Kelda Roys
Kelda Roys is a Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Senate representing District 26 and a candidate for governor in 2026. Before joining the Senate, she served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, led NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, and founded a small business focused on real estate brokerage.
Positions on Key Issues
| Issue | Stance | Confidence | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | Supports expanding affordable coverage through a state public option model, including her KeldaCare proposal that would let Wisconsin residents and businesses buy into the same health plan used by state employees. She also emphasizes lowering prescription drug costs, strengthening the health care workforce, and protecting reproductive and mental health care. | ● high | |
| Economy | Backs raising wages, including a $15 minimum wage with a path to $20 by 2030, restoring collective bargaining rights, and expanding support for small businesses. Her campaign also says she would pursue paid family and medical leave, affordable childcare, housing affordability, and a state venture fund to help Wisconsin businesses grow. | ● high | |
| Climate/Energy | Supports expanding clean energy and modernizing Wisconsin's energy system, with emphasis on wind, solar, geothermal, and infrastructure that keeps costs down for households. She also wants stronger oversight of data centers so they help pay for grid upgrades and do not shift costs onto ratepayers. | ● high | |
| Abortion & Reproductive Health | Supports abortion rights, contraception access, and infertility coverage, and says reproductive decisions should remain private and protected in law. Her campaign and legislative biography describe her as a long-time advocate for reproductive freedom. | ● high | |
| Immigration | Supports immigration enforcement reforms that limit local participation in ICE raids, increase accountability for ICE conduct, and protect immigrant communities. Her campaign says Wisconsin can have immigration enforcement and secure borders without what it calls lawless ICE violence, and it backs a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. | ● high | |
| Firearms & Second Amendment | Supports gun-safety legislation, including a proposal to prohibit firearms on Wisconsin college campuses with limited exceptions for law enforcement, military personnel on duty, and authorized campus programs. The campaign has also tied public safety to broader accountability and community protection measures. | ● high | |
| Foreign Policy | No public position found on traditional foreign policy issues. Her campaign materials focus instead on state-level immigration enforcement, federal policy impacts on Wisconsin, and related accountability measures. | ○ low | |
| Civil Rights & Equality | Emphasizes civil rights, voting access, worker protections, and accountability for powerful institutions. Her campaign links social justice to fair wages, affordable health care, public education, housing, and opposition to discriminatory or abusive enforcement practices. | ● high | |
| Education | Supports stronger funding for Wisconsin public schools, ending or reforming voucher programs, and improving teacher retention and professional development. Her campaign also says schools should use evidence-based instruction, including the science of reading, and keep classrooms focused on learning rather than unproven technology. | ● high | |
| Tech & AI | Supports state guardrails on AI and data-center development, including transparency, community-benefit requirements, and limits on practices she says can harm consumers or raise energy costs. Her campaign also backs protections against AI-driven abuses such as addictive algorithms and insurance denials. | ● high | |
| Election Policy | Supports strengthening civic education and voting rights, and reforming campaign finance and redistricting to improve accountability and democracy. Her campaign frames these changes as part of restoring trust in government. | ● high | |
| Local Issues | Supports stronger local control over data-center development, including transparency on environmental and ratepayer impacts and requirements that projects help pay for infrastructure upgrades. Her campaign says local communities should have a meaningful role in decisions that affect land use, utilities, and public costs. | ● high |
Healthcare
● highSupports expanding affordable coverage through a state public option model, including her KeldaCare proposal that would let Wisconsin residents and businesses buy into the same health plan used by state employees. She also emphasizes lowering prescription drug costs, strengthening the health care workforce, and protecting reproductive and mental health care.
Economy
● highBacks raising wages, including a $15 minimum wage with a path to $20 by 2030, restoring collective bargaining rights, and expanding support for small businesses. Her campaign also says she would pursue paid family and medical leave, affordable childcare, housing affordability, and a state venture fund to help Wisconsin businesses grow.
Climate/Energy
● highSupports expanding clean energy and modernizing Wisconsin's energy system, with emphasis on wind, solar, geothermal, and infrastructure that keeps costs down for households. She also wants stronger oversight of data centers so they help pay for grid upgrades and do not shift costs onto ratepayers.
Abortion & Reproductive Health
● highSupports abortion rights, contraception access, and infertility coverage, and says reproductive decisions should remain private and protected in law. Her campaign and legislative biography describe her as a long-time advocate for reproductive freedom.
Immigration
● highSupports immigration enforcement reforms that limit local participation in ICE raids, increase accountability for ICE conduct, and protect immigrant communities. Her campaign says Wisconsin can have immigration enforcement and secure borders without what it calls lawless ICE violence, and it backs a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
Firearms & Second Amendment
● highSupports gun-safety legislation, including a proposal to prohibit firearms on Wisconsin college campuses with limited exceptions for law enforcement, military personnel on duty, and authorized campus programs. The campaign has also tied public safety to broader accountability and community protection measures.
Foreign Policy
○ lowNo public position found on traditional foreign policy issues. Her campaign materials focus instead on state-level immigration enforcement, federal policy impacts on Wisconsin, and related accountability measures.
Civil Rights & Equality
● highEmphasizes civil rights, voting access, worker protections, and accountability for powerful institutions. Her campaign links social justice to fair wages, affordable health care, public education, housing, and opposition to discriminatory or abusive enforcement practices.
Education
● highSupports stronger funding for Wisconsin public schools, ending or reforming voucher programs, and improving teacher retention and professional development. Her campaign also says schools should use evidence-based instruction, including the science of reading, and keep classrooms focused on learning rather than unproven technology.
Tech & AI
● highSupports state guardrails on AI and data-center development, including transparency, community-benefit requirements, and limits on practices she says can harm consumers or raise energy costs. Her campaign also backs protections against AI-driven abuses such as addictive algorithms and insurance denials.
Election Policy
● highSupports strengthening civic education and voting rights, and reforming campaign finance and redistricting to improve accountability and democracy. Her campaign frames these changes as part of restoring trust in government.
Local Issues
● highSupports stronger local control over data-center development, including transparency on environmental and ratepayer impacts and requirements that projects help pay for infrastructure upgrades. Her campaign says local communities should have a meaningful role in decisions that affect land use, utilities, and public costs.
Background
Career History
Represents Wisconsin Senate District 26.
Top Donors
Kelda Roys has public fundraising data showing a grassroots donor base: one campaign report said she raised $378,000 from more than 82 Wisconsin donors and had more than $335,000 on hand. Earlier OpenSecrets summaries show small-dollar and modest contributions, including the Public Fund ($550) and a few $300 donations, suggesting a donor mix centered on individual supporters rather than a single dominant industry. Sources: https://urbanmilwaukee.com/pressrelease/senator-kelda-roys-announces-378k-raised-from-over-82-wisconsin-donors/ ; https://www.opensecrets.org/officeholders/kelda-roys/summary?cycle=2021&id=50058291
Voting Record
Kelda Roys is an incumbent Wisconsin state senator, so she has a legislative voting record. Vote Smart and the Wisconsin Legislature identify her as a current senator, and her record is generally aligned with the Democratic caucus; however, I did not find a single authoritative roll-call summary in the sources reviewed. Sources: https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/109053/kelda-roys ; https://legis.wisconsin.gov/senate/26/roys/
Data Analysis Information
Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated 4/27/2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.