At a recent gathering in Milton, Berman, an emergency room nurse and former Veterans Affairs nurse, described his working-class upbringing and said his priorities include restoring federal health care funding, supporting unions, increasing the minimum wage and protecting Social Security. He also criticized Steil’s support for President Donald Trump’s tax and spending law, which Berman says cuts Medicaid and other programs.

Berman recounted that his mother was denied a doctor-recommended colonoscopy by an insurer before turning 50. She later received the procedure in an emergency and was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer, he said. The experience, along with his work in health care, informs his argument that federal policy can restrict care and add pressure to household budgets.

Steil, a former corporate lawyer who represents Janesville, has held the seat since 2019. He first won it after former House Speaker Paul Ryan retired in 2018, defeating Democrat Randy Bryce. Steil has continued to win reelection, though his margins have narrowed. The Cook Political Report recently shifted its assessment of the district from “likely Republican” to “lean Republican.” The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has also included the race among those receiving special attention this fall.

Berman told supporters that his campaign was one point ahead in polling, but did not identify the poll or provide details about its methodology. U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat who has endorsed Berman, said the political climate and Steil’s more visible role in the Republican Party have changed the contest. Pocan characterized Steil as increasingly aligned with Trump’s agenda.

Steil’s campaign declined repeated requests to make him available for an interview and did not respond to questions about the criticisms raised in the race. He has continued to appear at local fire departments, health facilities and factories. At a recent Republican rally in Waukesha County with GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany, Steil warned attendees about what he called a “radicalized” Democratic Party and urged them to turn out to vote.

Berman has focused in part on Steil’s work as chair of the House Administration Committee, which oversees federal election policy. In January, Steil introduced legislation that would require photo identification nationwide and impose other federal rules on voter registration and eligibility checks. The bill has not advanced. Voting-rights advocates have argued that such requirements could burden voters and undermine confidence in elections; Steil has said his proposal would strengthen election integrity and make voting easier while preventing fraud.

Steil also chairs a House subcommittee overseeing digital assets and financial technology. A crypto industry political action committee, Fairshake, reserved $735,914 in airtime for an advertisement supporting him in the Milwaukee media market, according to reporting cited in the campaign debate. Tech Influence Watch estimates that crypto interests have spent $1.3 million on contributions and independent spending to support Steil’s 2026 campaign. Steil has publicly called for clear rules for digital assets, but his campaign did not explain what consumer protections he would support. A crypto regulation bill he cosponsored passed the House but stalled in the Senate.

The campaigns have also clashed over legislation on congressional stock trading. Steil’s bill, which passed the House but did not advance in the Senate, would bar lawmakers and their families from buying new stocks and increase penalties for violating disclosure rules. It would not require them to sell stocks they already own. Pocan argued that the measure slowed a broader proposal that would have barred members of Congress and their families from owning, buying or selling individual stocks. Steil has blamed Democrats for blocking his bill.

Berman’s campaign has also highlighted reporting about contributions from real estate, banking, mortgage and data-center interests, alongside Steil’s votes on legislation affecting those industries. The cited bills did not become law. Steil’s campaign did not respond to questions about the contributions or the votes.

Carroll University political scientist Lilly Goren said the result is uncertain. A revised district map and a possible Democratic wave could make an upset more plausible, she said, but turnout and polling uncertainty remain significant. She noted that low approval ratings for Trump could weaken Republican enthusiasm, while the election’s outcome will also depend on whether voters show up.