Wisconsin Democrat who refused to resign amid sexual misconduct accusations loses primary

Wisconsin state Rep. Josh Zepnick lost the Democratic primary in his bid for re-election Tuesday. He's been accused by two women of sexual misconduct. (State of Wisconsin)

A Wisconsin state representative who has been accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women lost the Democratic primary Tuesday in his bid for re-election.

Rep. Josh Zepnick lost the Tuesday primary to Marisabel Cabrera, an immigration attorney who was endorsed by EMILY’s List.

Zepnick was removed from legislative committees in December and was not allowed to meet privately with other Assembly Democrats after he was accused of kissing two women against their will at political events in 2011 and 2015. Both women claimed he was drunk when he kissed them without their consent.

Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz called on him to resign. Instead, Zepnick ran for re-election.

Zepnick, who was first elected in 2002, apologized for his behavior and blamed it on alcoholism, WISN-TV reported. He was also arrested for drunk driving in 2015.

State Rep. Josh Zepnick was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in 2015. He's blamed alcohol on his behavior with women after two accused him of kissing them without permission at various political events. (Greenfield Police Department)

Of the allegations, Zepnick told WisPolitics.com, “I don’t think that what happened over essentially a period of five seconds in my life should define my entire career, let alone cause me to not be able to serve.”

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He said the accusations against him were “shifting and changing.”

Cabrera cast Zepnick as a “sexual harasser” who is unable to hold office in the state Assembly. She also called Zepnick’s defense and handling of the accusations “offensive.”

“I don’t think that what happened over essentially a period of five seconds in my life should define my entire career, let alone cause me to not be able to serve.”

— State Rep. Josh Zepnick

“His conduct is confirmation that it’s time for him to go,” Cabrera, who also challenged Zepnick in 2016, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“It’s actually that something that affects women for their entire life – it doesn’t just go away,” she continued. “It’s offensive that his immediate response was to blame it on the alcohol. It’s even more offensive that after admitting the incidents did happen and apologizing, he’d challenge the women’s credibility. And it’s outrageous that he would suggest there’s some type of 5-second rule to sexual assault.”

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Zepnick conceded the race and said he wishes Cabrera well, the Journal Sentinel reported.

“I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to represent this district for 16 years … And I’m proud of the work I’ve accomplished,” he told the newspaper. “I can’t go back and change my mistakes. But three years ago, I went into recovery and became sober. And I’ve stayed sober.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.