Trump’s endorsement will be tested as Wisconsin voters decide key primaries

MADISON, Wis. — The Power of an Endorsement by a Former President Donald Trump On the battleground, Wisconsin will be tested in a race for an open congressional seat in Tuesday’s primary, when voters will also officially set the field for the state’s closely watched election US Senate Race.

Voters will choose a Democratic candidate to run against a first-term Republican who captured a western Wisconsin congressional district after a generation of Democratic control. Two constitutional amendments Proposals passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature that would strip the governor of power are also on the ballot.

The elections are the first in the state new legislative maps more favorable to the Democrats.

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The Senate seat currently held by Senator Tammy Baldwin is seen as a must-win for Democrats if they want to retain their majority.

Republican millionaire banker Eric Hovde has dominated the Republican Party race by pouring $13 million of his own money into the race in just four months and is facing futile opposition in his bid to defeat two-term incumbent Baldwin.

Hovde’s main opponents, including the chicken and pig farmers Charles Barman and chairman of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College Republicans Rejani Raveendranraised virtually nothing for the race and conducted virtually no public campaigning.

Voters will decide on a series of Republican-backed constitutional amendments that would strip the governor of the authority to spend federal money.

The amendments put to the vote by Republicans would require legislative approval before the governor can spend federal money coming to the state on disaster relief or other crises, unless the money has already been set aside.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and liberals oppose it, arguing it will slow the distribution of money when it needs to be spent quickly. But Republican supporters say it will provide more oversight and serve as a check on the governor’s powers.

Three Republicans, including one endorsed by Trump, are facing off in another primary for the open seat in the 8th Congressional District in northeastern Wisconsin, a vacancy caused by the surprise resignation in April of Republican Representative Mike Gallagherwho sometimes criticizes Trump.

Former owner of a gas station chain Tony Wiedwho is running his first race, is touting his support from Trump, who has produced a TV ad for Wied. The race will be a test of how far Trump’s support can go, as Wied faces two challengers who have won legislative races that include parts of his congressional district: Roger Roththe former president of the state Senate, who is backed by former Gov. Scott Walker, and André Jacquesa current senator who claims he is the “proven conservative fighter.”

Jacque aired a television commercial featuring him wearing boxing gloves, with the narrator touting Jacque as someone who is not afraid to take on both the powerful Speaker of the Republican Assembly and the “woke crowd.”

Doctor Kristin LyerlyA gynecologist who filed a lawsuit to overturn Wisconsin’s abortion ban is the only Democrat running.

In a confusing twistVoters will decide who will advance in the primary to serve a two-year term beginning in January, as well as who will fill out the remainder of Gallagher’s term this year. Those are two separate questions on the ballot in August and November.

Western Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, which was represented by a Democrat for 26 years until it flipped seats in 2022, is the state’s most competitive district, resulting in a crowded Democratic primary for the chance to take on incumbent Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden.

Van Orden is a former Navy SEAL who was present at the Capitol during the January 6, 2021, insurrection and remains one of the loudest pro-Trump supporters in Wisconsin.

He is a prime target for Democrats. State Representative. Katrina Shanklandwho has the support of more than 18 unions and the state’s two other Democratic congressmen, is facing off against a former small business owner and political activist Rebecca Kok and political newcomer Eric Wilson in the Democratic primaries.

There are also Republican primaries in the predominantly Democratic 2nd and 4th Congressional Districts and a Democratic primary in the predominantly Republican 7th Congressional District.

These are the first elections to introduce new legislative boundaries after previous maps were rejected as unconstitutional in December.

The sitting legislators face off in six primaries, including four state assembly elections. The new elections pitted them against each other.

The winners of Tuesday’s primaries will face each other in November, when all 99 seats in the Assembly and half of the Senate will be on the ballot.

For the first time in 20 years, Democrats are fielding candidates in every Senate district on the ballot, in the hope of profiting on new lines that are more favorable to them. They have a legitimate chance to win the Assembly majority, but Republicans are confident they will retain the Senate.

The legislature has been under Republican control since 2011 and has served as a bloc on Evers’ agenda for the past six years. Evers has also rejected Republican initiativesand vetoed the most bills of any governor in Wisconsin history.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who was attacked by Trump supporters in two failed recall attempts, is not running against Vos in the primary. Andrew Cegielski retired from campaigning in June, but his name remains on the primary ballot as a challenger to Vos.

Two Republicans, state Rep. Janel Brandtjen and Sen. Dan Knodl, are facing off in a new constituency representing Milwaukee’s northwest suburbs. Brandtjen, who has been trying to overturn Trump’s loss in Wisconsin in the 2020 presidential election, supported the effort to unseat Vos.

On the Senate side, Republican incumbent Dan Feyen will face former Rep. Tim Ramthun in a primary for the seat representing far east-central Wisconsin. Ramthun, who also spread conspiracy theories that Trump won Wisconsin, is trying to return to politics after a failed bid for governor in 2020.

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Associated Press editor Todd Richmond contributed to this report.