l.-r.: Leah Vukmir, Mandela Barnes, Sarah Godlewski, Doug La Follette
Wisconsin Republicans are going with a party insider to challenge Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin this November.
State Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Brookfield) defeated Marine Corps veteran and self-described “outsider” Kevin Nicholson by 6 points — capturing 49 percent of the vote in the most competitive statewide race for either party in Tuesday’s partisan primary.
The race between Vukmir and Nicholson was intense.
“It’s been a long campaign and it was hard fought,” Vukmir told supporters in Brookfield. “We were outspent by millions...but together, we overcame the money because there is no substitute for the grassroots.”
Vukmir prevailed in the GOP primary despite being outspent two-to-one by Nicholson, whose insurgent campaign was also fueled by an eye-popping $10 million in ads from groups financed by Republican mega-donor Richard Uihlein.
Vukmir, who has served in the Wisconsin Legislature since 2002, was backed by the Republican Party of Wisconsin, U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan and several members of Gov. Scott Walker’s immediate family. She trailed Nicholson in a number of polls throughout the race but beat back the political newcomer by winning big in GOP strongholds like Washington, Ozaukee and Washington counties. Even though Nicholson lost by 27,000 votes statewide, he won 57 of 72 counties.
Things were less competitive in primary races for three state constitutional offices: treasurer, secretary of state and lieutenant governor.
The Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor will be former state Rep. Mandela Barnes (D-Milwaukee). The 31-year-old won with 68 percent of the vote over businessman Kurt Kober, who lost in every county except his home county of Sheboygan. In November, Barnes will face Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (who didn’t face a primary challenge).
In the treasurer’s race, Sarah Godlewski won a fairly close three-way Democratic primary with 43 percent of the vote. She’ll face Republican Travis Hartwig. Current Treasurer Matt Adamczyk, a Republican, is running for an Assembly seat this year after failing to shepherd through a constitutional amendment to eliminate the treasurer’s office.
Much like the treasurer’s job, the Wisconsin secretary of state position has, over decades, had many of its powers moved to agencies controlled by the governor. At one time, the secretary of state issued business and vehicle licenses; was the “central election officer” for Wisconsin, and served as state auditor. The office still maintains state records, controls the state seal and holds one of the three seats on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands.
Democratic incumbent Doug La Follette has been secretary of state for 40 years, during two stints starting in 1975. He said the office had 50 employees when he first held the job. Now it’s down to just him and one other full-time staffer.
This year, La Follette will face Republican Jay Schroeder, a mortgage loan officer from Neenah, who soundly defeated Janesville limo driver Spencer Zimmerman in the GOP primary.
La Follette has been the only Democrat to win statewide elections in 2010 and 2014 while Walker was on the ballot. Even so, some Democrats wanted a fresh face in the office. Madison Ald. Arvina Martin, a member of the Ho-Chunk nation, wasn’t even born when La Follette was first elected secretary.
But Martin was no match for the 78-year-old La Follette (whose great-grandfather was an uncle to Fightin’ Bob). He won the primary with 67 percent of the vote.