This November, Wisconsin voters will decide who fills every seat in the State Assembly and 17 seats in the State Senate — and three candidates are physicians. Whatever their district, party, or specialty, these physician-candidates are proof of something the Wisconsin Medical Society (WisMed) has known for decades: when physicians bring their clinical experience to the Capitol, health policy gets better.
While WisMed and WISMedPAC do not make endorsements, here are the physicians making the leap into elected politics (and a reminder: you can contribute to any candidates of your choice through your WISMedDIRECT account, and you can also help WisMed’s overall political involvement effort by contributing to WISMedPAC).
Gillian Battino, MD – State Senate, District 29
A retired breast radiologist who practiced in Wausau, Marshfield, and Madison, Dr. Battino is running for the 29th Senate District, which stretches from Wausau to Marshfield to Wittenberg in Central Wisconsin. She has been active in RAD-AID International, a nonprofit that expands radiology access in low-resource regions.
Campaign site: battinoforwisconsin.com
Anthony "Tony" Phillips, MD – State Assembly, District 56
Dr. Phillips is a retired cancer surgeon. He first started working in Janesville before moving in 1999 to Fox Valley Hematology and Oncology (FVHO) in Appleton and Neenah. He eventually became president of FVHO and helped negotiate the merger of FVHO with ThedaCare Oncology in 2018. He became the Medical Director, leading more than 20 providers for ThedaCare Oncology and retired from clinical practice earlier in 2025.
Campaign site: phillipsforwisconsin.com
Erik Severson, MD – State Senate, District 25
An emergency medicine physician based in Osceola, Dr. Severson previously served two terms in the State Assembly (2011–2015), including as chair of the Assembly Health Committee. He's running for the open 25th Senate District seat in northwest Wisconsin, covering Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Polk, Sawyer, and Washburn counties.
Campaign site: severson4senate.com
Physician Involvement Matters
As emphasized during Doctor Day 2026, physicians who see patients every day understand the real-world consequences of health policy in ways that lobbyists, staff, and even well-meaning legislators often don't. But while most physicians won’t run for political office, the physician perspective can be heard at the Capitol through WISMedPAC and WISMedDIRECT.
- WISMedPAC is the Wisconsin Medical Society's political action committee. It pools contributions from physicians statewide to support candidates in key races and legislative leaders who understand health care policy – regardless of party. Individual donors aren't identified on WISMedPAC checks, so contributing keeps a low profile while still amplifying the collective physician voice.
- WISMedDIRECT allows individual physicians to direct their own contributions more specifically, giving members a way to engage in the political process on their own terms.
Participation in both programs has lagged in recent cycles, even as the stakes for health policy – scope of practice, prior authorization, Medicaid payment, workforce shortages, and more – have only grown. Every legislator elected this November, physician or not, will help write the next two-year budget and decide which health bills get a hearing.
Get Involved
You don't need to be running for office to show up in this election cycle. Consider:
- Making a contribution to WISMedPAC or WISMedDIRECT
- Setting up a meeting with your own state legislators or candidates
- Encouraging colleagues and residents to register and vote
Wisconsin medicine is stronger when physicians are at the table — whether that's as a candidate on the ballot or a WisMed member writing a check to WISMedPAC. This fall, consider doing your part. Contact WisMed’s Mark Grapentine, JD for more information or with any questions.
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