Politics & Government
Candidate Profile: Alex Lasry For U.S. Senate
Lasry told Patch why he should be elected for the U.S. Senate in Wisconsin. The primary election is on August 9.

MILWAUKEE, WI — Alex Lasry, the senior vice president of Milwaukee's basketball team, said he wants to run for U.S. Senate on a pro-union, minimum wage increase and sustainable jobs platform.
Name
Alex Lasry
Find out what's happening in Milwaukeefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Age (As of Election Day)
Find out what's happening in Milwaukeefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
35
Town of Residence
Milwaukee
Position sought
U.S. Senate
Party Affiliation
Democratic
Family
My wife, Lauren, and I welcomed our first daughter, Eleanor, this past August.
Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No.
Education
Bachelors from University of Pennsylvania, MBA from New York University
Occupation
Senior Vice President of the Milwaukee Bucks
Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office
No.
Campaign Website
Why are you seeking elective office?
For over a decade Wisconsinites have only had one Senator fighting for them in Washington. I
want to give Tammy Baldwin a true partner in the Senate working for Wisconsin. I have a proven
track record of delivering real results for the people of Wisconsin - whether it’s creating good
union jobs, paying a $15-dollar minimum wage, fighting for social justice, or making it more
accessible for people to register to vote, I don’t just talk about the issues, I have delivered on
them. I want to go to Washington to do just that and get things done for the people of our state
The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is the creation of family sustaining jobs,
and if elected, I will immediately prioritize the creation of good union jobs, raising wages for
working people, making sure Wisconsinites have access to quality affordable healthcare, and
improving infrastructure across the state, including access to high-speed internet and clean
drinking water.
I’m not a politician, but I’ve worked in the highest levels of politics. I don’t just talk about wanting
to get things done, I have a real record of getting things done that improve people’s lives. I’m
running to do the job, not grab headlines and get in social media fights. For too long, we have
only had one U.S. Senator fighting to bring resources back to Wisconsin, Tammy Baldwin needs
a real partner in Washington that will work for Wisconsinites. I learned during my time in the
Obama administration, there are a lot of things that can be done in Washington that might not
necessarily be front page news but can make a huge impact in people’s lives.
I have a track record of working with people to get things done, and I’m going to Washington to
do just that. I know how to run a business with progressive values, and I have been practicing
everything I’ve been preaching. We have one of the only unionized campaign staffs in the
country right now, because I have seen first-hand how great unions are for workers at Fiserv
Forum.
We need a change. Whether it's his constant conspiracy theorizing, his fealty to Donald Trump,
or his just general indifference to actually trying to make the lives of working people less hard,
Ron Johnson has shown time and time again that he is not up to the task of representing the
people of Wisconsin. It is hard to come up with a single thing Johnson has delivered for
Wisconsin. We need a Senator fighting to bring federal dollars back to our state. Ron Johnson
voted against the COVID relief bill, infrastructure bill, and did not fight to bring jobs to Wisconsin,
instead saying that Wisconsin already has enough jobs.
My top priority in the U.S. Senate will be to advance legislation that will raise wages for working
people, make it easier to unionize, and create good paying union jobs.
It’s also important that we get rid of the filibuster so that we can pass the legislation being
blocked by Republicans that will bring real change, including the Pro Act, George Floyd Justice
in Policing Act, The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and the For the People Act.
Since joining the Bucks, I have helped lead the team’s transformation into one of the premier
NBA franchises, proving that you can run a successful business with progressive values. I
spearheaded the Buck’s corporate citizenship efforts to demonstrate that some things are bigger
than basketball: marching with local leaders to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake,
leading the “Bucks Vote” initiative, and consistently raising the level of the team’s racial and
social justice activism.
I brought together the public/private partnership to build Fiserv Forum and the Deer District
surrounding the arena. As part of the agreement to build Fiserv Forum, I led the workforce
development efforts to make sure that people often left out of major construction work got a
chance to expand skills, find jobs, and build wealth. My plan required 40 percent of workers on the
project to consist of people underemployed or unemployed for the previous five years and at
least 25 percent of service contracts to be awarded to minority and/or disadvantaged businesses.
Under my leadership, the Bucks did not just set ambitious goals, we surpassed them —
reaching 43 percent and 30 percent respectively. I also ensured 80 percent of the materials and services for building Fiserv Forum were sourced from Wisconsin, including steel from a plant north of Stevens Point, cast concrete from near Manitowoc, and plumbing supplies from Madison.
I also led negotiations for a historic project labor agreement that included provisions to hire
women and minorities that are often underrepresented among union workers. The Bucks also
included an agreement to implement a $15 minimum wage for Fiserv Forum workers that we put
in place in 2020. In addition, Fiserv Forum is one of the most environmentally-friendly arenas in
North America.
I also helped lead the successful bid for Milwaukee to host the 2020 Democratic National
Convention and I served as the Finance Chair for the Democratic Convention’s Host Committee,
raising over $40 million for the Convention. I worked with both Democrats and Republicans to
launch this successful bid showing that it is possible to work across the aisle to get things done
for the people of Wisconsin.
What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I will do everything I can to bring back resources for the people of Wisconsin. I want to be a
Senator who listens, works hard, and gets things done. For too long Wisconsinites have only
had one U.S. Senator to fight for them. Tammy Baldwin deserves a true partner in the Senate,
and that’s exactly what I plan to be.
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