9 Wisconsin races to watch on Election Night
Control of the Legislature likely isn’t on the table in the Nov. 3 election. Republicans have firm majorities in the Assembly and Senate. They also concede they won’t be able to pick up the six seats they need to control a veto-proof majority. But many close races around the state could indicate which party has stronger turnout in the presidential election. Here are nine races to watch on Election Night.
Races to watch on Nov. 3
3rd Congressional District: Ron Kind (D) vs. Derrick Van Orden (R)
Ron Kind, who has represented Wisconsin in Congress since 1997, faces significant spending on behalf of his Republican challenger, Derrick Van Orden, a retired Navy Seal. Kind didn't face an opponent in 2016 when Donald Trump won the district by 4.5 points.
Total spending:
Democrats: $1,156,534
Republicans: $1,417,465
8th Senate District: Alberta Darling (R) vs. Neal Plotkin (D)
Darling is a longtime fixture of the Wisconsin Republican Party and a prolific fundraiser, but eroding GOP support in her suburban district could give her more trouble this year than she's faced before.
Total spending:
Democrats:Â $240,631
Republicans:Â $327,862
10th Senate District: Patty Schachtner (D) vs. Rob Stafsholt (R)
Schachtner's 2018 special election victory in this northwest Wisconsin district signaled a coming "blue wave" of Democratic support ahead of Gov. Tony Evers' gubernatorial win later that year. But Schachtner could face stronger headwinds in a presidential election year.
Total spending:
Democrats:Â $183,456
Republicans:Â $478,616
30th Senate District: Jonathon Hansen (D) vs. Eric Wimberger (R)
A longtime Democratic senator won this Green Bay-area district by less than 3 points in 2016 and is retiring after this year. His nephew is running for the seat, which Republicans are hoping to flip.
Total spending:
Democrats:Â $430,736
Republicans:Â $234,711
32nd Senate District: Brad Pfaff (D) vs. Dan Kapanke (R)
Wisconsin's ousted Democratic Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection secretary faces the Republican who held this competitive seat encompassing La Crosse prior to being recalled in 2011. The district, which Democrats won by just 56 votes in 2016, could prove a bellwether for the presidential outcome this year.
Total spending:
Democrats:Â $411,332
Republicans:Â $102,129
14th Assembly District: Robyn Vining (D) vs. Bonnie Lee (R)
Republicans are hoping to reclaim a suburban Milwaukee seat that had previously been held by former Gov. Scott Walker, former Sen. Leah Vukmir and current Sen. Dale Kooyenga. Outside groups have spent more than $200,000 in the district, where the Democratic incumbent flipped the seat by a less than 1 point margin in 2018.
Total spending:
Democrats:Â $111,835
Republicans:Â $238,528
23rd Assembly District: Jim Ott (R) vs. Deb Andraca (D)
The Republican incumbent has been in the state Assembly since 2007 and won his last race by about 4 percentage points. His challenger has raised more than double Ott’s fundraising total this election cycle, and Democratic spending in the district is more than twice that of Republican spending. The district includes several suburban communities north of Milwaukee, from Whitefish Bay to Grafton.
Total spending:
Democrats:Â $136,201
Republicans:Â $42,807
24th Assembly District: Dan Knodl (R) vs. Emily Siegrist (D)
The Republican incumbent since 2009 once again faces a Democratic challenger he beat by more than 2,000 votes in 2018. This year, Democratic spending in the district, which is located in the Milwaukee suburbs and includes communities like Germantown, Mequon and River Hills, has been roughly three times that of Republican spending.
Total spending:
Democrats:Â $81,589
Republicans:Â $24,179
51st Assembly District: Todd Novak (R) vs. Kriss Marion (D)
The Democratic challenger has raised nearly twice that of the GOP incumbent, who has held the seat since 2015 and won his 2018 re-election bid by a little over 300 votes, or about 1 percentage point. Outside spending has the candidates about neck and neck in the money race. The district is located west of Madison and includes communities like Dodgeville, Mineral Point and Monroe.
Total spending:
Democrats:Â $121,539
Republicans:Â $124,214
Hackers stole $2.3 million from the Wisconsin Republican Party's account that was being used to help reelect President Donald Trump, the party's chairman said Thursday.
Some candidates are already making preparations for two major statewide contests in 2022.
The number of returned absentee ballots represents about 63% of total 2016 presidential turnout.
Donald Trump and Joe Biden offer starkly different paths on issues such as COVID-19, the economy and climate change.
As Wisconsin — much like the rest of the nation — continues to navigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced businesses to shutter and unemployment rates to skyrocket, Trump entered a community all too familiar with economic hardship.
Suburbanites have presented an increasing challenge for Republicans, while union support for Democrats has wavered in recent years.
Joe Biden holds a 9-point lead over Trump in Wisconsin, a statistically significant margin outside the poll's margin of error.
