August 13th, 2024

Want to hear more from the Michael Best Wisconsin Team about Post Primary results and predictions? We are presenting our insights this Friday, August 16^th at 8:30AM CDT to kick off the return of ‘Coffee with the Candidates.’

Please RSVP to lauren.lubenow@michaelbest.com to join the virtual discussion.

Today was Wisconsin's Partisan Primary Election. Below please find the status of election results as of 11:00PM tonight

• Both constitutional amendments were rejected.
• Rebecca Cooke won the 3rd CD Democratic nomination.
• Tony Wied is leading in the race for the 8th CD Republican nomination.
• Overwhelming majority of primaried incumbents win their primaries.

Two Constitutional Amendments

Both referenda have been rejected.

Question 1: “Delegation of appropriation power. Shall section 35 (1) of article IV of the constitution be created to provide that the legislature may not delegate its sole power to determine how moneys shall be appropriated?”

• No: 58.2%
• Yes: 41.8%

Question 2: “Allocation of federal moneys. Shall section 35 (2) of article IV of the constitution be created to prohibit the governor from allocating any federal moneys the governor accepts on behalf of the state without the approval of the legislature by joint resolution or as provided by legislative rule?”

• No: 58.2%
• Yes: 41.8%

Rebecca Cooke (Eau Claire) won the Democratic 3rd Congressional District Primary beating out Katrina Shankland to clinch the nomination. With 99% of the vote reporting, Cooke collected 49.1% of the votes to the nearest vote-getting Shankland‘s 42.5%.

Cooke advances to a November election against incumbent U.S. Representative Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien). Rep. Van Orden clinched the Republican nomination with 99% of the vote. Cooke sits with $590,562 cash on hand while Rep. Van Orden has $2.4 million.

The 3rd CD has a 51.1% GOP lean based on past partisan performance. Partisan performance was calculated by Michael Best Strategies using election results from the 2022 U.S. Senate election, the 2022 Wisconsin Gubernatorial election, and the 2020 Presidential election.

Tony Wied (Suamico) won the Republican 8th Congressional District Primary over Roger Roth and Andre Jacque. Wied has collected 38.7% of the vote to Roth‘s 37.1% and Jacque‘s 24.2%. The results were with 47.88% of the estimated vote in.

Tony Wied advances to the November General Election against Democratic candidate Kristen Lyerly (Allouez). She clinched the Democratic nomination unopposed with 99% of the vote. Wied sits with $228,434 cash on hand while Lyerly has $313,124.

The 8th CD has a 57.1% GOP lean based on past partisan performance. Partisan performance was calculated by Michael Best Strategies using election results from the 2022 U.S. Senate election, the 2022 Wisconsin Gubernatorial election, and the 2020 Presidential election.

Democratic Primaries

The winners of the following State Senate Democratic Primaries do not have a Republican opponent in November so will be unopposed in their election to the State Senate and will be sworn into office in January:

Senate District 4: Myers v. Drake (84.1% DEM lean*)

With 64% of the vote reporting, state Rep. Dora Drake (Milwaukee) was leading the race with 59.25% of the vote share.

Senate District 16: Anderson v. Ratcliff v. Baldeh (65.5% DEM lean*)

In a three-way race with 99% of the votes reporting, state Rep. Melissa Ratcliff (Madison) was leading her primary opponents Jimmy Anderson and Samba Baldeh with 53.5% of the vote. 

Republican Primaries

Senate District 18: Yang v. Phillips (54.3% DEM lean*)

Anthony Phillips (Appleton) defeated Blong Yang with 62.08% of the votes. He will face Democrat Kristen Alfheim (Appleton) in November.

Senate District 20: Feyen v. Ramthun (67.7% GOP lean*)

State Sen. Dan Feyen (Fond du Lac) defeated challenger Tim Ramthun, capturing 65.41% of the total vote. Sen. Feyen will face Democrat Michael Rapp (Van Dyne) in November. 

Paired Incumbent Assembly Republican Primaries 

Rep. Peter Schmidt (R-Bonduel) and Rep. Elijah Behnke (R-Oconto) in AD 6. (65.3% GOP lean*)

With 19% of votes reporting, Rep. Elijah Behnke was leading fellow incumbent Rep. Peter Schmidt, capturing 55.87% of the total vote.

Rep. Nate Gustafson (R-Fox Crossing) and Rep. Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh) in AD 55. (57.8% GOP lean*)

With 62% of votes reporting, Rep. Nate Gustafson was leading Rep. Michael Schraa with 54.6% of the vote share.

Rep. John Spiros (R-Marshfield) and Rep. Donna Rozar (R-Marshfield) in AD 86. (62.8% GOP lean*)

With 84% of votes reporting, Rep. John Spiros defeated incumbent opponent Rep. Donna Rozar. Rep. Spiros captured 43.72% of the vote to Rep. Rozar‘s 32.26%. Rep. Spiros would face Democrat John Small (Marathon) in the November general election.

Incumbent Assembly Republicans Challenged in Primaries 

Assembly District 1 (56.4% GOP lean*)

State Rep. Joel Kitchens (Sturgeon Bay) defeated Milt Swagel with 76.88% of the vote. Rep. Kitchens will face Democrat Renee Paplham (Kewaunee) in the November general election.

Assembly District 4 (63.3% GOP lean*)

State Rep. David Steffen (Green Bay) defeated challenger Darwin Behnke, capturing 76.89% of the total vote. Rep. Steffen will face Democrat Jane Benson in the November general election.

Assembly District 13 (57.5% DEM lean*)

State Rep. Tom Michalski (Elm Grove) fended off Patti Granger‘s primary challenge with 80.83% of the vote. Rep. Michalski will face incumbent Democrat Robyn Vining (Wauwatosa) in the November election.

Assembly District 24 (57.2% GOP lean*)

State Sen. Dan Knodl (Germantown) defeated primary opponent Janel Brandtjen with 66.36% of the vote to her 33.64%. Sen. Knodl will face incumbent Democrat William Walter (Germantown) in the November election.

Assembly District 25 (57.1% GOP lean*)

With 19% reporting, State Rep. Paul Tittl (Manitowoc) is on the path to defeat his challenger in the Republican primary for the 25th AD. He has taken 66.59% of the vote against David Wage. Rep. Tittl will be against Stephen Welch (D-Two Rivers) in November.

Assembly District 35 (64.5% GOP lean*)

Incumbent Rep. Calvin Callahan (Tomahawk) is leading challenger Todd Mayr with 31% of votes reported. Rep. Callahan captured 83.91% of the vote to Mayr’s 16.09%. Rep. Callahan will face democratic opponent Elizabeth McCrank (Merrill) on the November ballot.

Assembly District 37 (63.0% GOP lean*)

Incumbent Rep. Mark Born (Beaver Dam) defeated primary challenger Steve Rydzewski, capturing 69.24% of the total vote. Rep. Born will face Democrat LaToya Bates (Mayville) in the November general election.

Assembly District 43 (55.3% DEM lean*)

With 29% of votes reporting, Rep. Scott Johnson (Jefferson) was leading Dylan Kurtz with 70.55% of the vote share. Rep. Johnson will face Democrat Brienne Brown (Whitewater) in the November election.

Assembly District 57 (66.4% GOP lean*)

Rep. Kevin Petersen (Waupaca) is on the way to defeat challenger Duane Wilson with 59% of votes reported. Rep. Petersen has captured 65.36% of the vote to Wilson‘s 34.64%. Rep. Petersen will face Democrat Ruth Caves in the November general election.

Assembly District 61 (50.9% GOP lean*)

With 91% of the vote reporting, state Rep. Bob Donovan (Greenfield) beat Martin Tontoe Gomez with 92.55% of the vote share. Rep. Donovan will face Democrat LuAnn Bird (Hales Corners) in the November general election.

Assembly District 67 (62.5% GOP lean*)

Rep. David Armstrong (Rice Lake) defeated challenger Jimmy Swenson, capturing 78.06% of the total vote. Rep. Armstrong will face Democrat Jeff Foster in the November general election.

Assembly District 68 (66.9% GOP lean*)

Rep. Rob Summerfield (Bloomer) fended off Cliff Taylor's primary challenge with 64% of the vote. Rep. Summerfield will face Democrat Richard Pulcher (Lublin) in the November election.

Assembly District 69 (69.0% GOP lean*)

Rep. Karen Hurd defeated her challenger in the Republican primary for the 69th AD. She took 57.7% of the vote against Lori Voss. Rep. Hurd will face Democrat Roger Halls in November.

Assembly District 74 (58.4% GOP lean*)

Incumbent Chanz Green (Grand View) defeated challenger Scott Harbridge. Rep. Green captured 70.5% of the vote to Harbridge‘s 29.5%. Rep. Green will face democratic opponent Jeanne Bruce on the November ballot.

Assembly District 99 (66.6% GOP lean*)

State Rep. Barb Dittrich (Oconomowoc) defeated primary challenger Jeff Pfannerstill, capturing 62.97% of the total vote. 

Incumbent Assembly Democrats Challenged in Primaries

Assembly District 8 (79.7% DEM lean*)

Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (Milwaukee) defeated Enrique Murguia with 79.77% of the vote share. Rep. Ortiz-Velez does not have an opponent on the ballot for the November general election.

Assembly District 19 (82.0% DEM lean*)

State Rep. Ryan Clancy (Milwaukee) defeated challenger Jarrod Anderson. Rep. Clancy captured 57.13% of the vote to Jarrod Anderson’s 42.87%. Rep. Clancy does not have an opponent on the ballot for the November general election.

Assembly District 78 (81.7% DEM lean*)

Rep. Shelia Stubbs (Madison) defeated Maia Pearson with 65.9% of the vote share. Rep. Stubbs does not have an opponent on the ballot for the November general election.

Assembly District 80 (74.7% DEM lean*)

Rep. Mike Bare (Verona) defeated challenger Nasra Wehelie, capturing 78.8% of the total vote. Rep. Bare will face Republican Robert Relph (Madison) in the November general election.

Non-Incumbent Assembly Primary Winners that have no November opponent

The winners of the following State Assembly Democratic Primaries do not have a Republican opponent in November so will be unopposed in their election to the State Assembly and will be sworn into office in January:

Assembly District 11 (88.5% DEM lean*)

Sequanna Taylor (Milwaukee) defeated opponent Amillia Heredia with 84.48% of the vote.

Assembly District 12 (78.8% DEM lean*)

With 47% of votes reporting, Russel Goodwin (Milwaukee) is leading his other opponents in the Democratic primary for the 12th AD. He took 32.79% of the vote against Brandon Willford, Katrina Morrison, and Decorah Gordon.

Assembly District 47 (72.6% DEM lean*)

Randy Udell (Madison) defeated his opponent Joe Maldonado. Udell captured 51% of the vote to Maldonado‘s 49%. 

Assembly District 48 (81.7% DEM lean*)

Andrew Hysell (Sun Prairie) defeated his primary opponents, capturing 32.18% of the total vote. 

Assembly District 77 (87.3% DEM lean*)

With 99% of votes reporting, Renuka Mayadev (Madison) was leading Thad Schumacher and Chuck Erickson with 48.9% of the vote share. 

Read the bios of Assembly and Senate candidates without a general election opponent here: Unopposed in 2024 general election.pdf

*Partisan performance was calculated by Michael Best Strategies using election results from the 2022 U.S. Senate election, the 2022 Wisconsin Gubernatorial election, and the 2020 Presidential election.