dallman identified educational funding reform as a critical focus area for his upcoming term. He argued that the state is facing a severe property tax crisis and contended that bold legislative action is necessary to overhaul Wisconsin's school funding formula, thereby relieving the financial burdens currently placed on local property taxpayers.
For his part, Skivington framed his campaign around the fundamental necessity of political competition and citizen involvement in representative government. He stated that regular electoral competition is essential to maintaining a healthy democracy, arguing that robust races strengthen candidates and ensure elected officials remain truly answerable and accountable to the residents they are chosen to represent.
Official disclosures provided by both candidates show clear compliance records. Neither Dallman nor Skivington reported any conflicts of interest, and neither candidate has any past criminal convictions or pending legal charges.
Both campaigns have made multiple communication channels available to voters ahead of the November 3 election, offering campaign websites, direct email access, and social media platforms where constituents can review their platforms. As the vote nears, residents across Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette, Winnebago, Adams, and Columbia counties will decide which candidate will carry the district's representation forward in Madison.
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