The parties split the major state-wide races, with Democrats retaining the offices of governor and attorney general and Republicans retaining the U.S. Senate seat. Republicans gained one seat in the U.S. House delegation, taking the vast western 3rd congressional district following the retirement of 13-term Democratic congressman Ron Kind. Republicans also picked up one seat in the State Senate, reaching a supermajority. They also flipped one seat in the State Assembly, but fell three seats short of a supermajority in that chamber.
The 2022 Wisconsin spring election was held April 5, 2022. Three seats of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals were up in this election, as well as various nonpartisan local and judicial offices, including a special election for mayor of Milwaukee. The 2022 spring primary was held February 15, 2022.
These were the first elections held after the redistricting of the state following the 2020 United States census. The redistricting process could not be completed through the normal legislative process, and was handled by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which selected the Republican Party's preferred map.
Five other Democrats registered to run in the Democratic primary: State treasurer Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry, former Assembly majority leader Tom Nelson, businessman Adam Murphy, and attorney Peter Peckarsky.[2][3] Barnes emerged from the primary after most of his prominent opponents withdrew from the race.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin were held on November 8, 2022, to elect Wisconsin's delegation to the United States House of Representatives for the 118th United States Congress. A primary election for these offices was held August 9, 2022.
At the time of the 2022 election, Wisconsin had eight congressional districts, of which five were represented by Republicans and three were represented by Democrats.[4]: 14–19 Seven of the eight incumbents ran for and won re-election — Bryan Steil (WI-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Tom Tiffany (WI-07), and Mike Gallagher (WI-08).
These were the first congressional elections in Wisconsin under new districts, reflecting the 2020 United States census. The 2022 congressional district maps were Governor Tony Evers' "maps of least change" selected by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
In the Republican primary, Michels defeated former lieutenant governor Rebecca Kleefisch, state representative Timothy Ramthun, and former police officer Adam J. Fischer. Kevin Nicholson, another prominent Wisconsin businessman, withdrew from the race before the primary.
Lieutenant governor
Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Mandela Barnes, first elected in 2018, did not run for re-election—he instead ran for United States Senate.[7] State representative Sara Rodriguez won the Democratic nomination and was elected as a ticket with Tony Evers. State Senator Roger Roth won the Republican primary for lieutenant governor.
Other candidates in the Democratic primary included Peng Her, the CEO of Hmong Institute, and state representative David Bowen (Wisconsin politician). Bowen did not file papers to be on the ballot and subsequently suspended his campaign.[8] State senator Lena Taylor initially declared an intention to run for the office, but dropped out in December 2021, six months before the filing deadline.[9]
Other Republican candidates included state senate president pro temporePatrick Testin, Lancaster mayor David Varnam, David King, Jonathan Wichmann, Will Martin, Kyle Yudes, Cindy Werner, and Ben Voelkel.[10]
Incumbent Democratic attorney general Josh Kaul, first elected in 2018, was re-elected to a second four-year term.[11][4]: 5 He defeated the Republican nominee, Fond du Lac County district attorney Eric Toney.[12][13][14]
Toney defeated former state representative Adam Jarchow and attorney Karen Mueller, from Chippewa Falls, in the Republican primary.
Incumbent Democratic secretary of state Doug La Follette, first elected in 1974, narrowly won his 12th four-year term, defeating the Republican candidate, state representative Amy Loudenbeck.[15]
La Follette defeated Alexia Sabor, the chair of the Dane County Democratic Party, in the Democratic primary.
Other Republican primary candidates included Justin D. Schmidtka and Jay Schroeder, the party's 2018 nominee.[16]
Sharyl R. McFarland ran as the Wisconsin Green Party nominee, and Neil Harmon ran on the Libertarian Party ticket.
Incumbent Democratic state treasurer Sarah Godlewski, first elected in 2018, did not run for re-election—she instead sought the Democratic nomination for United States Senate.[17] The election was won by Republican John Leiber, a lawyer from Racine County, Wisconsin. He defeated Democrat Aaron Richardson, the mayor of Fitchburg, Wisconsin.
Other candidates in the Democratic primary included West Allis city councilmember Angelito Tenorio[18] and radiologist Gillian Battino. Former state treasurer Dawn Marie Sass also circulated nomination papers but missed the filing deadline.
On the Republican side Orlando Owens, a pastor and staffer for U.S. senator Ron Johnson, received the state Republican Party's endorsement,[19] but he lost the primary to Leiber.
Andrew Zuelke ran as the Constitution Party nominee.
The 17 odd-numbered districts out of the 33 seats in the Wisconsin Senate were up for election in 2022. Republicans won 12 of those 17 seats, for a net gain of one seat, giving them a supermajority in this chamber going into the 106th Wisconsin Legislature.
These were the first state senate elections in Wisconsin under new districts, reflecting the 2020 United States census. The 2022 state senate maps were the Republican Legislature's "maps of least change" selected by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
All 99 seats in the Wisconsin State Assembly were up for election in 2022. Republicans won 64 of those seats, for a net gain of three seats. They fell short of their goal of 66 seats, which would have given them a supermajority.
These were the first state assembly elections in Wisconsin under new districts, reflecting the 2020 United States census. The 2022 state assembly maps were the Republican Legislature's "maps of least change" selected by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, maintaining Wisconsin's already heavily gerrymandered districts.
In District III, Judge Thomas Hruz, appointed by Governor Scott Walker in 2014, was unopposed seeking a second six-year term.
In District IV, Judge Brian Blanchard, first elected in 2010, was unopposed seeking a third six-year term.
State Circuit Courts
Forty six of the state's 257 circuit court seats were up for election in April 2022.[21]: 637–641 Nine of those seats were contested.[22] One of the contested seats, in Vilas County, was newly created from a 2020 act of the Wisconsin Legislature.[23] Three other newly-created seats, in Adams, Eau Claire, and Vilas counties, had only one candidate running.[22] Only three incumbent judges faced a contested re-election,[22] and only one incumbent judge lost her election—LaKeisha Haase of Winnebago County, who had been appointed a year earlier by Governor Tony Evers.[24]
In Iowa County, incumbent district attorney Matt Allen defeated former municipal judge Rhonda Hazen for the judicial seat being vacated by Judge Margaret M. Koehler.
In Kewaunee County, county corporation counsel Jeffrey R. Wisnicky defeated Brown County assistant district attorney Kimberly A. Hardtke for the judicial seat being vacated by Judge Keith A. Mehn. Attorney John Peterson was eliminated in the February primary.
In Marathon County, attorney Rick Cveykus defeated county supervisor William A. Harris for the judicial seat being vacated by Judge Gregory Huber.
In Oconto County, incumbent judge Jay Conley defeated incumbent district attorney Edward Burke.
In Portage County, incumbent district attorney Louis J. Molepske defeated defense attorney Stephen W. Sawyer for the judicial seat being vacated by Judge Robert J. Shannon.
In Sauk County, incumbent judge Michael Screnock defeated attorney Blake J. Duren.
In Vilas County, attorney Daniel Overby defeated Milwaukee County assistant district attorney Meg O'Marro for a newly created judicial seat.
In Winnebago County Branch 3, attorney Bryan Keberlein defeated court commissioner Lisa Krueger for the judicial seat being vacated by Judge Barbara Hart Key.
In Winnebago County Branch 4, attorney Mike Gibbs defeated incumbent judge LaKeisha Haase.
A special election for Mayor of Milwaukee was held concurrent with the Spring general election to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mayor Tom Barrett. Acting mayor and former city council president Cavalier Johnson defeated former city councilmember Bob Donovan. Johnson became the first African American to be elected mayor of Milwaukee.[20][25] City councilmember Marina Dimitrijevic, Milwaukee County sheriff Earnell Lucas, entrepreneur Michael Sampson, community advocate Nick McVey, and teacher Sheila Conley-Patterson were eliminated in the February primary.[26] State representative Daniel Riemer had filed to run, but dropped out of the race on December 23, 2021.[27]
