Mike
Thurow
Independent Mike Thurow, a Wisconsin fire captain, challenges Republican incumbent Glenn Grothman in the 6th Congressional District.
- sources
- 10
- positions
- 10
- endorsements
- 5
Background
Mike Thurow is an independent candidate running for U.S. House in Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District in the 2026 general election, scheduled for November 3, 2026. 13 He is challenging Republican incumbent Glenn Grothman and is not the incumbent himself. 3
Thurow is a fire captain and director of a HAZMAT team, having become a professional firefighter in 2013, been promoted to lieutenant in March 2020, and advanced to fire captain and HAZMAT team director in April 2023. 13 Before entering the fire service, he worked in homeless-healthcare outreach at Healthcare for the Homeless, though sources differ on the length of that tenure. 12
Thurow grew up in Mequon, Wisconsin. 14 His campaign biography notes he graduated high school; no college degree is listed in the sources consulted. 15 He has no prior elected office on record in the cited sources. 13
At a glance
- Party
- Independent
- Running for
- U.S. House · District 6, Wisconsin
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
- Current office
- Fire Captain and HAZMAT Team Director
- Website
- thurowforcongress.com(opens in a new tab)
Where they stand
Each position links to the page it was drawn from. Quotes are verbatim.
Timeline
- Date unknownendorsementMASH endorses Mike Thurow for WI-06
An iVoterGuide profile updated September 30 lists the Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers Organization (MASH) among Thurow's endorsers. No dated announcement from the group was found.
Mike Thurow - Candidate Profile · Sep 30, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Date unknownfilingThurow raised ~$169,862 through July 22, holding $62,983 cash on hand
FEC-derived figures compiled by Smarter.Vote show Thurow's campaign had raised about $169,862, spent $108,484, and held $62,983 cash on hand through July 22. Most receipts came from individuals.
Mike Thurow (I) – WI-06 House 2026 | Smarter.Vote · Sep 27, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Date unknownendorsementForward Party endorses Mike Thurow for WI-06
Smarter.Vote lists an endorsement of Thurow from the Forward Party. No specific endorsement date was found in the available sources.
Mike Thurow (I) – WI-06 House 2026 | Smarter.Vote · Sep 27, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 7newsThurow confirmed as general-election candidate in 5-way WI-06 race
A candidate guide published October 7 described Thurow as an independent and one of four challengers to Republican incumbent Glenn Grothman, alongside Democrat Brad Smith, independent Elizabeth Fitzgibbon, and Green Party candidate Matthew Arndt. Election Day is set for November 3; early in-person voting was scheduled to begin October 20.
5 candidates vie for 6th Congressional District seat | Election 2026 · Oct 7, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 21newsThurow outlines policy priorities in Sheboygan Press candidate questionnaire
Thurow named breaking up monopolies, worker protections, and health care access as top priorities. He backed the PRO Act, Medicare drug price negotiation, protecting rural hospitals, congressional term limits, a ban on federal officials trading stocks, and overturning Citizens United. He pledged annual public town halls in every county and said he would never take corporate PAC money.
Wisconsin 6th Congressional District candidates share priorities · Sep 21, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - May 28pollPoll shows Grothman leading Thurow 55% to 45% in WI-06
A Tavern Research poll listed by Smarter.Vote (sample: 437) showed Republican incumbent Glenn Grothman leading independent Mike Thurow 55% to 45%. This is the only Thurow matchup poll found; it is several months old and should not be treated as a current measure.
2026 Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District Election · Oct 9, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Endorsements
- Mark W. and Elizabeth Simons Heising otherListed among endorsements on iVoterGuide profile; no dated primary-source announcement found. ivoterguide.com
- Andrew Yang otherListed among endorsements on iVoterGuide profile; no dated primary-source announcement found. ivoterguide.com
- Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers (MASH) unionMASH announced its endorsement; president Peter Rickman quoted in support. wispolitics.com · Jun 26, 2026
- UAW Wisconsin State CAP Council unionEndorsement on behalf of UAW Region 4 and the Wisconsin State CAP/PAC Council. wispolitics.com · Jun 3, 2026
- Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin (PFFW) unionPFFW proudly announced their endorsement of Thurow for WI-6. wispolitics.com · Mar 24, 2026
Campaign finance
Totals filed with the Federal Election Commission for the 2026 election cycle.
- Raised
- $170K
- Spent
- $108K
- Cash on hand
- $63K
As of Jul 22, 2026. Filings are periodic, so recent money may not be included yet. ↳ FEC record H6WI06233(opens in a new tab)
Sources 10
- [1] 2026 Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District Election(opens in a new tab) Oct 9, 2026
- [2] 5 candidates vie for 6th Congressional District seat | Election 2026(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
- [3] Platform — Mike Thurow | Independent for Congress(opens in a new tab) Oct 3, 2026
- [4] Mike Thurow - Candidate Profile(opens in a new tab) Sep 30, 2026
- [5] Mike Thurow (I) – WI-06 House 2026 | Smarter.Vote(opens in a new tab) Sep 27, 2026
- [6] Wisconsin 6th Congressional District candidates share priorities(opens in a new tab) Sep 21, 2026
- [7] Thurow campaign: Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers ...(opens in a new tab) Jun 26, 2026
- [8] Thurow campaign: The UAW Wisconsin State CAP Council ...(opens in a new tab) Jun 3, 2026
- [9] Thurow campaign: The PFFW endorses Mike Thurow for WI-6(opens in a new tab) Mar 24, 2026
- [10] Thurow campaign: Calling for action to hold federal agents ...(opens in a new tab) Jan 27, 2026