By Shereen Siewert
Tom Tiffany has been declared the winner of a special congressional election Tuesday in a heavily conservative, rural Wisconsin district.
Tiffany, a state senator endorsed by President Donald Trump, beat Democrat Tricia Zunker by a margin of about 14 points.
Tiffany will replace former U.S. Congressman Sean Duffy, a Republican who retired in September. The 7th district has been vacant since Duffy’s retirement.
Zunker, president of the Wausau School Board, was trying to become the first Native American from Wisconsin elected to Congress. She pulled in big-name endorsements including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
The district has been under Republican control since 2011 and was redistricted to more heavily favor Republicans.
About 20% of registered voters cast ballots absentee. There were no calls to delay or alter the election like there were before Wisconsin’s presidential primary last month.
Both candidates said they will run again in November.
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