Tony Wied
Member of Congress
Republican
De Pere
Elected Experience
U.S. House (2025-present)
Q&A with the Candidate
Why should voters send you to congress?
Since my first day in office, I have fought for the people of northeast Wisconsin and delivered results for our communities. This past year, I secured millions in federal funding for priorities including water treatment resources in Kaukauna and Suamico, improvements to Austin Straubel Airport, and a new Green Bay Metro Fire Department station. I have also worked to put more money back into the pockets of hardworking Wisconsin families. I was proud to vote in favor of the Working Families Tax Cuts, which prevented the largest tax increase in American history and included provisions such as no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, the largest tax deductions for seniors in history, and an increased child tax credit.
What is the top issue in your district? How would you address it?
Affordability remains a major challenge for families throughout our district. Under the Biden Administration, families faced decade-high inflation (9.1%), sky-high mortgage rates (8%), and a loss of almost $3,000 in annual purchasing power. When I got to Washington, I, alongside my Republican colleagues, acted quickly to reverse this damage and bring down costs for Wisconsinites by working to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill and deliver the Working Families Tax Cuts. As a result of this work, inflation has dropped, mortgage rates have eased, and real wages are now outpacing inflation. However, the job is not done. We need to retain control of the House to extend our pro-family policies and continue this progress.
What expertise would you bring into congress? How would it help your district?
I am not a career politician. After spending over two decades as a small business owner, I know how to solve problems and get things done. Since being elected, I now sit on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Agriculture Committee, and the Small Business Committee. From these positions, I have worked to improve our roads and infrastructure, protect Wisconsin farmers, and constantly support our small businesses, including by introducing important legislation like the Dump Red Tape Act that is working its way through the Senate right now. This experience will allow me to continue to fight for the great people of Wisconsin’s 8th District.
Should Congress exert more oversight over the president? Why or why not?
One of the great things about Congress is that Article I of the Constitution gives us power of the purse and investigate powers. These are key tenants of our system of checks and balances that make our great American system work so well. When oversight is needed, I think it must be targeted and efficient with a focus on delivering results for the American people, not political theater, witch hunts, or partisan madness.
What is your favorite fun Wisconsin history fact?
I’ve gotta go with Seymour being the home of the hamburger. It’s pretty great to know that it all originates at the Outagamie County Fair, right here in northeast Wisconsin.
NEW News Lab general election questions
Relevant Experience
I am a proud lifelong resident of northeast Wisconsin, a former small business owner, and a political outsider. For nearly three decades, my wife Angela and I ran our gas station and convenience store business (Dino Stop), employing hundreds of local workers, all while raising our four sons. I brought my experience as a business owner, along with my outsider perspective, to Washington, and I have been proud to fight for the great people of northeast Wisconsin for the last two years.
Would you agree to hold in-person town halls if elected? Why or why not?
In recent years, in-person town halls have become nothing more than unproductive spectacles in which folks often scream, shout, and drown out any meaningful conversation. This happens on both sides of the aisle. I have held multiple tele-town halls that let us reach tens of thousands of constituents at once and respond to questions from all over the district – something that would not be possible with an in-person setting. Most importantly, I meet with hundreds of constituents each week in real, organic settings. I meet people where they are.
What policies are most important to address Americans' concerns about cost of living?
Under the Biden administration, families across our country faced decade-high inflation (9.1%), out-of-control mortgage rates, and a loss of almost $3,000 in purchasing power. Republicans took action, and inflation dropped to the lowest point in six years, mortgage rates eased, and real wages outpaced inflation. I was proud to vote for the Working Families Tax Cuts, which delivered the largest tax cuts in history. Republicans are working for you to reverse the damage of the previous administration and put more money back into people’s pockets. While more work remains, I am proud of what we have accomplished.
What changes, if any, should Congress make to federal tax policy?
We need to do everything in our power to make the positive changes from the Working Families Tax Cuts permanent. Americans are seeing the impact of these tax cuts through provisions like no tax on tips and overtime, an increased Child Tax Credit, the largest tax deductions for seniors in American history, the elimination of the death tax, and more. We, as members of Congress, need to ensure these life-changing provisions last beyond this administration and continue improving Americans' lives. In addition, Congress should work to simplify the tax code and restrict tax increases that oppose individual economic success.
What should Congress do to prepare workers and the economy for changes due to artificial intelligence and automation?
As Americans, we never shy away from new opportunities or challenges. We conquered the frontier, saved millions from tyranny, landed on the moon, and created the best economic opportunity for individuals to rise. We should apply the same principles to our approach to AI, while ensuring we protect and prepare our workers. We must lead the world in the AI race and ensure our adversaries, like China, do not get ahead. However, we must also ensure reasonable safeguards to protect personal privacy, hold companies accountable for wrongdoing, and allow Americans to decide whether they want data centers in their neighborhoods.
What actions would you take, if any, regarding the reduction in federal funding for special education, school meals and Head Start?
We need to empower local communities and parents, not Washington bureaucrats. We can do this by continuing to cut waste, fraud, and abuse in programs meant to help children and ensuring resources directly benefit those they are intended for. Special education, school meals, Head Start, and all other programs intended to help our future generations operate best under local control, not administratively bloated national organizations. We should also expand school choice and protect parental rights to ensure families have ultimate control in deciding what is right for their children, especially children with special needs.
What steps can Congress take to alleviate court backlogs in Wisconsin?
To alleviate court backlogs, we need to be tough on crime. We need to let our law enforcement officers do their jobs, and we need to make sure prosecutors put criminals away. We need to enforce the laws that are already on the books, and when a criminal is caught, they need to be put away. Soft-on-crime policies result in criminal recidivism, in which the same individuals often cycle through the system, resulting in backlogs. Congress needs to support tougher enforcement, including deporting illegal aliens, to stop repeat offenders and take strain off our system.
What federal policies would you prioritize to help address concerns about drug trafficking, overdoses and strains on local law enforcement?
Two words: border security. Under the Biden administration, upwards of 10 million people came into our country illegally. This abhorrent mismanagement has downstream effects and connected issues. We need to end catch-and-release as well as fully fund and support our hardworking law enforcement officers, Border Patrol agents, and ICE agents. Through our support, they will continue to stop fentanyl and cartel operations at the source and send back anyone who made it through previously. Ending soft-on-crime policies and deporting criminals will take the strain off local law enforcement.
How significant an issue is climate change? What would you advocate for related to climate change if elected?
The solution to any climate concerns, human-caused or natural, is to expand nuclear energy. We need to stay energy-dominant and oppose all Green New Deal-aligned policies that harm our farmers, manufacturers, and families. Unleash American energy independence.
Wisconsin’s bipartisan support for a PFAS law to hold polluters accountable and the state's lower maximum contaminant levels for drinking water put it out in front nationally on forever-chemical protections. Some say the best way to prevent PFAS contaminations is to outlaw their use, while others hope to reverse the regulations. How important is this issue? What still needs to be addressed? How should remediation costs be raised?
While I believe PFAS regulation is more effectively handled by states, I support practical efforts to clean up contaminated sites and to protect the health of Wisconsinites and the environment. This is an incredibly pertinent issue in northeast Wisconsin, and it should continue to be addressed locally. This is why I cosponsored HR 1267, to ensure that water systems which filter and manage PFAS, which are removed from the water supply, are not held liable as polluters.
Non-citizen immigrants make up a significant portion of the home health and nursing home workforce. What do you think about federal immigration policy, especially as it relates to the immigrant workforce among Wisconsin’s home health aides and nursing home staff?
American jobs are for American citizens. We need to keep building and supporting our workforce and do everything in our power to protect our American workers. My role as a congressman is to serve the interests of our citizens, not illegal aliens.