Republican · Wisconsin's 5th District · 2026

Scott Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald and his wife, Lisa, raise horses on a small farm in rural Clyman.

Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Lisa, raise horses in rural Clyman.¹ They have three sons and are grandparents.¹ Public service also runs through his family: his father served as Dodge County sheriff and a U.S. marshal, while his brother served as Wisconsin Assembly speaker.¹

Fitzgerald graduated from Hustisford High School and earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.² He joined the Army Reserve in 1981 and retired in 2009 as a lieutenant colonel.¹ His military assignments included service as a battalion commander.¹

Outside politics, he bought and operated the Dodge County Independent News in Juneau before selling it to the Watertown Daily Times and remaining as an associate publisher.¹ His Wisconsin Senate service began in 1995 and included periods as majority leader before he entered Congress in 2021.¹ His state leadership work also included finance and corrections committees.¹

Fitzgerald entered Congress in 2021 and now serves on the Financial Services and Judiciary committees.²³ His subcommittee assignments cover financial institutions, housing and insurance, courts and intellectual property, and regulation and antitrust.³ His economic positions include easing business regulations and opposing new federal minimum wage requirements for small businesses.⁴ He faces Democrat Andy Beck in the November race for another term.⁵

Record and controversies

Electoral count objections

Fitzgerald supported both unsuccessful January 2021 electoral count objections.⁶⁷

Constituent mailing complaint

A 2022 constituent complaint, publicized by Fitzgerald's Democratic challenger, alleged that seven official mailers improperly served his campaign.⁸ His spokesman denied the allegation and said the House Communications Standards Commission had approved the communications.⁸ The complaint was not a misconduct finding; a later public agency disposition was not verified by October 29, 2026.⁸

Reported reservation for elector meeting

Reporting on released public records in 2022 described Fitzgerald's Senate office reserving state Capitol space for Wisconsin Republicans at the same time and location as the party's December 2020 elector meeting.⁹ He did not respond to that report's comment request.⁹ The contemporary reporting recorded no criminal charge or judgment against Fitzgerald; a later public finding against him was not verified by October 29, 2026.¹⁰