By Shereen Siewert | Wausau Pilot & Review
and The Associated Press
Editor’s note: This story will be updated as additional results are posted. Some results may not be available until early Wednesday.
UPDATE: Gov. Tony Evers defeated Republican Tim Michels to keep battleground Wisconsin under a Democratic governor heading into the 2024 presidential election, declaring in his victory speech Wednesday that his win showed that voters wanted to protect democracy.
Evers said his victory was a win for reproductive rights, public schools, clean energy and continuing to invest in the state’s infrastructure.
“You showed up because you saw our democracy was on the brink of existence and you decided to do a damn thing about it,” he said.
Evers’ victory stood to guarantee that Democrats would still have a check on Republican power in the Legislature, as GOP attempts of winning enough seats to have a veto-proof supermajority looked to be unsuccessful.
Johnson v. Barnes race
Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson held a narrow lead early Wednesday as he sought to win a third term in battleground Wisconsin against Mandela Barnes, a Democrat who refused to concede the race until all votes had been counted.
Johnson stopped short of declaring victory early Wednesday, telling his supporters he was confident there was no way for Barnes to win the race.
“This race is over,” Johnson said.
Barnes’ campaign spokeswoman, Maddy McDaniel, said, “No matter what anyone says, we are committed to making sure every vote is counted. We will wait and see what the Wisconsin voters have decided after all their voices are heard.”
At 1 a.m. Wednesday, with more than 90% of the expected votes counted, Johnson held a narrow lead of just over a point. Under Wisconsin law, a recount can only be ordered if the margin of defeat is less than a point.
GOP challenger concedes in AG race, but race has not yet been called
Wisconsin’s attorney general race was too close to call early Wednesday morning even though the Republican challenger conceded.
Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney said around 1 a.m. that he didn’t see a way to victory even though unofficial results showed that with 99% of the vote counted incumbent Democrat Josh Kaul held a narrow lead of less than a percentage point. Under Wisconsin law, a recount can only be ordered if the margin of defeat is less than a point.
Toney told supporters at an election night gathering that he called Kaul and conceded.
“We just don’t see a pathway to victory given what appears to be the limited number of votes out there,” Toney said.
His campaign spokesperson, Courtney Mullen, didn’t immediately respond to an email asking if Toney would seek a recount.
Kaul said in a statement that he was grateful Wisconsin residents have put their trust in him for another four years.
“I look forward to the work ahead of us as we continue to deliver results and work to build safer and stronger communities across the state,” he said.
Wisconsin’s secretary of state is not responsible for overseeing elections, though some Republicans want to change that. State Assemblywoman Amy Loudenbeck, who won the Republican nomination, challenged the Democratic incumbent, Doug La Follette, who was first elected in 1974. As of early Wednesday, La Follette leads by a razor-thin margin. With about 5 percent of ballots yet to be counted, a winner cannot yet be projected.
Van Orden leads Paff in U.S. House race
Republican Derrick Van Orden was leading the race for a western Wisconsin congressional seat early Wednesday, hoping to win a spot in the House less than two years after he was seen near the U.S. Capitol on the day insurrectionists breached the building.
Van Orden led Democratic state Sen. Brad Pfaff by about 4 percentage points with about 75% of the vote counted.
Van Orden is among a handful of people who were in Washington the day of the Jan. 6 insurrection and are now running for Congress. The former Navy SEAL has denied taking any part, but Pfaff argued to voters that his presence should be disqualifying.
The two were seeking a seat held by longtime Democratic Rep. Ron Kind before Kind, who narrowly defeated Van Orden in 2020, chose not to seek another term.
Van Orden vastly outraised Pfaff and had the advantage of running in a district along the state’s western border that has been trending toward conservatives. But he had to defend himself against questions about his presence on or near the U.S. Capitol grounds during the insurrection, when rioters violently breached the building in an attempt to block certification of Joe Biden’s presidential victory.
Local races decided
In central Wisconsin races, the seat held by Republican Wisconsin Sen. Jerry Petrowski will remain in GOP hands, with Cory Tomczyk, of Mosinee, easily defeating Democrat Bob Look by a 62-38 percent margin. More than 95 percent of ballots have been counted as of early Wednesday.
In the race for Wisconsin’s 85th Assembly seat, incumbent Republican Pat Snyder, of Schofield, defeated his challenger, Democrat Kristin Conway by a margin of 56-44 percent.
South of Wausau the race for the 71st Assembly District, which includes Stevens Point, has not yet been called. Republican Scott Soik ran a fierce challenge against incumbent Democrat Katrina Shankland, who holds a 57-43 percent lead. But those results are not yet complete, as about 65 percent of ballots have been counted in the district.
In the 35th Assembly District, Republican Calvin Callahan, who is just completing his first term, leads by a wide margin over his Democratic challenger, Todd Frederick. But with more than 20 percent of the ballots still to be counted, that race has not yet been called.
Tiffany wins House race
Republican Tom Tiffany won reelection to U.S. House in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, easily defeating Democratic challenger Richard Ausman. Republican Scott Fitzgerald also won reelection to U.S. House in Wisconsin’s 5th Congressional District. Democrat Gwen Moore emerged as the winner in the race for Wisconsin’s 4th Congressional District, while Republican Bryan Steil won reelection in Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District.
Our earlier coverage is below.
11:30 p.m. UPDATE: Three hours after polls closed in Wisconsin, ballots are still being tallied but some key races have been decided.
Republican Tom Tiffany won reelection to U.S. House in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, defeating Democratic challenger Richard Ausman. Republican Scott Fitzgerald also won reelection to U.S. House in Wisconsin’s 5th Congressional District. Democrat Gwen Moore emerged as the winner in the race for Wisconsin’s 4th Congressional District as well.
The governor’s race, between incumbent Democrat Tony Evers and Republican challenger Tim Michels is so far too close to call – though Evers has the advantage with 86 percent of the votes tallied.
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican, leads Democratic challenger Mandela Barnes by a margin of 51-49 percent as of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. No projected winner has been declared.
Voter turnout was high in Marathon County, with more than 76 percent of registered voters casting ballots, according to the Marathon County Elections page. Marathon County voters largely favored Republican candidates, with Tim Michels, Ron Johnson, Tom Tiffany, Eric Toney and Amy Loudenbeck all topping their Democratic opponents in the area.
At press time, Republican Cory Tomczyk was ahead of Democrat Bob Look in the race for Wisconsin’s 29th State Senate seat by a 63-37 percent margin. Republican Jerry Petrowski announced earlier this year he would not seek another term.
Also at press time Republican Pat Snyder was ahead of his challenger, Democrat Kristin Conway, for the state’s 85th Assembly seat. In that race, the margin was tighter with Snyder seeing a 56-44 percent advantage.
Marathon County Chief Deputy Chad Billeb will be the next sheriff after winning his primary election without an opponent. Sheriff Scott Parks announced many months ago he would not seek another term.
Voters rejected two referendums in the Athens School District and one in Stratford. No other measures were on the ballot for Marathon County.
