Michele Magadance Skinner - yes, Magadance is apparently her real name - is an Eau Claire County Supervisor who is running for the Wisconsin State Senate against the Democratic incumbent, Jeff Smith. Skinner is also a former TV reporter and founded a recruitment firm that worked with Big Pharma and Big Healthcare companies. However, Skinner has some possible legal issues regarding her residency, which she needs to resolve.
In 2025, Skinner claimed a Lottery and Gambling tax credit of nearly $200 on her Eau Claire County home. During the same year, Skinner and her husband also claimed a senior homestead tax exemption on their four-bedroom lake home in Dawson County, Georgia. On top of that, the couple also claimed an income-based tax exemption meant for seniors over the age of 75 who make less than $25,000. The Skinners paid no property tax in Georgia in 2025 due to these exemptions.
Both states have laws stating that they can claim the benefits only if the home is their primary residence. Making a false claim in Georgia is a misdemeanor, but in Wisconsin it's a felony. Oopsie!
Wisconsin-based attorney Michael Mastelman explains the problems that Skinner faces, "The public records raise serious questions that deserve answers. If inconsistent representations were made to obtain homestead benefits in more than one state, that could have legal and tax consequences in addition to raising questions about the candidate's residency."
When asked about it, Skinner dodged the legal questions and played the victim card, "Jeff Smith’s allies in the senate democratic caucus are trying to push a false message about my life and qualifications to be your senator. I am from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. I am a Wisconsin resident. I hold a valid Wisconsin Driver's License. I vote in Wisconsin.”
When they get the issues involving their Wisconsin and Georgia homes, then they might as well deal with that pesky #760,000 home in Saint Lucie County, Florida, where her husband is actively registered to vote. Then there is also the issue of Mr. Skinner making donations to Wisconsin campaigns using the Georgia address. Oh, what a tangled web they weave...
The race is highly contested because it's seen as possibly determining the majority in the state senate. Skinner has raised over $600,000, with the vast majority coming from the Republican Party. Wouldn't it be just a shame if they pissed away all that money for nothing?
