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I’m Emily Tseffos — a mom of three, former main classroom teacher, community organizer, and candidate for State Senate. I’m running because too many people are working hard, doing their part, and still watching life get more expensive while the same problems go unsolved.
We may not share a political party. We may not agree on every issue. But I believe we can agree that our government should work harder for the people who live here.
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Wisconsin made me who I am.
I grew up outside Slinger, in the country, where I learned early that community is not an abstract idea. It is the neighbor who shows up when something breaks, the teacher who notices a child is struggling, and the volunteer who keeps the local food pantry, fire department, church supper, or youth program going.
I went on to become a teacher, working with students in Wisconsin, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Teaching taught me to listen before assuming I had the answer. It also showed me how much a child’s future can depend on whether the adults and systems around them are willing to pay attention.
Today, my family and I call the Appleton area home. My husband owns a small business, I've organized in communities across Wisconsin, and spent years bringing people together around the problems affecting their lives.
Politics has gotten very good at telling us who to blame and very bad at solving the problems in front of us. This campaign is about doing something different: listening honestly, finding common ground where we can, and being clear about where we stand when we cannot.
My children changed how I see the world.
I’m a mom of three, and my children have taught me more about public policy than any political job ever could.
One of my sons lives with a rare genetic condition. My youngest son, whom we adopted from India, has significant disabilities and relies on daily support. Our family has experienced private insurance, public schools, private schools, specialists, therapy, and programs that help children with disabilities live full lives.
We have also learned how random life can be. A diagnosis, an accident, a lost job, or one unexpected bill can change everything. My family is fortunate. Still, I know how much time and energy it takes to fight through systems that were supposedly built to help.
That is why I do not see healthcare, education, disability services, or family costs as talking points. These decisions land at kitchen tables. They determine whether a family gets help, falls through a crack, or spends years fighting to be heard.
I believe leadership starts with showing up.
Before running for office, I was doing the work: teaching, organizing, supporting local food pantries, building volunteer networks, and helping neighbors turn concern into action.
As chair of the Outagamie County Democratic Party, I have worked with people across our area — not just during election season, but year-round. Our campaign has taken the same approach. We have listened at doors, gathered people in small towns, talked with farmers and families, and organized a district-wide food drive that collected more than 6,000 pounds of food and over $2,000 for local pantries.
I ran for the State Assembly in 2024 and lost. But losing did not make the problems disappear. It made me more determined to keep showing up, keep listening, and keep building something useful.
The same problems keep getting passed down the road.
Healthcare and property taxes keep getting more expensive. Rural communities are fighting to keep schools, hospitals, farms, emergency services, and local businesses strong. Families are paying more for childcare, housing, groceries, and basic necessities. Too often, Madison gives us another partisan fight instead of a practical answer.
Our current senator has had time to help change that. If the same problems persist year after year, voters have every right to ask whether it is time for different leadership.
I’m not asking you to agree with me 100 percent of the time. I’m asking you to expect your senator to show up, tell you the truth, explain her votes, and work on the things that affect your life.
That is the kind of senator I intend to be.
There is room for you in this campaign.
Maybe you are a Democrat, an independent... maybe you usually vote Republican but no longer feel at home in what you're seeing from party leadership. Maybe you have stopped paying attention because it all feels exhausting.
You do not have to change every belief you hold to expect better leadership.
If you believe public service should be about solving problems — not protecting a party or holding onto power — you have a place here. We can disagree honestly, find the things we share, and get to work.
“We don’t have to agree on everything. But we should be able to agree that this isn’t working — and that it is time to do something about it.”