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| U.S. Senate, Wisconsin |
|---|
| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: June 1, 2018 |
| Primary: August 14, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent: Tammy Baldwin (Democrat) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Wisconsin |
| Race ratings |
Inside Elections: Solid Democratic Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Democratic |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018 |
| See also |
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th Wisconsin elections, 2018 U.S. Congress elections, 2018 U.S. Senate elections, 2018 U.S. House elections, 2018 |
State Sen. Leah Vukmir (R) defeated Marine Corps veteran Kevin Nicholson (R) in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin on August 14, 2018. The race centered on party loyalty and featured million-dollar ad campaigns from satellite groups.
Vukmir had the support of national and state party leaders, earning endorsements from House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), more than 50 state legislators and officials, and the Republican Party of Wisconsin at its convention in May. She was called a consistent conservative in an ad from the party highlighting its endorsement.[1][2]
Nicholson's campaign messaging focused on his service in the military and outsider status. Conservative groups Club for Growth, FreedomWorks, and the Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund backed Nicholson. FreedomWorks highlighted Nicholson's potential opposition to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) in its statement of support.[3]
Both candidates had seven-figure support from satellite groups: Richard Uihlein contributed $2 million to Solutions for Wisconsin in 2017 to encourage Nicholson to run.[4] Another group funded primarily by Uihlein, Restoration PAC, spent $4 million on the race through July.[5] The pro-Vukmir Wisconsin Next PAC, funded mainly by Diane Hendricks, spent $2.5 million on the primary.[6][7] Altogether, satellite groups spent more than $12 million on the race.[8]
Throughout the race, the candidates relied on credentials and personality more than policy to distinguish themselves.[9][10] An issue frequently raised was loyalty to the Republican Party and President Donald Trump (R). Nicholson, a former president of the College Democrats of America, was criticized for a late conversion to conservatism following his service in the military. Restoration PAC launched a six-figure ad buy in April to challenge this narrative, comparing his political transformation to that of President Ronald Reagan's.[11]
Although both Nicholson and Vukmir expressed support for the Trump administration's agenda, Nicholson called Vukmir a Trump opponent. He referred to Vukmir's comment that Trump was offensive to everyone during an event in 2016. Her campaign responded that Vukmir recorded an ad for Trump during his presidential campaign.[12]
Three other candidates ran: Charles Barman, Griffin Jones, and George Lucia.
| Wisconsin voter? Here's what you need to know. | |
|---|---|
| Primary election | August 14, 2018 |
| Candidate filing deadline | June 1, 2018 |
| Registration deadline | August 14, 2018[13] |
| Absentee application deadline | August 9, 2018, at 5pm CT (by mail), August 10, 2018, at 5pm CT (in person)[14] |
| General election | November 6, 2018 |
| Voting information | |
| Primary type | Open |
| Early voting deadline | Go to this page for more information about early voting in Wisconsin. |
| Polling locations: Go to this page to find early voting locations and your assigned precinct for election day. | |
For more on related elections, please see:
Leah Vukmir defeated Kevin Nicholson, George Lucia, Griffin Jones, and Charles Barman in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Wisconsin on August 14, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | ![]() | Leah Vukmir | 48.9 | 217,230 |
![]() | Kevin Nicholson | 43.1 | 191,276 | |
![]() | George Lucia | 4.2 | 18,786 | |
![]() | Griffin Jones | 2.0 | 8,699 | |
| Charles Barman | 1.8 | 7,959 | ||
| Total votes: 443,950 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
The candidates below had either led in polls, received support from U.S. elected officials, or been mentioned by media coverage as top contenders. They are listed in alphabetical order.
Nicholson is a Marine Corps veteran who served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009. After returning to the United States, he received master's degrees in public and business administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Dartmouth Tuck School of Business.[15] Nicholson has also worked as a management consultant for financial firms and other companies.[16]
Once the president of the College Democrats of America, Nicholson said of his political evolution, "I used to do nothing and know everything. But since then we’ve had three kids, I fought in two wars, and I worked in businesses around the world–and after you’ve been hit in the face with that much reality, you cannot help but become a strong conservative.”[17]
He was endorsed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Club for Growth PAC. Nicholson listed taxes, deficit reduction, national security, and anti-abortion policies as priorities.[18]
Vukmir was first elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2010, representing District 5. She also served in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing District 14, from 2003 to 2010. Before entering public service, she earned her master's degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and worked as a nurse.[19]
"When I look at the issues that are facing our country right now and when I look at the razor-thin margin of votes in the U.S. Senate it would be great to have somebody in there who you know right away on day one, will be able to stand up for the conservative principles that will make a difference. There's no question with what you get with me," Vukmir said when announcing her candidacy for Senate.[20]
She was endorsed by the Republican Party of Wisconsin, the National Rifle Association, and Wisconsin First Lady Tonette Walker (R).
These were the policy positions listed on the top candidates' websites, if available.
| “ |
Taxes & Spending Kevin knows we can’t tax, spend, or borrow our way to prosperity. The federal government’s debt and deficit is immoral – and our tax code is unfair and uncompetitive. Worst of all, our reckless fiscal policies are crushing job creation. Kevin will rein in wasteful spending to cut our deficit, reform entitlements to reduce our debt, and overhaul taxes and regulations to unleash economic growth. To start, Kevin knows we should give more power back to the states, deploy more market-based reforms, and ensure that the federal government operates with a balanced budget. And on taxes, Kevin knows the tax code needs to be fairer, flatter, and lower for job creators, capital investors, and families. National Security As a decorated Marine who served in combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Kevin knows what it takes to keep America safe. In the United States Senate, Kevin will work to take on radical Islamic terrorism and defeat ISIS. Kevin will strengthen our military, make sure we don’t allow foreign actors to cross red lines, and support our troops – both when they’re serving abroad and after they come home. Furthermore, Kevin wholeheartedly agrees that the greatest threat to our national security is our fast-growing national debt. Our nation must be able to pay its bills in order to keep its citizens safe. Wisconsin Values Kevin risked his life to protect our Wisconsin values. He is pro-life and a defender of the 2nd Amendment. Kevin and his wife welcomed the first of their three children the same day President George W. Bush announced the “troop surge” in Iraq. He deployed soon after to Al Anbar province. In both Iraq and Afghanistan, Kevin saw innocent lives lost. Kevin values life because he knows firsthand how precious it is. As a Marine veteran and a gun owner, Kevin strongly supports the 2nd Amendment. Kevin will protect the rights of Wisconsin citizens to own and carry firearms.[21] |
” |
| —Kevin Nicholson for Senate[22] | ||
| “ |
Our Troops Leah Vukmir is a blue star mother. Her son Nicholas is currently serving our country as a Lieutenant in the United States Army. Leah knows that how we treat our bravest reflects on our character as a nation. She was appalled to learn of the widespread mismanagement and disgraceful neglect that has taken place at Veterans Affairs and angered by the way Senator Tammy Baldwin failed our veterans at Tomah. Protect Life As a nurse, whose primary mission is to save lives, Leah’s unwavering stance in protecting the sanctity of life is commonsense. Leah is pro-life. She has maintained a perfect voting record with Pro-Life Wisconsin and Wisconsin Right to Life and is proud to stand up for the unborn. In the Senate, she will vote to confirm pro-life judges and believes that liberal elites in Washington want to impose a value system on the rest of the country that leaves little or no room for faith. Leah will fight efforts to restrict religious liberty and will stand against efforts by Congress to limit First Amendment protections of those who worship. She attends Annuciation Greek Orthodox Church in Wauwatosa. The Second Amendment Leah is 100% pro-gun. She received an A rating for her pro-gun record in the Wisconsin State Senate. Leah opposes expanded federal regulation of gun ownership. In the Senate, she would oppose efforts to start a federal gun registry. Homeland Security The threat from radical Islamic jihadists and ISIS is clear. They want to kill us, and they are not going to stop until we confront them. There is a war going on, and as we’ve seen here in America and across the world, ISIS is targeting innocent civilians in its attacks. Leah supports using any means necessary to wipe ISIS from the face of the earth. President Obama weakened America’s standing across the globe when he called ISIS the “JV team” and refused to enforce a red line drawn in Syria after Bashar Al-Assad used chemical weapons against his own people. Leah believes our leaders must project strength and be prepared to back it up with smart military force if necessary. Our enemies need to know that if you attack the United States or its civilians, we will respond. Law and Order President Trump talked a lot about law and order during the campaign, and Leah Vukmir agrees this is a critical issue. We must make sure our police officers have the equipment and tools they need to combat violent criminals and keep our communities safe. Leah has introduced multiple pieces of legislation to toughen penalties for violent criminals because she believes we need to send a message to repeat felons that their behavior will not be tolerated. Those that keep Americans safe at home are our brave first responders – our police and firefighters. Leah stands with their efforts to keep us safe and believes the unfair attacks on police officers specifically by the fringe left need to stop. Police officers deserve our praise and thanks, not protests and attacks. Immigration We are either a nation of laws or we are not. Leah Vukmir’s father was an immigrant from Greece. Her mother’s parents were immigrants as well. Both families came the right way – legally. In the U.S. Senate, Leah Vukmir will support construction of a wall on the southern border and efforts to crack down on illegal immigration in the United States. Leah also opposes sanctuary cities in Wisconsin. The Constitution Leah believes our rights come from God, not man. The government exists to enforce our freedoms and protect our rights, not to create new entitlements not specifically enumerated in the Constitution. If elected, Leah will swear an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution of the United States, and she pledges to always refer to the intention of our founders when deciding how to vote. Taxes and Spending It’s not just that Congress spends too much – Congress is addicted to spending our money. Leah Vukmir is a conservative who believes that if hard-working Wisconsinites have to balance a checkbook, Congress should too. Leah supports a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution for this very reason. To pay for all this spending, Congress has created a complicated federal tax code. Thousands of pages long and burdensome for many Americans, Leah believes we must streamline the tax code by eliminating loopholes and deductions, while lowering tax rates for all Americans. Finally, smaller companies pay one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world. Taxation of this magnitude negatively impacts our ability to remain competitive and keep our workforce in the United States. In the Senate, Leah will push for a tax code that is simplified, increases competition with other nations, and benefits all Americans. Repeal Obamacare Leah understands why people are upset with Republicans who promised to repeal Obamacare and didn’t deliver. She supports full repeal of Obamacare. Period. And she won’t stop pushing for full repeal in Congress. Leah supports replacing Obamacare with free-market solutions that will lower costs and premiums. For example, Leah would allow insurers to offer a wider variety of plans that fit the demands of patients and families, not government central planners. And she would support allowing individuals to buy insurance across state lines, increasing competition and choice. Finally, Leah knows from her experience dealing with Wisconsin’s Medicaid program that states truly are laboratories of innovation, which is what our founders intended. Leah supports more flexibility for states when it comes to Medicaid spending, and would support efforts to send Medicaid dollars to states in the form of a block grant – allowing states more flexibility to design their own plans and save taxpayers billions of dollars.[21] |
” |
| —Leah Vukmir for Senate[23] | ||
Nicholson and Vukmir attended a debate hosted by Today's TMJ4 and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on July 26, 2018. They discussed their credentials, healthcare, and abortion, among other issues.
|
Nicholson and Vukmir participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Republican Women of Dane County on May 31, 2018, where they discussed consumer choice, healthcare spending, and school safety, among other issues.
Nicholson and Vukmir participated in a debate on April 26, 2018, hosted by Americans for Prosperity. The candidates discussed tax regulations, healthcare, services for veterans, and conservative values.[25]
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Organizations
Notable party members
State officials
Notable party members
Organizations
In July 2018, Nicholson criticized Vukmir for a March 2016 interview where she made comments critical of then-candidate Donald Trump. She said, "He’s offensive to women. He’s offensive to men. He’s offensive to little people. He’s offensive to fat people. He’s offensive to everyone." Vukmir voted for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in the Republican presidential primary in Wisconsin, but later participated in a women's group supporting Trump during the general election.[44]
Nicholson said in a statement, "The people who Donald Trump really offends are the establishment politicians like Leah Vukmir who only support the president when it’s easy or politically convenient. This is why voters don’t trust the political class — they are hypocrites, pure and simple. Leah’s own words against President Trump prove she’s long been a Trump opponent, and it is important that Wisconsin Republicans know the truth.”[44]
The Vukmir campaign responded, "This is a ridiculous discussion considering Kevin Nicholson did nothing to help President Trump in 2016, sided with Steve Bannon against President Trump in 2017 and in 2018 is working with the very same consultants who directed leading campaigns against President Trump."[44]
Nicholson was elected the president of the College Democrats of America in 1999 and spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2000. He was registered as a Democrat in North Carolina from 2005 to 2010. Nicholson said his political conversion from Democrat to Republican was cemented during a military tour in Iraq, and that upon his return to the United States in 2007, he supported the presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain (R).[45][46]
When endorsing Vukmir, former Trump White House chief of staff Reince Priebus questioned Nicholson's commitment to the party. "When you go from president of the College Democrats to wanting to be the U.S. Senator for the Republican Party, I think there should be some in-between time," Priebus said.[47]
"I’ve said a million times, my whole life’s an evolution, I get more conservative with everything I’ve done, from my service in the Marine Corps to my time in business to having three kids," said Nicholson in January 2018.[48]
In January 2018, Nicholson and Vukmir signed a unity pledge agreeing to support the Republican nominee and to campaign in a way that was respectful of other Republican candidates.
Nicholson released a memo in April 2018 alleging that Vukmir was relying too much on support from "party insiders and establishment figures," who had not given his candidacy a chance.[49]
When asked if Nicholson had violated the pledge, Vukmir campaign manager Jess Ward said in a statement that Nicholson had “insulted all Republicans who put their heart and soul into electing Scott Walker and Leah Vukmir and passing conservative reforms. He should focus on unifying the party rather than whining about his lack of grassroots support.”[49]
In audio obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel during an event in October 2017, Nicholson called House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)'s lack of support for President Donald Trump a problem. He added that Ryan "has a light footprint in" Wisconsin. On November 1, 2017, Nicholson expressed his support for Ryan in an interview and called the story "an attempt to create media controversy where there should be none."[50]
U.S Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) defended Ryan in a statement on November 2, 2017. He said, "The victories of 2016 would not have been possible without Paul’s tireless efforts, and he will continue his work on behalf of all Wisconsinites in 2018 to ensure we elect another sound conservative Senator. Any candidate seeking that office would benefit greatly from Paul's experience and leadership."[50]
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The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tammy Baldwin | Democratic Party | $31,514,876 | $31,549,383 | $142,193 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Charles Barman | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Griffin Jones | Republican Party | $10,318 | $10,317 | $0 | As of August 24, 2018 |
| George Lucia | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Kevin Nicholson | Republican Party | $3,893,750 | $3,865,486 | $28,266 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Leah Vukmir | Republican Party | $5,852,699 | $5,810,340 | $42,360 | As of December 31, 2018 |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
|||||
| U.S. Senate election in Wisconsin, Republican primary | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Poll sponsor | Nicholson | Vukmir | Scheiss | Other/Undecided | Margin of Error | Sample Size | ||||||||||||
| NBC News/Marist Poll July 15-19, 2018 | N/A | 38% | 28% | 0% | 34% | +/-6.1 | 355 | ||||||||||||
| Hodas & Associates July 12-16, 2018 | Restoration PAC | 33% | 20% | 0% | 48% | +/-3.0 | 600 | ||||||||||||
| Marquette Law School July 11-15, 2018 | N/A | 32% | 34% | 0% | 34% | +/-7 | 266 | ||||||||||||
| Marquette Law School June 13-17, 2018 | N/A | 37% | 32% | 0% | 32% | +/-6.9 | 800 | ||||||||||||
| Hodas & Associates June 7-12, 2018 | Restoration PAC | 28% | 14% | 0% | 58% | +/-3.0 | 600 | ||||||||||||
| WPA Intelligence December 6-7, 2017 | Nicholson for Senate | 30% | 23% | 2% | 45% | +/-3.1 | 1,004 | ||||||||||||
| Note: A "0%" finding means the question was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org | |||||||||||||||||||
| Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in Wisconsin, 2018 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| October 30, 2018 | October 23, 2018 | October 16, 2018 | October 9, 2018 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Solid Democratic | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic | Lean Democratic | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | |||||
| Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season. | |||||||||
The race for Wisconsin's U.S. Senate seat was one of nine competitive battleground races in 2016 that helped Republicans maintain control of the Senate. Incumbent Ron Johnson (R) defeated former Senator Russ Feingold (D) and Phil Anderson (L) in the general election on November 8, 2016.[71][72][73]
In a rematch of the 2010 election, Johnson defeated Feingold for a second time to retain his Senate seat. Johnson trailed in the polls for most of the election.[74][75] In the final weeks of the election, Johnson received funding from national Republicans. Johnson said, "I wish I would have had the cavalry show up in June, July, August when Feingold was using his little moneymaking machine to out resource me. I guess, better late than never."[75][74]
Feingold reacted to his loss by saying to supporters, “I didn’t expect this outcome, to be honest with you.” Commenting on his loss and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s, Feingold said, “I would urge you to be as restrained as you can be as the next steps occur...this could be one the most challenging times in the history of our country.”[76]
Johnson, who defeated Feingold by three percentage points, said in his victory speech, "I believe America has given us a chance, an opportunity to put this nation on the right path. It's exactly what I intend to do."[75]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | 50.2% | 1,479,471 | ||
| Democratic | Russ Feingold | 46.8% | 1,380,335 | |
| Libertarian | Phil Anderson | 3% | 87,531 | |
| N/A | Write-in | 0% | 8 | |
| Total Votes | 2,947,345 | |||
| Source: Wisconsin Elections Commission | ||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
90.2% | 303,791 | ||
| Scott Harbach | 9.8% | 33,096 | ||
| Total Votes | 336,887 | |||
| Source: Wisconsin Elections and Ethics Commission |
||||
Tammy Baldwin won election to the U.S. Senate in 2012.
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 51.5% | 1,547,104 | ||
| Republican | Tommy Thompson | 45.9% | 1,380,126 | |
| Libertarian | Joseph Kexel | 2.1% | 62,240 | |
| Independent | Nimrod Allen III | 0.5% | 16,455 | |
| N/A | Write-ins | 0% | 113 | |
| Total Votes | 3,006,038 | |||
| Source: U.S. House Clerk "2012 Election Statistics" | ||||
On November 2, 2010, Ron Johnson won election to the U.S. Senate. He defeated incumbent Russ Feingold (D), Rob Taylor (Constitution Party of Wisconsin), Ernest J. Pagels, Jr. (Write-in Republican) and Michael D. LaForest (Write-in Independent) in the general election.[77]
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Wisconsin heading into the 2018 elections.
Wisconsin held elections for the following positions in 2018:
| Demographic data for Wisconsin | ||
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 5,767,891 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 54,158 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 86.5% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 6.3% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 2.5% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.1% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 6.3% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 91% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 27.8% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $53,357 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 15% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Wisconsin. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
As of July 2017, Wisconsin had a population of approximately 5,800,000 people, with its three largest cities being Milwaukee (pop. est. 600,000), Madison (pop. est. 250,000), and Green Bay (pop. est. 110,000).[78][79]
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Wisconsin from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Wisconsin every year from 2000 to 2016.
| Election results (President of the United States), Wisconsin 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | 47.8% | 46.3% | 1.5% | ||
| 2012 | 52.8% | 45.9% | 6.9% | ||
| 2008 | 56.2% | 42.3% | 13.9% | ||
| 2004 | 49.7% | 49.3% | 0.4% | ||
| 2000 | 47.8% | 47.6% | 0.2% | ||
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Wisconsin from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
| Election results (U.S. Senator), Wisconsin 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | 50.2% | 46.8% | 3.4% | ||
| 2012 | 51.4% | 45.9% | 5.5% | ||
| 2010 | 51.9% | 47.0% | 4.9% | ||
| 2006 | 67.3% | 29.5% | 37.8% | ||
| 2004 | 55.3% | 44.1% | 11.2% | ||
| 2000 | 61.5% | 37.0% | 24.5% | ||
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Wisconsin.
| Election results (Governor), Wisconsin 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014 | 52.3% | 46.6% | 5.7% | ||
| 2010 | 52.3% | 46.5% | 5.8% | ||
| 2006 | 52.7% | 45.3% | 7.4% | ||
| 2002 | 45.1% | 41.4% | 3.7% | ||
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Wisconsin in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
Wisconsin Party Control: 1992-2025
Two years of Democratic trifectas • Ten years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | R | R | R | D | D | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
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Categories: [Wisconsin elections, 2018] [Republican primary elections, U.S. Senate, 2018] [August 14, 2018, elections] [Marquee, completed election, 2018]