Tony Castañeda Campaign Launch

media release: Tony Castañeda, candidate for Wisconsin's 76th Assembly District, invites the community to his official campaign Launch Party and Fundraiser on Thursday, February 19, from 5–8 PM at The Cardinal Bar (418 E Wilson St, Madison).

The evening will feature live music from the Tony Castañeda Latin Jazz Band, along with appetizers, cake, and drinks. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Tony, learn about his vision for the 76th District and the state of Wisconsin, and enjoy an evening of great music and community.

Castañeda formally announced his candidacy on Monday, February 9th, outside the Wisconsin state Capitol.

"I am running for the Wisconsin State Assembly in memory of my parents and grandparents, who came from Mexico seeking a better life and built it through hard work and community," said Castañeda. "My father worked the fields of the Midwest before settling in Racine, where my parents organized voter registration drives and worked with LULAC, UMOS, and the Racine Spanish Center to increase the voices and political power of our community. They raised their nine children to be proud of our Mexican heritage and to be active in making our community more inclusive and better for all."

Born and raised in Racine, Castañeda moved to Madison in 1974 to attend UW-Madison and has lived in the 76th District for more than 45 years, raising six children who all graduated from Madison public schools. A lifelong musician and original member of Madison's first Latin music ensemble, Olmeca, he has led his own Latin jazz band since 1998. For 33 years, he has hosted the Thursday morning 8 O'Clock Buzz on WORT 89.9 FM. He is also a visual and performance artist and longtime youth sports coach.

Castañeda's platform centers on several key priorities. On immigration, he is calling for Wisconsin to take legislative action to restrict ICE operations in the state, pointing to the damaging effects of immigration raids on Wisconsin's agricultural economy, the UW System's international student population, and local communities.

"No immigrant is illegal," Castañeda said. "Everyone has the right to seek a better life, and Wisconsin needs to take a stand." 

On public institutions, Castañeda is calling for full funding of Wisconsin's public school system and the repeal of Act 10, which has decimated educator pay and collective bargaining rights. He is also pushing for increased state funding to cities, towns, and villages to restore quality public services, and for an end to what he describes as decades of Republican-driven privatization and underfunding of the UW System.

A third plank is democracy. Castañeda opposes extreme gerrymandering and proof-of-citizenship voting requirements, which he argues are designed to suppress participation rather than protect election integrity.