Greendale, Wis. — Ben Brist released the following statement in response to a dark money Republican group sending mail to Democratic primary voters in Wisconsin’s 61st Assembly District attacking him and elevating one of his primary opponents just one week before the August 11 primary election:

“Republicans are attacking me because, as an Army veteran and sixth-generation Wisconsinite, they know I'm the best candidate to beat Bob Donovan this November, and they want to handpick their opponent," said Brist. “They say I ‘parachuted’ into this district, but the only parachuting I've ever done was out of military aircraft, as an Army paratrooper serving this country.”

Republican operatives intervening in Democratic primaries to elevate candidates they view as weaker has become an increasingly common tactic nationwide.

Greendale, Wisconsin — Ben Brist, a U.S. Army veteran and sixth-generation Wisconsinite, announced today that he is running as a Democrat for the Wisconsin State Assembly in the 61st District.

"When you're digging a foxhole, it doesn't matter what your politics are, the color of your skin, or by what name you call God," Brist said. "What matters is that you're bound together by a common purpose, one of selfless service and teamwork to accomplish the mission. That's the kind of leadership I want to bring to Madison: practical, accountable, and focused on results for our community."

Brist served seven years on active duty as an Infantry Officer and Paratrooper in the U.S. Army, leading soldiers from across the country. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Brist deployed to Iraq before returning home to Wisconsin with his wife to start a family.