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Republicans Win Across the Board in Wisconsin

By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | November 9, 2016

From WisPolitics.com …

— Republicans across the board were surprise winners Election Day as Donald Trump became the first GOP presidential nominee to win Wisconsin’s electoral votes since Ronald Reagan in 1984.

The state also put Trump over the top for the presidency with The Associated Press declaring him the winner shortly after awarding Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes to the GOP nominee with a 48 percent to 47 percent victory over Hillary Clinton.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, beat Dem Russ Feingold in their rematch, becoming the first Wisconsin Republican Senate nominee to win in a presidential year since Bob Kasten in 1980.

Republicans also held onto the 8th CD as Republican Mike Gallagher cruised to a 26-point win over Dem Tom Nelson.

And Republicans saw their majorities in the Legislature hit levels not seen in decades. Republicans went into Election Day hoping to hold onto the 19-14 majority they had this session. Instead, they picked off Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, while the La Crosse seat could be headed to a recount.

Assembly Republicans added a seat to their majority current 63-seat majority.

— Johnson called his re-election a great night for Wisconsin and America.

Johnson, who trailed every publicly released poll but one since Feingold got into the race, said he has spoken with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, vice presidential nominee Mike Pence, RNC Chair Reince Priebus and House Speaker Paul Ryan.

“My message has been pretty consistent,” said Johnson, first elected in 2010. “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.”

Johnson announced during the campaign he wouldn’t seek re-election if he won a second term, and he repeated that pledge Tuesday night to supporters.

“I approach the next six years with a seriousness of purpose,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a shot, we’ve got a chance, we’ve got to put America on the right path.”

Feingold told supporters he was sorry “we didn’t get the job done” as he conceded.

“Obviously something is happening in this country tonight,” Feingold said. “I don’t understand it completely. I don’t think anybody does.”

— Gallagher, a political newcomer, struck a cordial tone toward Nelson during his victory speech.

Gallagher said while he had his differences with Nelson, the Outagamie County executive, he doesn’t question his patriotism or love for his family and called him “a man of deep faith.”

“And for that I admire him,” Gallagher said. “I look forward to working with him and his supporters in the coming months to figure out how we can come together as a country and solve some problems.”

— Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Trump generated a national wave in rural areas that helped drive some GOP wins.

“That’s why I thought it was important early on for leadership to get on board with the whole Trump deal,” said Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, who talked earlier on about getting on the Trump train. “Top of the ticket matters.”

Republicans went into Tuesday expecting a dogfight in the 18th SD, which covers the Fond du Lac-Oshkosh area. But Dan Feyen, of Fond du Lac, won with 56 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, Sen. Luther Olsen, R-Ripon, became a late target for Dems. But he won with 57 percent.

Some operatives questioned Fitzgerald’s decision to play in the 24th SD, particularly in a presidential year when Dem turnout was expected to surge. But Pat Testin pulled off the upset of Lassa, winning with 52 percent.

— Meanwhile, the 32nd SD could be headed to a recount.

Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, declared victory early this morning over former GOP Sen. Dan Kapanke.

Kapanke, who Shilling beat in a 2011 recall election, wrote in a post on Facebook, “The vote is close and we must make sure every vote is counted, including provisional and military ballots. I am looking forward to the conclusion of the official canvass.”

Neither included numbers in their statements on the results. But two sources tracking the results told WisPolitics.com Shilling fininshed the initial count with a lead of 58 votes.

Under state law, a losing candidate can request a recount without having to pay for it if the difference is 0.25 percent or less. With more than 80,000 votes cast in the race a difference of less than 200 votes would meet that threshold.

Kapanke built an early lead in the rematch, but Shilling slipped back into the lead as more returns from the city of La Crosse were posted.

“I am proud to have earned the support of the voters in the 32nd Senate District and I look forward to continue serving as a strong voice for western Wisconsin in our State Capitol,” Shilling said.

— Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, whose GOP majority will increase to 64-35, said Trump’s message this fall reflects what Republicans have done in Wisconsin.

“The message that Donald Trump sold across the country, that Washington is broke and we want elected officials who tell us what they’re going to do and actually get it done, that’s what we did in Wisconsin,” Vos said.

Republicans kept all 63 seats in their hands going into Election Day, while picking up a surprise win in the 92nd AD, where Republican Treig Pronschinske beat Dem Rep. Chris Danou, of Trempealeau, with 52 percent of the vote.

Vos said the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee did four mail pieces and a digital ad in the 92nd AD.

Pronschinske’s late-contribution report shows RACC made $26,412 in in-kind contributions over five transactions on Oct. 31.

“We thought it was a sleeper race because we assumed Trump would do well, but we didn’t advertise it,” Vos said. “It just shows we had a good campaign staff with good instincts and we were able to move a staffer over there a couple of weeks ago, and I think that made all the difference.”

Danou, D-Trempealeau, said he ran a “full bore campaign” as he sought re-election to his western Wisconsin seat, but was caught up in a wave fueled by Trump.

“I would feel worse if I hadn’t been working my ass off, and I worked my ass off,” Danou said. “There wasn’t anything I could have done.”

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