Two Republican state lawmakers are campaigning for reelection to the Wisconsin Legislature while also seeking to become Waukesha County’s next executive in a December special election. Rep. Adam Neylon of Pewaukee and Sen. Chris Kapenga of Delafield are running for their legislative seats on Nov. 3. The deadline to submit nomination signatures for the county executive contest is Oct. 20. If both candidates qualify, voters will choose between them in a Nov. 17 primary, only two weeks after the general election. The special election was triggered by the death of former County Executive Paul Farrow, who died in July after a two-year battle with a rare and aggressive abdominal cancer. Farrow had led the county since 2015 and previously served in the state Legislature and chaired the Republican Party of Wisconsin. Tom Farley, the county’s former lead attorney, became interim executive on July 30 after being selected by the County Board. The winner of the special election will serve the remainder of Farrow’s four-year term. A regular election for a full term is scheduled for April 2027. State law bars a legislator from simultaneously serving as a county executive. Within 60 days after certification of the county election, either Neylon or Kapenga would have to resign from the Legislature if elected. That would trigger another special election for the vacated legislative seat. Kapenga announced his county executive campaign July 13 during an interview with conservative radio host Dan O’Donnell. He said the circumstances surrounding Farrow’s death made the announcement difficult and that he was praying for Farrow’s family. Kapenga, a certified public accountant and longtime conservative lawmaker, has won his Senate seat without opposition in his most recent reelection campaign. He is being challenged this year by Democrat Mike Van Someren, a Delafield-area attorney. Van Someren has criticized Kapenga for pursuing both offices. In a video posted to TikTok, he said the two candidates appeared to be campaigning for the positions they actually wanted, while offering them both good wishes. Kapenga has said he expects another Republican to retain his Senate seat if he wins the county executive race, arguing that the district is highly favorable to the GOP. His departure would nevertheless reduce the number of Republicans with legislative experience as lawmakers prepare for a session in which control of both chambers could be contested. Neylon entered the county race in early September after taking time to grieve Farrow, whom he described as a mentor, and consider the decision. He said his immediate priority is winning reelection to the Assembly before turning his attention to the county contest. “It’s going to be a sprint,” Neylon said, pointing to the short interval between the November elections. He said voters are currently focused more on the governor’s race and control of the Legislature than on the county executive contest. Neylon is facing Democrat Stephen Tryon, an author, in his Assembly reelection campaign. Neylon won his 2024 race with 59.1% of the vote, compared with 40.9% for his Democratic opponent. He said he wants to help Republicans defend their Assembly majority, which Democrats are seeking to flip by targeting five seats. He also cited unfinished legislative work, including possible proposals involving artificial intelligence and the regulation of Flock license-plate reader systems. With Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and other Republican leaders not seeking reelection, Neylon said he wants a role in selecting the party’s next leadership. Neylon and Kapenga both oppose imposing a county sales tax. Waukesha is one of only two Wisconsin counties without a local sales tax added to the state’s 5% rate. Farrow proposed a county sales tax to prevent deep service cuts, but withdrew the plan in January 2025. Neylon said the county needs to address projected budget pressures through new approaches rather than relying automatically on higher taxes. He has proposed seeking authority for the county to retain more fee revenue currently sent to the state, while ruling out using additional state shared revenue as a solution. He also said he would seek to ease zoning and permitting requirements that he believes contribute to rising housing costs by slowing construction. Neylon has focused on regulatory policy in the Legislature and was the lead author of the REINS Act, which requires state agencies to pause certain rulemaking proposals projected to cost at least $10 million. Kapenga has presented his accounting background and fiscal-conservative approach as assets for managing county government. The contest will determine not only who completes Farrow’s term, but also whether one of the county’s legislative districts must hold another special election soon after the November vote.