Capitol Update

HCAPITOL UPDATE

NATALIE WHITE Communications Director Election season is officially in full swing. Citizens across the state have undoubtedly noticed the scaling up of political advertisements on tv, radio, streaming and online – a trend that will continue to skyrocket over the summer and into the fall.

This cycle hosts the races for Wisconsin’s statewide offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer, along with all State Assembly seats and the oddnumbered State Senate seats.

Many candidates have entered the field to challenge current incumbents, or to seek to fill the many open positions that have come about this cycle due to incumbents retiring from office or seeking a new office. Twenty-one incumbent legislators will not have challengers this cycle. Notably, there are also two Assembly seats in which only one candidate filed nomination papers. Those two candidates are set to become freshman lawmakers without primary or general election opponents.

The gubernatorial race is the most anticipated state race, with several challengers entering the field to take on incumbent Governor Tony Evers. Five Republicans and one independent candidate have filed to challenge Evers, with the Republican candidates facing off first at the partisan primary election on August 9th. Among those candidates is former Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, businessman Tim Michels, former U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson, Representative Tim Ramthun and grassroots candidate Adam Fischer.

In addition to the state government races, federal congressional seats are up for election and so is the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senator Ron Johnson.

In addition to drawing one primary opponent, Senator Johnson has a list of Democratic challengers seeking the Senate seat including current Lt. Governor Mandella Barnes, State Treasurer Sarah Godlweski, businessman Alex Lasry and several others.

While Republican candidates have been feeling momentum driven by current economic pressures and are hoping to pick up votes from those feeling the toll of inflation, Democratic candidates are working to counter that momentum with timely issues like abortion access, gun restrictions and the “January 6” hearings. Which side will sway more moderate and undecided voters remains to be seen, but there are four months left before Wisconsinites head to the polls on Election Day. In politics, that’s an eternity.

Keep up with Wisconsin politics and PIA’s Advocacy efforts with the Capitol Report in every issue of the Wisconsin Professional Agent and on the PIAW Blog at piaw.org.

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