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Ryan Clancy

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Ryan Clancy
Clancy in 2026
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 19th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byJonathan Brostoff
Member of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors from the 4th district
In office
April 21, 2020 – April 16, 2024
Preceded byMarina Dimitrijevic
Succeeded byJack Eckblad
Personal details
Born (1977-01-09) January 9, 1977 (age 49)
Glendale, Wisconsin, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
Other political
affiliations
Democratic Socialists of America
Working Families Party
SpouseBecky
Children5
EducationBeloit College (BA)
California State University, Dominguez Hills (MA)
OccupationEducator, business owner
WebsiteOfficial website
Campaign website

Ryan M. Clancy (born January 9, 1977) is an American teacher, business owner, and politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 19th Assembly district since January 2023. He was a member of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors from 2020 to 2024. He is a member of the Democratic Party ticket and the Democratic Socialists of America.

Early life and career

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Ryan Clancy graduated from Nicolet High School in Glendale, Wisconsin, in 1995.[1]

He earned his bachelor's degree in English from Beloit College, and joined the Peace Corps. He was sent to work as an English teacher in a remote rural area of the Philippines. After his term in the Peace Corps, he returned to Milwaukee County. In 2003, he traveled to Iraq to protest the impending invasion. After returning from Iraq, the federal Office of Foreign Assets Control issued him a $10,000 fine, but he was again defended by the ACLU.[2] He subsequently earned his master's degree from California State University, Dominguez Hills[3].

During these years, he also taught as a substitute teacher in the Milwaukee Public Schools and became an organizer with the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association. In 2014, he and his wife started Bounce Milwaukee, a community recreational complex and restaurant. Through this business ownership, he was a founder of the Progressive Restaurant and Activists of Wisconsin Network, which advocates for higher wages and better working conditions in the food service industry.[1]

He continued to volunteer with activist causes through these years, participating in the Dakota Access Pipeline protests in North Dakota and several immigrant rights protests in Racine and Milwaukee, and was active in the Black Lives Matter protests—after which he filed a lawsuit against the city and county of Milwaukee for violating his rights and lost.[4]

Political career

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After a vacancy occurred in his county board district, Clancy started a campaign for Milwaukee County board of supervisors in 2020. He narrowly defeated his opponent in the Spring general election, and became the first socialist on the county board since 1956.[4][5] He was re-elected in 2022.

Shortly after the 2022 Spring election, incumbent state representative Jonathan Brostoff announced he would run for Milwaukee city council rather than seeking re-election to the State Assembly.[6] A few weeks later, Clancy announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in the heavily Democratic district, which spans nearly all of Milwaukee's lakefront.[7] No other candidates entered the race, and Clancy was unopposed in the primary and general election.[8] He took office in the Assembly in January 2023.

Since his election to the Wisconsin State Assembly, Clancy has had prominent disputes within the Democratic Party.[9] During the 2024 United States Democratic Presidential Primary Election, he endorsed the Uncommitted National Movement due to his views on Palestine and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. In 2024, a primary challenge was launched against him. Clancy's primary challenger was Milwaukee-based attorney Jarrod Anderson. Anderson received the endorsement Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson[10], former State Representative Jonathan Brostoff[11], along with the support of several other prominent Wisconsin Democrats[12]. The issue of the conflict in Gaza was a prominent focal point for Clancy.[13] Clancy won the primary with 55% of the vote and was unopposed in the general election.[14]

Following President Trump's executive order banning federal funding for any hospital providing gender-affirming care for anyone under 19, Children's Wisconsin Hospital canceled a transgender teenager's appointment to receive hormone therapy. Clancy denounced the hospital's decision saying, "it's disappointing that a beloved institution rushed to obey Trump's cruel, anti-trans, anti-science order." The next day, the hospital reversed their decision and rescheduled the teenager's appointment, which Clancy praised and called "a relief".[15][16]

During the 2025-2026 legislative session, Clancy voted against AB 677[17], now 2025 Wisconsin Act 88.[18] Act 88 further defines child grooming as a felony. The vote passed 93-6 with Clancy being joined by 5 other State Representatives. Those joining him were Francesca Hong, Angelito Tenorio, Christian Phelps, Angelina Cruz, and Darrin Madison Jr. [19]

Clancy again drew a primary challenger again in the 2026 Wisconsin State Assembly Elections.[20] He will face former City of Madison Alderperson, Bridget Maniaci.[21] The primary election will take place on August 11, 2026.

Personal life and family

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Ryan Clancy lives with his wife Becky and their five children in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee. They were co-owners of the Bounce Milwaukee complex until they were forced to permanently shut down in 2023.[22][23]

Electoral history

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Milwaukee county board (2020, 2022)

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Milwaukee County Board, 4th District Election, 2020
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Primary, February 18, 2020 (top two)[24]
Nonpartisan Andrea Rodriguez 1,866 47.61%
Nonpartisan Ryan Clancy 1,603 40.90%
Nonpartisan Paul Rasky 420 10.72%
Scattering 30 0.77%
Total votes 3,919 100.0%
General Election, April 7, 2020[5]
Nonpartisan Ryan Clancy 2,798 50.30%
Nonpartisan Andrea Rodriguez 2,750 49.43%
Scattering 15 0.27%
Plurality 48 0.86%
Total votes 5,563 100.0% +117.22%
Milwaukee County Board, 4th District Election, 2022
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, April 5, 2022[25]
Nonpartisan Ryan Clancy (incumbent) 8,250 97.81%
Scattering 185 2.19%
Total votes 8,435 100.0% +51.63%

Wisconsin Assembly (2022–present)

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Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
2022 General[8] Nov. 8 Ryan Clancy Democratic 24,193 98.26% --unopposed-- 24,622 23,764
2024 Primary[14] Aug. 27 Ryan Clancy (inc) Democratic 6,641 54.77% Jarrod Anderson Dem. 5,460 45.03% 12,125 1,181
General[26] Nov. 5 Ryan Clancy (inc) Democratic 30,112 97.61% --unopposed-- 30,848 29,376

References

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  1. 1 2 "Representative Ryan M. Clancy". Wisconsin State Legislature. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Peace Activist Slapped with $10,000 Fine and Threat of Jail". American Civil Liberties Union (Press release). August 23, 2004. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Meet Ryan Clancy: The Socialist Next Door". Milwaukee Magazine. 2025-07-09. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  4. 1 2 Byers, PrincessSafiya (September 21, 2021). "'We don't have a generation to wait': Ryan Clancy brings activism to Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors". Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  5. 1 2 2020 Spring Election and Presidential Preference Vote (PDF) (Report). Milwaukee County Clerk. April 21, 2020. p. 31. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  6. ↑ Jannene, Jeramey (April 19, 2022). "Rep. Brostoff Will Run For Aldermanic Seat". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  7. ↑ Jannene, Jeramey (May 2, 2022). "Ryan Clancy Launches Campaign For State Assembly". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  8. 1 2 Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 30, 2022. p. 13. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  9. ↑ Murphy, Bruce. "Murphy's Law: Mayor, Democrats Target Rep. Ryan Clancy". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  10. ↑ Milwaukee, Urban. "Mayor Cavalier Johnson Endorses Jarrod Anderson for State Assembly District 19". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  11. ↑ Milwaukee, Urban. "Alderman Jonathan Brostoff Endorses Jarrod Anderson for State Assembly District 19". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  12. ↑ Hernandez, Tristan. "Democratic Assembly primary between Ryan Clancy, Jarrod Anderson attracts big money". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  13. ↑ Claflin, Hallie (June 24, 2024). "In Milwaukee primary, left-wing incumbent faces party-line challenger". Wisconsin Watch. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  14. 1 2 County by County Report - 2024 Partisan Primary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 26, 2024. p. 19. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Children's Wisconsin hospital reinstates gender-affirming care for trans teen after canceling in wake of Trump's executive order". Wisconsin Watch. February 6, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Milwaukee Democratic Lawmakers Object to Gender Surgery Changes at Children's Wisconsin". MacIver Institute. February 7, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  17. ↑ "2025 Assembly Bill 677". docs.legis.wisconsin.gov. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  18. ↑ "Wisconsin Legislature: 2025 Wisconsin Act 88". docs.legis.wisconsin.gov. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  19. ↑ "2025 Assembly Vote 150". docs.legis.wisconsin.gov. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  20. ↑ Milwaukee, Urban. "Progressive Bridget Maniaci Announces Democratic Primary Bid for Wisconsin State Representative". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  21. ↑ Strecker, Clara. "Here are the Milwaukee area's contested races for state Legislature". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2026-07-05.
  22. ↑ "About Ryan". Ryan Clancy for Assembly. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  23. ↑ Bentley, Drake (July 6, 2023). "Bounce Milwaukee will close August 31, as lease negotiations turn sour". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  24. ↑ 2020 Spring Primary (PDF) (Report). Milwaukee County Clerk. February 27, 2020. p. 3. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  25. ↑ 2022 Spring Election (PDF) (Report). Milwaukee County Clerk. April 15, 2022. p. 1. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  26. ↑ County by County Report - 2024 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 27, 2024. p. 19. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
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