Quick Hits

Statewide office and legislative primary elections were held yesterday, Tuesday August 9th, 2022.

Below are the currently projected winners of the partisan primary races:

• GOVERNOR: Tim Michels, 47.2%
• GOP LT. GOVERNOR: Roger Roth, 30.1%
• DEM LT. GOVERNOR: Sara Rodriguez, 76.5%
• ATTORNEY GENERAL: Eric Toney, 37.5%
• GOP SECRETARY OF STATE: Amy Loudenbeck, 46.3%

Republican Gubernatorial Primary

TIM MICHELS WINS REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY

Tim Michels, 47.2%

Rebecca Kleefisch, 42.0%

Tim Ramthun, 6.0%

Construction executive Tim Michels secured victory in the Republican Gubernatorial Primary over former Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch and state Representative Timothy Ramthun. Michels, a businessman, defeated Kleefisch by five point

In her speech conceding victory to Michels late Tuesday evening, Kleefisch thanked her supporters for “leaving it all on the field.” She additionally said that she will go on to support Michels and urged her supporters to do the same, saying that the “fight now is truly against Tony Evers and the liberals who want to take away our way of life.”

Michels, in his victory speech, said he wants to restore executive leadership to the Governor’s office and address the concerns of everyday Wisconsinites that have been ignored by the Democratic party.

Michels will now turn his full attention to the upcoming November matchup with Governor Tony Evers. In the last head-to-head hypothetical gubernatorial matchup, the June MU Law School poll found Evers leading Michels by seven points, 47% to 41%. MU Law School will release their first poll post the August 9th Primary Election, next Wednesday, August 17th.

Although Evers has a head start in fundraising with nearly $8 million cash on hand, Michels has significant personal wealth to draw on that will even out the playing field. In addition to this in March, the Republican Governors Association announced that it was going to spend $6.8 million in Wisconsin on advertising. Similarly, the Democratic Governors Association announced that it is going to spend $21 million on advertising in Wisconsin.

However, Michels’ campaign announced on election night his campaign would now accept donations of up to $20,000, the maximum allowed under Wisconsin law. Michels’ campaign manager Patrick McNulty said, “while the ban on contributions to our campaign from PACs and registered lobbyists will remain, going forward we will accept contributions from individuals up to Wisconsin’s legal limit. The stakes in this election are simply too high.”

Republican Lieutenant Governor Primary

State Senator Roger won the Republican Lieutenant Governor Primary beating out seven other candidates to clinch the nomination. Roth collected 30.1% to the nearest vote-getter Testin’s 18.3%.

Sen. Roth released the following statement on his victory:

“Thank you Wisconsin for your support, I’m looking forward to starting off on the trail with Tim Michels tomorrow.

Thank you to my family, especially my wife Becca and my five boys. Their support means everything to me and is why I am running in this race.

I want to thank all of our volunteers, those who knocked doors, put up yard signs, and shared our message with their neighbors – without your help this campaign would not have been possible.

Thank you to the other seven candidates in this race who ran a tough race focused on the issues. The depth up and down the ballot demonstrates the strong bench in the Republican party. I know with their support our party will be victorious this November!

Finally, the people of Wisconsin know our state cannot afford four more years of the same failed leadership; I want you to know that Wisconsin’s comeback begins tonight!”Roth’s primary opponent, state Senator Patrick Testin, released a statement via Twitter Wednesday morning:“Last night may not have been the results we hoped for, but the goal of retiring Tony Evers remains the same this morning as it has since I entered this race. Today, and for the next 90 days, Republicans must come together and get to work to get our state back on track in 223.”

Roth advances to a November election against Democratic Lieutenant Governor nominee State Rep. Sara Rodriguez. Rodriguez clinched the Democratic nomination with 76.5% of the vote. Roth’s campaign sits with a sizable cash on hand lead with nearly $300,000 to Rodriguez’s $89,189. The winners of the Lieutenant Governor primaries will be paired with the winners of the gubernatorial primaries as a ticket for the November Election.

Democratic Lieutenant Governor Primary

State Rep. Sara Rodriguez (D-Brookfield) won the Democratic Lieutenant Governor Primary over Hmong Institute CEO, Peng Her. Rodriguez collected 76.5% of the vote to Her’s 23.5%.

Rodriguez advances to a November election against Republican Lieutenant Governor nominee Sen. Roger Roth. The winners of the Lieutenant Governor primaries will be paired with the winners of the gubernatorial primaries as a ticket for the November Election.

Gov. Evers Welcomes Rodriguez to the Ticket

Following Rodriguez’s victory Tuesday evening Governor Tony Evers released the following statement welcoming Sara Rodriguez to the gubernatorial ticket:

Photo from the Evers campaign Twitter.

Republican Attorney General Primary

Eric Toney narrowly defeated primary opponent former state Representative Adam Jarchow by just around 3,500 votes.

As votes continued to be tabulated in to the early hours of this morning, Jarchow conceded the election to Toney around 1 AM. In his statement, Jarchow said that Toney has his full support and that it is time for Republicans to “unite behind Eric Toney and ensure he has the resources and support needed to fire Josh Kaul.”

Republican Secretary of State Primary

State Rep. Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton) beat out two other candidates for the Republican nomination for Secretary of State. Loudenbeck collected 46.3% of the vote to the nearest vote-getter Jay Schroeder’s 39.9%.

Democratic Secretary of State Primary

La Follette advances to a November election against State Rep. Amy Loudenbeck, who has campaigned on restoring confidence in the Secretary of State’s office and its role in administering elections. Loudenbeck clinched the Republican nomination with 46% of the vote among a group of two other candidates.

Key State Senate Primaries

Senate District 9 (GOP): Devin LeMahieu, 71.4%

Senate District 21 (GOP): Van Wanggaard, 74.7%

State Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) defeated challenger Jay Stone in the Republican Primary. Wanggaard captured 74% of the vote to Stone’s 25%.

Wanggaard does not have an opponent on the ballot for the November general election, and will be the winner for the 21st Senate District pending any write-ins.

Key State Assembly Primaries

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 1 (GOP): JOEL KITCHENS, 77.7%

Rep. Joel Kitchens defeated challenger Milt Swagel, capturing nearly 78% of the total vote.

Kitchens will face democrat Roberta Thelen in the November general election.

Michael Best Strategies will be hosting a virtual meet & greet with unopposed candidate Dave Maxey this Friday August 12th at 8:30 AM.

For more information or to RSVP please contact Chas Schellpeper at crschellpeper@michaelbeststrategies.com by Thursday August 11th.

Democratic U.S. Senate Primary

Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes won what had become an all but symbolic primary election after his leading opponents dropped out of the race in the final weeks leading up to the election. Barnes collected nearly 78% of the vote.

Democratic 3rd CD Primary

Former State Representative Brad Pfaff will be looking to keep the 3^rd Congressional District seat blue as we look to the November general election. Pfaff defeated his nearest primary opponent Rebecca Cooke by nearly eight points.

He will now go on to face Republican Derrick Van Orden in the November general election. Van Orden’s campaign sits with a major cash on hand lead with over $1.9 million to Pfaff’s $542,509.