Bogdala Wins Kenosha Mayor: City Election Roundup

Copied!
Kenosha Mayor-Elect David Bogdala (R)

In a decisive victory, David Bogdala (R) defeated Lydia Spottswood in the mayoral race on Tuesday evening in Kenosha. All votes have been counted, with Bogdala securing 53% with 9051 votes, over Spottswood’s 46.6% and 7960 votes. Bogdala has served as District 17 Alderman for the past 15 years. Spottswood was also a former Alderwoman, and was defeated in a Congressional race by Paul Ryan in the 1990’s.

Paid Advertisement

Bogdala said, “I’m very humbled and honored to be Kenosha’s next mayor. I understand and appreciate the challenges ahead of us. As I have for the past 16 years as alderman, I will continue to represent every person in Kenosha. I also want to congratulate the new City Council members and looking forward to working with all of you!”

Paid Advertisement
Defeated Mayoral Candidate Lydia Spottswood

Bogdala was endorsed by the current mayor John Antaramian and is often portrayed as a carbon copy replacement. Some have also questioned his many flip-flops on votes over the years, i.e. his recent Yes vote on the casino. Spottswood ran a strange campaign heavily focused on women’s reproductive rights, which is not in the jurisdiction of the City. Local Democrat groups supporting Spotswood also flooded money into Kenosha for daily mailers aimed at bashing Bogdala for an old picture of him with former Governor Scott Walker.

Paid Advertisement
Alderman Jan Michalski, District 3

There were also 6 contested City Council seats. Incumbent Alderman Jan Michalski handily defeated Tanya McLean in District 3, with 72% of the votes.

Paid Advertisement
Alderwoman Holy Kangas, District 4

Incumbent Alderwoman Holly Kangas also won in District 4, beating candidate Cali Buchino with 61% of the vote.

Paid Advertisement
Alderwoman-Elect Peni Keeling, District 8

A City employee, Peni Keeling, won in District 8 against Ricky Romano with 65% of the vote. Current Alderman Dave Mau (me, the author of this article) chose not to seek re-election. I’ll write a full article about my decision soon, but let me just say now, the job is hell. But for someone who’s worked for the bureaucracy as long as Peni has, my guess is her perspective on tolerating it is quite different than mine. If so, she joins the rank and file in the council, who seem to love big bureaucracy.

Paid Advertisement
Alderman Anthony Kennedy, District 10

Incumbent Alderman Anthony Kennedy beat candidate Kathy Woods for the 2nd term in a row in District 10, with 57% of the vote.

Paid Advertisement
Alderman-Elect Kenny Harper, District 14

Businessman Kenny Harper won against Joel Trudell with 65% of the vote in District 14, where current Alderman Dan Prozanski also chose to not run for re-election. Harper told KCE that was he was excited about advocating for his district.

Paid Advertisement
Alderman Dominic Ruffalo, District 16

Incumbent Alderman Dominic Ruffalo easily won in District 16, garnering 69% of the vote over opponent Steven Guion.

Alderman-Elect Art DeBaere, District 17

Newcomer Art DeBaere won in District 17, running uncontested to replace outgoing alderman and Mayor-Elect Bogdala.

In total, 11 districts were uncontested, which accounts for 65% of the city, and unfortunately that seems to be the case every election. No one wants these jobs, and I highly commend those who are stepping up to do them, regardless of their beliefs or policies. But in general, there’s really not many changes on the council and it’s status quo as usual.

The full election results with details can be seen on the Kenosha County website: Election Results.

Author

Copied!
LATEST NEWS

Counselor on Leave Amid Allegations at Westosha Central High School; Parents Demand Transparency

Paddock Lake, Wis. — A counselor at Westosha Central High School is currently on leave, and parents are once again demanding transparency from school leadership. Kenosha County Eye has confirmed through multiple sources that the counselor is accused of inappropriate communication with a student. According to individuals familiar with the situation, the counselor allegedly used his or her personal cellphone to communicate with a student and is also believed to have given the student a ride

Read More »

Kenosha Cop Sues City, Claims Anti-Gay Discrimination Over Missed Promotion

Kenosha, Wis. — A longtime Kenosha police officer who was once accused—but never charged—of rape has filed a federal lawsuit claiming the city and its police chiefs passed him over for promotion because he is gay. Officer Pep Moretti, who has worked for the Kenosha Police Department since 2009, filed the Title VII discrimination lawsuit in late March against the City of Kenosha, former Chief Eric Larsen, and current Chief Patrick Patton. In his complaint, Moretti

Read More »
MORE TOP STORIES

Wilmot High School Quiz on Trump Tariffs Draws Parental Criticism

Kenosha, Wis. — Some Wilmot Union High School parents are speaking out this week, accusing a 10th grade World History teacher of pushing a politically biased message in the classroom. The criticism centers on a quiz that students were given concerning the economic impacts of former President Donald Trump’s tariff policies — a quiz many say unfairly portrays Trump in a negative light. The assignment, titled “The Consequences of Black Friday,” includes four questions directly targeting

Read More »

Kenosha Law Enforcement Agencies Diverge on Radio Dispatch Policy Changes

Kenosha, Wis. — A recent shift in radio dispatch protocols by the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office has sparked discussion among local law enforcement leaders, with the Kenosha Police Department opting not to follow suit. As of April 1, the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office has implemented a revised dispatch policy for non-emergency and low-priority calls. The change, outlined in a March 11 email by Captain Eric Klinkhammer, is aimed at enhancing privacy and reducing radio clutter while

Read More »

Convicted Child Predator Extradited to Kenosha for New Sexual Assault Charge

Kenosha, Wis. — A Racine County man already serving 30 years in state prison for sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl was extradited to Kenosha County this week to face a new charge involving a different child victim. Seth C. Beining, 23, of Wilmot, is now charged in Kenosha County with first-degree sexual assault of a child under 13. According to the criminal complaint, Beining allegedly assaulted an 11-year-old girl in June 2022 while the two were

Read More »

Kenosha County Scanner Admin Harasses Young Woman for Sharing Post, Reigniting Concerns Over His Criminal Past

Kenosha, Wis. — A 21-year-old Kenosha County woman says she is being harassed by a convicted serial arsonist after sharing one of his Facebook posts in a community thread. The man at the center of the controversy, 48-year-old Allen M. Dunski, Jr, co-manages the Kenosha County Scanner Facebook page with his partner John Broemelkamp. The page charges subscribers $4.99 per month to view posts, which often summarize local police and fire activity. Dunski has previously claimed—without

Read More »

Three Kenosha Police Officers Honored With Life Saving Awards After Reviving Unresponsive Man

Kenosha, Wis. — Three Kenosha Police Department officers were recognized Tuesday morning for their heroic actions that saved a man’s life during a critical medical emergency earlier this year. Officers Kyle Toppel, Charles Lyons, and Matthew Lovell were each presented with the department’s Life Saving Award during the Kenosha Police and Fire Commission meeting today. Their swift and coordinated response on February 15, 2025, helped resuscitate a 59-year-old man who was found unresponsive and not breathing

Read More »

High-Speed Chase Ends in Rollover Crash, Injuries and Felony Charges for Kenosha Man

Kenosha, Wis. — A Kenosha man with a lengthy criminal record is facing 14 new criminal charges, including multiple counts of reckless injury and endangerment, after he allegedly led police on a dangerous, high-speed chase through city streets Friday evening, causing a rollover crash that seriously injured at least two passengers. Joshua J. McCarthy, 38, appeared in court Monday afternoon where a court commissioner set his cash bail T $75,000. McCarthy is on a probation hold,

Read More »

Racine County Sheriff’s Deputy Arrested in Domestic Incident in Somers

Somers, Wis. — A Racine County Sheriff’s Deputy is under internal investigation after he was arrested earlier this month for allegedly assaulting his wife during an alleged drunken domestic dispute at their home. According to law enforcement records obtained by Kenosha County Eye, Kenosha County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a Somers residence around 10:26 p.m. on April 4, 2025, for a welfare check. Deputies arrived to find what they determined to be a physical domestic

Read More »

Receptionist Resigned Amid Allegations of Attendance Record Tampering, District Records Show

Kenosha, Wis. — A receptionist at Indian Trail High School and Academy resigned last month while under investigation for improperly altering student attendance records, according to newly released internal documents from the Kenosha Unified School District. Danielle Nixon, who worked at the school’s front desk and had access to pupil databases, left her position on March 7, 2025, just days after being questioned about potentially unauthorized modifications to student absences. The district’s records, obtained by Kenosha

Read More »

Flag Protest Sparks Vandalism Probe in Kenosha Neighborhood — But No Charges Filed

Kenosha, Wis. — A neighborhood quarrel over a politically inverted American flag spiraled into a month-long police investigation in the St. Peter’s Park neighborhood — and ended with no arrests, no charges, and rising tensions between residents. The dispute began early on March 1, when a couple living on 22nd Street, just behind St. Peter’s Catholic Church on 30th Avenue, called police to report that both of their vehicles had been vandalized. Windshield wipers were bent

Read More »

Retail Theft Blitz Nets Six Arrests at Pleasant Prairie Shopping Centers

Pleasant Prairie, Wis. — A sweeping retail theft blitz targeting organized shoplifting operations at two major Pleasant Prairie shopping centers has led to six arrests and 14 criminal charges, authorities announced this week. The operation, coordinated by the Pleasant Prairie Police Department with support from regional and federal partners, focused on the Pleasant Prairie Premium Outlets and the Shoppes at Prairie Ridge. Charges include felony and misdemeanor retail theft, felony possession of anti-theft removal devices, possession

Read More »
Categories
Archives
Authors

36 Responses

  1. Could it be more that Spottswood lost? Neither candidate was particularly inspirational. But Bogdala is not Spottswood.

    11
    1
    1. Missed you at the gig last night. Heard you red pulled out. Kinda sad but take care dood.

      Maybe you’ll get better soon and stop being such a dumba$$?

      Your politics is ruining your life. Be a socialist. It’s fun.

  2. Heather Iverson’s win is a definite plus for the community. Yesterday Gov Evers insanely vetoed keeping boys out of girls’ sports, which made it even clearer to me that we cannot trust his judgment. Evers appointed Gagliardi. No thank you.

    34
    1
    1. Some people mocked Heather for not applying to be considered by the worst Governor ever, but she showed great wisdom in not wanting to have any of the Evers stench on her. Turned out waiting and applying for the job with the people was indeed, wiser than having skeletor give her a head start and the ability to possibly have an incumbent advantage among the uninformed.

      15
      1
      1. Try the lawfirm of Gagliardi and Michaels! Their motto is no experience, but dream of sucking on the government tit.

    2. With a city over 100,000 the voter turnout was horrible. I couldn’t get myself to go over to even vote, thats how inspiring these candidates were.
      Im glad to see Iverson win over a spoiled brat, (good job, daddy).
      And was happy to see smart diversity in district 14. Who would want a childish, white , race baiter to represent them.
      #protip, stay away from these type of democrats!

      8
      2
      1. well thanks –because of voters like you, we have a new school board filled with sexually deviant members who want to push porn and radical gender ideology on children. thanks much

        26
        2
      2. Don’t vote…
        2 amendments
        Presidential primary.
        We see why keno is as ot is.
        You are bragging about how dumb u are.

        12
  3. The systemic corruption in Kenosha city government will continue and intensify. Bogdala will take over for the current corrupt mayor. Kennedy will continue to sell out his people for crumbs off the table. Now Peni Kneeling, with her intense history of licking Morrissey’s boots, is now positioned to continue to protect the corrupt administration.

    Wow! Kenosha is even worse than what it was before.

  4. I’m not surprised by the results. Disappointed, but not surprised. At least Iverson won her race.

  5. Congrats Kenny – we need a level headed business man as an alder, not a loose cannon like Joel. Joel, Kenosha just isn’t into you – go away.

    12
    1. I know nothing about Harper, but I can see from his photo he is not a fat slob living off his wife who wears t-shirts he is now too fat to wear and shorts to city council meetings.
      Harper looks sharper!

  6. The systemic corruption in Kenosha city government will continue.

    Bogdala is a mini-me of the outgoing mayor. Kennedy will continue to sell out his people for crumbs off the table. Peni Knelling will apply her years of experience of licking Morrissey’s boots to continue to resist any attempt to rid city government of it’s criminal influences.

    It is hard to believe that Kenosha took a step backward with this election.

    4
    1
  7. I see some good wins here. I also see a couple bad ones.
    The people have spoken though and will get what they deserve.

  8. David, I am very bummed about this! You were a phenomenal alderman and I greatly appreciate all of your help!!!

  9. Thank you Dave for keeping Hillary Spottswood out that chair . Maybe she’ll go away now.
    Who are the knuckleheads who voted for Joel Trudell ? And Evanston resident Stephanie Knezz ? Are you people crazy ? At least Andy Berg will be sent packing . Rant over

    14
  10. Sorry to see Terry Rose not make it. He isn’t on my side of the aisle, but the man has my respect as a strait-shooter. Something that is sorely lacking in Kenoshas leadership.

    11
  11. A decisive win for the mayoral candidate? That is such a joke of a statement.

    We have close to 100,000 citizens and yet he only wins by a little over 1000 votes with so few people voting. That’s not decisive at all in numbers.

    1. Winning by more than 6% is often considered a landslide in a presidential election. I realize this isn’t presidential, but it’s still a large margin when it comes to politics. Most high profile elections are much closer. But I do agree with you that the voter turnout was low.

  12. The turnout tells you all you need to know about these candidates. They are shitty.

    People would rather not vote at all then vote for these candidates. No, voting for the “lesser of two evils” is a poor reason to vote for one or the other. You are a sucker if you voted based off that view….

    Bottom line, most people in the city could care less who the judge or mayor is because 99.99% of us won’t come into contact with anything they put their hands on. We know they are going to be fuckups either way. Bogdala will do shitty things within months and I’m sure Iverson will let criminals off lightly her first month. The election goes to show how few qualified candidates we have for judge.

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

LATEST NEWS
Categories
Archives
Authors

Subscribe to updates

Get notified of new articles. We'll never share your email address.