Hamilton Political Tidbits – 2018 Election Edition – November 7, 2018

Democrat challenger Tony Evers has defeated incumbent Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in a race that was neck-and-neck into Wednesday morning. The attorney general race has not been officially called, but Josh Kaul seems to be up on incumbent Attorney General Brad Schimel in a race that could potentially be close enough to be within the recount margin. All the campaigns will watch the results of the initial canvass to see if the numbers change. 

 

Despite what some expected could be a "blue wave," Republicans have maintained majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. In the state Senate, Republicans took back the 1^st Senate District, bringing back their majority to 19-14. And while most expected Assembly Republicans to keep their majority, Assembly Republicans defied blue wave expectations by not losing a single seat, maintaining their 64-seat majority.

 

Nationally, Republicans kept the Senate while Democrats took the majority in the House for the first time in eight years. Wisconsin U.S. Congress and Senate races turned out as expected. Incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin retained her seat against opponent state Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Brookfield) by a significant margin. Incumbents also won in seven of Wisconsin's eight congressional districts. The only open congressional seat went to Republican Bryan Steil, who beat Democrat Randy Bryce in the race to replace retiring House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Janesville) in the Republican-leaning district.