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Wisconsinites Prepare for Upcoming General Election

How your bank can best engage with pro-banking candidates

By Lorenzo Cruz

This year, turnout for the August primary in Wisconsin hit over 25% — the best performance in 40 years. As over 690,000 voters cast their ballots in the hotly contested GOP gubernatorial primary and over 500,000 voters cast theirs in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary, Wisconsinites can expect lots of activity as we near this November’s primary election.

Gubernatorial Primary

In the GOP primary for governor, construction business magnate Tim Michels (R-WI) defeated former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (R-WI) to advance to the general election. The Trafalgar Group had the race at a statistical dead heat in their August statewide survey before the primary, however Michels won by a sizable number of votes and garnered 47% to Kleefisch’s 42% — a margin of victory exceeding 35,000 votes.

Michels won 62 of the 72 counties while Kleefisch significantly underperformed in southeastern Wisconsin, a key area where she needed to do well. Michels’ Trump endorsement, a $12M self-funded war chest, and an effective business outsider message proved too much to overcome for Kleefisch, endorsed by Pence and Walker. Michels will face incumbent Governor Tony Evers.

Kleefisch urged her supporters in the concession speech to get in the fight against Evers. Evers has portrayed Michels as part of the radical right, a divisive extremist, and a Trump fanatic on abortion, voting rights, gun safety, and public education.

Joining the governor’s ticket for lieutenant governor are state Sen. Roger Roth (R-Appleton) and state Rep. Sara Rodriguez (D-Milwaukee). Roth won 30% of the vote with state Sen. Patrick Testin being his closest challenger in a large primary. On the Democratic side, Rodriguez defeated Peng Her, Hmong Institute CEO, with 76% of the vote. Both candidates outspent their opponents and won by double-digit margins.

Gubernatorial Primary

In the GOP primary for governor, construction business magnate Tim Michels (R-WI) defeated former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (R-WI) to advance to the general election. The Trafalgar Group had the race at a statistical dead heat in their August statewide survey before the primary, however Michels won by a sizable number of votes and garnered 47% to Kleefisch’s 42% — a margin of victory exceeding 35,000 votes.

Michels won 62 of the 72 counties while Kleefisch significantly underperformed in southeastern Wisconsin, a key area where she needed to do well. Michels’ Trump endorsement, a $12M self-funded war chest, and an effective business outsider message proved too much to overcome for Kleefisch, endorsed by Pence and Walker. Michels will face incumbent Governor Tony Evers.

Kleefisch urged her supporters in the concession speech to get in the fight against Evers. Evers has portrayed Michels as part of the radical right, a divisive extremist, and a Trump fanatic on abortion, voting rights, gun safety, and public education.

Joining the governor’s ticket for lieutenant governor are state Sen. Roger Roth (R-Appleton) and state Rep. Sara Rodriguez (D-Milwaukee). Roth won 30% of the vote with state Sen. Patrick Testin being his closest challenger in a large primary. On the Democratic side, Rodriguez defeated Peng Her, Hmong Institute CEO, with 76% of the vote. Both candidates outspent their opponents and won by double-digit margins.

U.S. Senate Race

In the U.S. Senate race, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D-WI) secured the Democratic nomination with 78% of the vote after his top rivals bowed out of the race in an unprecedent move to align the Democratic voters behind him more than a week out from the primary.

Barnes will face incumbent U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) in a race that could determine majority control in the U.S. Senate. Johnson’s campaign looks to tie Barnes to some struggling national issues such as inflation, economy, crime, and education. On the other hand, Barnes will aim to link Johnson to extreme positions on education, abortion, taxes, and guns.

Notable Primary Race Results

  • Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) defeated Trump-endorsed challenger Adam Steen (51% to 49%).
  • Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) captured 74% of the vote.
  • State Sen. Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) will face off against GOP military veteran Derrick Van Orden in the Third Congressional District.
  • Incumbent Attorney General Josh Kaul (D-WI) will take on GOP primary winner Eric Toney.
  • Republican nominee Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton) will battle long-time Secretary of State Doug LaFollette (D-WI).
  • Retired bank executive Jerry O’Connor (R-Fond du Lac) won in the 52nd Assembly district.
  • In three key contested GOP state Senate primaries, Rachel Cabral-Guevara (R-19), Jesse James (R-23), and Cory Tomczyk (R-29) came through victorious.

 

 

Make Your Voice Heard

With the primaries in the rear-view mirror, the winners turn their attention and resources to the fall general elections in November. The Cook Political Report considers Wisconsin one of four toss up states for the gubernatorial race. Democrats and Republicans are vying for the governor’s veto power and gaining or blocking super majorities in the legislature. Candidates, political parties, and outside groups are expected to spend hundreds of millions to win control of Congress, the governor’s office, attorney general, and the state legislature. It is critical that bankers continue to engage in the political process to support pro-banking and pro-business legislators.

The Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) urges the membership to continue to give to the PAC, conduit, or the issue advocacy fund. WBA has set an ambitious PAC/conduit fundraising goal of $300,000 by the end of the year. As of August, WBA members have contributed $151,000 to WBA’s advocacy efforts. Additionally, WBA staff donated over $12,000 during a two-week campaign.

We thank you for your continued generosity and eagerness to assist WBA in reaching its goal. If your bank has not already contributed, please consider doing so before the November general election. To learn more about WBA’s political funds, please visit wisbank.com/give or contact me.

Membership engagement remains an important advocacy priority as we continue through WBA’s fiscal year. By becoming involved with WBA’s Gold Triangle Club or naming an Advocacy Officer at your bank, you are one step closer to achieving WBA’s highest recognition for overall advocacy effort — Bankers Involved in Grassroots and Government (BIGG) Award. Membership-driven political activism is the most effective and vital tool to the success of our Association. Help WBA provide bankers a seat at the table and influence policy decisions impacting the banking industry in Wisconsin by raising our participation this year!

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Executive Letter: Reaching New Heights Through Advocacy

Rose Oswald PoelsBy Rose Oswald Poels

At the heart of the Wisconsin Bankers Association’s (WBA) mission is advocating on behalf of the Wisconsin’s banking industry. In the last year alone, WBA has taken action in combating credit card fees, increasing instances of elder fraud in our communities, legislation that would expand credit union powers, a looming recession, and so much more.

It’s no secret that WBA-member banks play a significant role in the support of our Association. Between political contributions that help further engage our legislators or by participating in Capitol Day, organizing a “Take Your Legislator to Work Day”, or testifying on a bill — the engagement shown by our membership has been paramount in advancing WBA’s efforts over the last 130 years.

I am also lucky to say that, in addition to the thousands of bankers throughout the state who engage with WBA, our Association is also made up of nearly 50 individuals who, like you, are sincerely dedicated to our state’s banking industry.

Earlier this month, WBA hosted its annual staff fundraiser in support of Wisbankpac and Alliance of Bankers for Wisconsin (ABW) — two critical methods of promoting advocacy for the Wisconsin banking industry. This timely event, in which the funds raised are used to help support pro-banking political candidates, welcomed staff donations (though participation was not required) by way of a specified contribution from payroll, a check made out to one of the funds, or the purchase of one or more Jeans Day stickers for a casual dress day at the office. All money raised directly aids in WBA’s advocacy efforts.

For their generosity, and to celebrate Wisconsin’s beloved county fair season, WBA hosted a fair-themed week of events. Ranging from a blue ribbon bake off to games and a cornhole competition, every staff person was able to participate in activities and win prizes.

I am proud to announce that our small but mighty staff was collectively able to crush our goal of $7,000 and raise over $12,350 this year. This amazing feat by our team highlights the commitment each WBA staff member has to the industry and our membership.

As we look ahead to the remainder of this calendar year, it is critical that all WBA-member banks continue to engage with our Government Relations team and take part in supporting our industry. In addition to making political contributions, banks should take a moment to ensure they remain on track to receive WBA’s Gold Triangle or Bankers Involved in Grassroots and Government (BIGG) Award.

The Gold Triangle Club, the highest level of fundraising recognition for banks, is awarded annually through contributions to ABW political conduit, Wisbankpac, or WBA’s issue advocacy fund. Corporate contributions as well as contributions from bank employees and directors count toward Gold Triangle status, and the amount to qualify ranges from $500 to $4,500 based on the size of the bank.

WBA’s BIGG Award expands beyond Gold Triangle fundraising to encompass grassroots advocacy engagement and serves as the Association’s highest level of recognition for overall advocacy. To learn more about how your bank can earn these prestigious awards, please contact Lorenzo Cruz, vice president – government relations, or me.

As I’ve stated in previous publications, the support and involvement of every member bank is critical to the continued success of our advocacy efforts. With the goal of raising $300,000 by the end of this year, it truly requires a team effort to keep our Association on target to continue surpassing our goals for the industry!

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Advocacy Update: Getting Involved This Election Season

By Lorenzo Cruz

When it comes to elections — Wisconsin is largely known to be a battleground state, and it’s no surprise that the upcoming 2022 election looks no different. WBA predicts Wisconsin to yet again take the national stage as Republicans and Democrats fight for control of the state legislature, the East Wing, and U.S. Congress.

What to Expect

The GOP anticipates a possible red wave which could lead to veto-proof super majorities and a recapturing of the governor’s office. Democrats, on the other hand, look to keep Governor Tony Evers in office and block super majorities in both state houses. There are currently 29 seats in the legislature up for grabs due to retirements or legislators pursuing other offices. Twenty-two seats are in the state Assembly and seven seats are in the state Senate.

With the state’s congressional and legislative district maps set after state and U.S. Supreme Court intervention, elected officials now shift their focus into full election mode. Nomination papers were submitted on June 1 by all candidates. Over a dozen incumbents drew challengers for the August 9 primary.

Whom to Watch

The only Democrat incumbent to draw a primary opponent is Secretary of State Doug La Follette who faces Alexia Sabor, chair of the Democratic Party of Dane County.

Nine total GOP members of the state Senate and state Assembly are confronting primary challenges which include Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg). Other state GOP incumbents contending with primary challengers include Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine), Rep. Joel Kitchens (RSturgeon Bay), Rep. Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva), Rep. Robert Brooks (R-Saukville), Rep. James Edming (R-Glen Flora), Rep. Treig Pronschinske (R-Mondovi), and Rep. Loren Oldenburg (R-Viroqua).

GOP challengers are campaigning on a variety of issues including, but not limited to: election integrity/reform, COVID-19 vaccine mandates, masking in schools, and incumbent leadership change.

On the federal side, U.S. GOP incumbents facing challenges in the August primary are Senator Ron Johnson (R-Oshkosh), Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah), Rep. Tom Tiffany (RMinocqua), and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Green Bay). There is only one open seat without a primary or general election — Democrat Rep. John Brosthoff’s (D-Milwaukee).

Campaign strategists expect extraordinary amounts of political spending on state and federal races in Wisconsin. At a recent WisPolitics luncheon, GOP Party Chair Paul Farrow and Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler agreed that Wisconsin could see record-breaking spending for campaigns from outside groups, campaigns, and both parties in the area of $700 million. The incredible volume of television, radio, print, and social media advertisements for state and federal campaigns will increase exponentially at a blistering pace over the next several months.

How to Participate

As always, the WBA Advocacy Team urges the members to be engaged in the political process. Our state and federal elected officials shape public policy by passing legislation or administrative rules which greatly impact the banking industry.

There are two ways bankers can help make a difference on the advocacy front. The first is become an Advocacy Officer. Currently, over 100 banks across the state have already designated Advocacy Officers, representing more than 50% of all WBA-member banks. These officers serve as another powerful and relevant voice that helps amplify WBA’s message and raise the visible presence of the banking industry back home in the legislative district or in Madison on Capitol Day. This fiscal year, WBA hopes to continue to grow our ranks upwards until we have 100% participation.

The second way is to contribute to Wisbankpac — WBA’s state political action committee — or to the Alliance of Bankers for Wisconsin (ABW) — WBA’s state conduit. As you very well know, campaigns are extremely expensive. These political contributions help defray campaign-related expenses and support pro-banking and pro-business candidates.

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Legal Q&A: Maintaining Campaign and Election-Related Accounts

By Scott Birrenkott

Q: Can a Customer Open a Campaign Finance Account?

A: Yes. Customers may seek to open campaign accounts, political action accounts, conduit funds, and other types of election-related accounts.

Because there is no list of specific documentation that banks must collect for such accounts, banks receiving requests to open these accounts will need to consider what should be collected based upon policy and procedure. As there can be many types of campaign and election-related accounts, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Banks will need to have a conversation with their customers to better understand the nature of the account requested. This article will use a state-related campaign as an example to illustrate an approach bank might take.

State-related campaigns must follow Wisconsin campaign and election laws. For example, a customer might run for mayor, or sheriff, and seek an account to maintain their campaign funding. The documentation the customer might have, and what documentation the bank might collect from the customer depends upon how the customer is holding funds, making contributions, disbursements, and fundraising. For this reason, the bank should consider having a conversation with the customer to better understand the campaign and use that information to gather any supporting documentation for confirmation of those details.

Bankers might also consider familiarizing themselves with the election process. Particularly if these accounts become common. It is not necessary to become an expert on Wisconsin campaign finance law, but familiarization with the process will go a long way in facilitating easier conversations with customers, knowing the right questions to ask, and to better request relevant information to maintain the account. For example, restrictions or reporting requirements might apply, depending on the campaign. While such requirements are generally the duty of a campaign’s treasurer to follow, from a “know-your-customer” perspective it is worth the bank taking the time to understand these details.

An example account title for such an account would be: John Doe for Sheriff by Jane Doe as Treasurer.

The law of campaign finance is complex. Furthermore, a customer might seek to open an account different than that used in the example above (ex: PAC, conduit, or federal election). Based upon this complexity and variety, a financial institution should also consider seeking assistance from its legal counsel in opening and maintaining such accounts.

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U.S. Supreme Court Overturns State Supreme Court’s Redistricting Decision

By Lorenzo Cruz

Most political operatives prognosticated that the U.S. Supreme Court would not reverse the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision on the redistricting court case. In early March, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled on a 4–3 decision to adopt Governor Tony Evers’ legislative and congressional maps rather than use the GOP-controlled state Legislature’s version of the maps. 

The majority in the split state Supreme Court decision viewed the Governor’s configured maps as more closely aligned to the ‘least change’ approach, which was used to develop the existing legislative and congressional boundaries drawn a decade ago. The state Supreme Court decision was considered a victory for Democrats and a setback for the GOP.

The Governor’s maps had 55 GOP seats and 44 Dem seats in the State Assembly and 20 GOP seats and 13 Dem seats in the State Senate. By contrast, the GOP maps had 64 Assembly GOP seats and 35 Dem seats and 22 Senate GOP seats and 12 Dem seats. Even under the Governor’s new maps, Democrats still had an arduous path to regaining majorities in both houses of the state Legislature.

In what many capitol observers considered a surprising move, the nation’s highest court in a 7–2 majority overturned the ruling and found that the state court erred in its application of the Voters Rights Act (VRA), which led to the creation of a seventh majority Black Assembly district. Currently, there are six majority Black districts on the map. The GOP-designed maps contained five majority Black districts. The U.S. Supreme Court also rejected the GOP’s request to overturn the Governor’s congressional maps. 

In the appeal, GOP lawmakers contended that Evers’ plan violated the U.S. Constitution Equal Protection Clause because it improperly applied the federal VRA when drawing seven majority Black Assembly districts in the Milwaukee area. The U.S. Supreme Court conservative block sided with the GOP position and sent the issue back to the state court. The Supreme Court’s reversal in the case meant more rounds of court activity around what the maps should look like.

The state Supreme Court’s decision could have brought resolution or more litigation at the federal court. In early April, Wisconsin was under a cloud of uncertainty and momentarily waiting in limbo on the maps. However, the judicial winds changed swiftly again in mid-April with the state Supreme Court in a 4–3 decision approving the GOP’s version of the legislative maps. With the elections looming in the fall and nomination papers set to circulate on April 15, the state Supreme Court acted decisively on the case. The Wisconsin Supreme Court found the Wisconsin Legislature’s maps complied with the Equal Protection Clause, along with all other applicable federal and state legal requirements. Furthermore, the state Supreme Court concluded the Legislature’s maps were race neutral and followed the ‘least change’ approach, which the state’s highest court adopted a decade ago.

WBA expected interested parties on both sides to fight vigorously and exhaust all avenues in the judicial process to secure legal, legislative, and congressional maps that support their desired political outcomes. Barring any more legal challenges, the state Supreme Court’s action brings closure to the redistricting court case in 2022.

The political stakes are extremely high with control of the U.S. Congress and state Legislature as well as Wisconsin’s Gubernatorial seat in play. The Badger State could again be a battleground
and a bellwether for the rest of the country for hotly contested races. Stay tuned for more political developments as the drama continues to unfold in the primary and general elections.

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U.S. Supreme Court Tosses Recently Adopted Wisconsin Redistricting Plan

By John Cronin

In a 7–2 decision released Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the decision the Wisconsin Supreme Court delivered three weeks ago on new state legislative district maps. The U.S. Supreme Court denied a similar request to overturn congressional boundaries set by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. A brief timeline:

  • November 11, 2021 – GOP-controlled Legislature passes new legislative and congressional maps
  • November 18, 2021 – Dem. Governor Tony Evers vetoes those maps
  • November 30, 2021 – Wisconsin Supreme Court sets “least change” approach to analyzing proposed maps parties submit to the Court
  • January 19, 2022 – Wisconsin Supreme Court oral arguments on redistricting case, proposed maps submitted by interested parties (Legislature, Governor, Wisconsin members of Congress, etc.)
  • March 3, 2022 – Wisconsin Supreme Court delivers a 4–3 ruling in favor of maps Gov. Evers submitted to the Court (Ziegler, R. Bradley, and Roggensack dissent)
  • March 7, 2022 – GOP-controlled Legislature appeals the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing the Governor’s maps adopted by the Court were inconsistent with the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. In question were seven districts fully or partially located in the City of Milwaukee.
  • March 23, 2022 – U.S. Supreme Court rules the Wisconsin Supreme Court erred in their application of Court decisions on the guarantee of equal protection and the Voting Rights Act. (7–2 decision, Justices Sotomayor and Kagan dissent)
What’s next?

The U.S. Supreme Court remanded the case back to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to either select a different map submission or reconsider the Governor’s maps in a manner consistent with the Court’s opinion today.

An April 15 deadline looms: this will be the first day legislative candidates may circulate nomination papers to get on the ballot for the Fall election.

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Wisconsin Spring General Election Results

A new Superintendent of Public Instruction will be taking the reins to oversee K-12 education in Wisconsin, and both chambers at the Capitol will be back to full strength with one new member in each house. The 2021 Spring Election took place yesterday to decide who would replace Carolyn Stanford Taylor as State Superintendent after she opted not to seek reelection after being appointed to the role by Gov. Tony Evers in 2019.

In the only statewide election on the ballot, Pecatonica Area School District Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly defeated former School District of Brown Deer Superintendent Dr. Deborah Kerr. The margin was 57%-43%.

Residents of Wisconsin’s 13th Senate District elected current Republican Rep. John Jagler (37th Assembly District) to the seat vacated by Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau), who was elected to Congress last year. Jagler defeated Democrat Melissa Winker by a margin of 51%-44%. The Senate will once again have 33 members, with Republicans outnumbering Democrats 21-12.

Likewise, voters in the 89th Assembly District gave the nod to Oconto businessman Elijah Behnke, a Republican, to succeed former Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette) in this Northeast Wisconsin seat. Behnke defeated Democrat Karl Jaeger by a margin of 63%-37%. Republicans now hold a 61-38 majority in the Assembly.

In one other notable race, Judge Shelley Grogan unseated incumbent Judge Jeffrey Davis in District II of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. The final tally was 53%-43%. District II handles appeals from trial courts in 12 counties in Southeastern Wisconsin, excluding Milwaukee County.

There were several other local races on Tuesday’s ballot. A list of those results from the Southern part of the state may be viewed here. Several out-state county-by-county results are linked here.

By, Alex Paniagua

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Election 2020 Results

Split Government in Wisconsin Continues 

Rep. Kind Wins and the Wisconsin Legislature Stays in GOP Hands

The state of Wisconsin took center stage in a showdown that places election margins for president and several other local contests on a razor’s edge. Wisconsin Democrats had a major funding and polling advantage that yielded little change in six months on both a state-wide and local scale with Democrats spending 4-1 in some parts of the state.   

Voter turnout appears to have exceeded the 2012 high of 3.1 million people and late absentee ballots in urban areas propelled Joe Biden ahead of President Donald Trump in a harrowing media-fueled clash where many expected different results. As of 8 a.m. this morning, Biden maintained a lead of approximately 20,750 votes or 0.63 percentage points. A recount is not automatic in Wisconsin, but the second-place candidate can request one. The campaign doesn’t have to pay for the cost of the count if the margin is within .25 percentage points.  

Congressman Ron Kind held on in a close race, beating Derrick Van Orden in the 3rd Congressional District (La Crosse/Western Wisconsin) by 11,000 votes. Kind released a statement trumpeting his future work: “I am committed to fighting for the farmers, veterans, families, businesses, and workers who move our state forward.” The banking industry is counting on Kind, who supported a tax fairness measure (ECORA) to continue his work next Congress.  

The other Wisconsin Congressional races mainly hit the mark of predictability and current Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald easily won his race and will replace Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner. 

Wisconsin continues to hold on to its purple battleground reputation nationally but voted locally to hold on to incumbents giving Republicans a continued strong hold on the legislature. There were no major upsets, simply many close races that will set the stage for future elections to promote early/absentee voting. 

The Wisconsin state Senate Republicans increased their majority by winning seats in the Northwestern part of the state (Rob Stafsholt) and in Brown County (Eric Wimberger) and held on to a key seat in the Milwaukee area held by Sen. Alberta Darling.  

Republicans in the Assembly maintained a commanding majority of 61 seats (before recounts and the final canvas), but Assembly Democrats look to pick up two seats in suburban Milwaukee. As of this morning, Democrat challenger Sara Rodriguez was at 51 percent and sitting Rep. Rob Hutton, R-Brookfield, was at 49 percent. While Democrat Candidate Deb Andraca was leading Rep. Jim Ott (R-Mequon) 2 percent.  

In what looked to be a potential recount, Rep. Nick Milroy (D-South Range) was leading challenger Republican Keith Kern, by only 139 votes.  

The WBA Advocacy Team is preparing a video and preliminary analysis about how the elections are likely to impact the banking industry on local, state, and federal levels. It will be sent around once it’s available.

By, Alex Paniagua

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Incumbents Hold Off Primary Challengers, Successors to Two Retiring Banking Allies Emerge

Incumbents, including State Sen. LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee) survived a primary challenge Tuesday, while four of five closely watched Republican primaries for open GOP seats turned into lopsided victories. In the weeks leading up to the Fall Primary Election, the number of challenged races left pundits wondering if there would be some big surprises. Despite a number of key “open seat” races, the power of incumbency and name identification largely prevailed.

Click here to jump straight to the results.

The Aug. 11 Fall Primary solidified what will ultimately be another in a long series of historic elections in Wisconsin. Unlike past state-wide elections, the focus this year will be on filling seats held by long-time legislative leaders, such as Sen. Fred Risser who is the longest-serving state legislator in United States history.

Former state Rep. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) won a seven-way Democratic primary to succeed Democratic Sen. Fred Risser of Madison, who is retiring after more than six decades in the state legislature. Risser and his staff have worked closely with WBA on technical banking issues and complex uniform laws that often don’t make the headlines but have an impact on the day-to-day activities of bankers.

The exception to the incumbent rule was in the northwestern part of the state (29th Assembly District) in a Republican primary, where Menomonie chiropractor Clint Moses won a narrow victory against candidates Neil Kline, who worked as an aide to former state Sen. Sheila Harsdorf (R-River Falls) and Ryan Sherley.

In Green Bay, School Board Vice President Kristina Shelton defeated incumbent Rep. Staush Gruszynski (D) in the partisan primary for the Assembly District 90 seat. Rep. Gruszynski had previously lost his committee assignments after allegations rose of him harassing a staffer. Democrats plunged six figures into the primary to unseat Gruszynski after he refused to step down.

Republican Scott Fitzgerald is set to fill the seat of “Dean of the Delegation” Jim Sensenbrenner in the WI 5th Congressional District. Fitzgerald easily cruised to a victory last night and has been one of the strongest pro-banking voices in the state legislature as Majority Leader. The banking industry will greatly miss Sensenbrenner as strong voice for business in the House of Representatives, but Fitzgerald will be able to pick up where Sensenbrenner left off.

In other news…
Harris as VP: Wisconsin Connection to Sen. Harris: Milwaukee Bucks Owner
Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) is Joe Biden's VP pick. Harris’s prominent early backers included Avenue Capital’s Marc Lasry, part owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, and Blair Effron, a veteran investment banker and co-founder of Centerview Partners. Lasry told CNBC’s Brian Schwartz of the pick: “I think it’s great. … She’s going to help Joe immensely. He picked the perfect partner.”

According to Politico, Wall Street seems to be more at ease with Harris. On more traditional banking policy, “this is modestly positive for cannabis legalization. Harris is a sponsor of legislation to de-list cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act. … We see the pick as modestly negative for financials. Harris has a background as a state attorney general, which suggests she would advocate for a broad CFPB enforcement strategy. She also was vocal in opposing bank deregulatory legislation that Congress enacted in 2018.” Want to see more from Politico? Here’s a rundown of where Harris stands on major issues.

The fall election matters greatly for the financial services industry and WBA will continue to highlight why is it important for bankers to cast their ballots in November. Voter turnout is typically between 15-20% for an August primary compared to the 70% who show up to a to vote in a November presidential election, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

Absentee voting will be the key to success in the next several weeks. Candidates who moved forward in Tuesday's partisan primary now turn their sights to the Nov. 3 general election, when vote by mail are expected to sharply rise as voters cast their ballots in the presidential race.

Here's what happened in the races to watch:

Office District # Party of Primary Winner Area of WI Website
Senate 6 D La Tonya Johnson Milwaukee https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Senate_District_6
Senate 10 R Rob Stafsholt NW WI – Hudson https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Senate_District_10
Senate 16 D Melissa Sargent Madison area (East) https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Senate_District_16
Senate 26 D Kelda Roys Madison area (West) https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Senate_District_26
Senate 28 R Julian Bradley Waterford, Greenfield, New Berlin https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Senate_District_28
Senate 30 D Jonathon Hansen Green Bay and North https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Senate_District_30
Senate 32 D Brad Pfaff La Crosse https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Senate_District_32
Assembly 8 D Sylvia Ortiz Velez Milwaukee https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_8
Assembly 11 D Dora Drake Milwaukee https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_11
Assembly 14 R Bonnie Lee Brookfield and Waukesha https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_14
Assembly 17 D Supreme Moore Momokunde Milwaukee https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_17
Assembly 29 R Clint Moses NW WI – St. Croix https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_29
Assembly 35 R Calvin Callahan NE WI – Lincoln and Langlade https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_35
Assembly 41 R Alex Dallman Central WI – Adam, Green Lake https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_41
Assembly 48 D Samba Baldeh Madison (North) https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_48
Assembly 55 R Rachel Cabral-Guevara Neenah-Appleton https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_55
Assembly 60 R Robert Brooks Ozaukee County https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_60
Assembly 69 R Donna Rozar Central WI – Wood, Jackson, Monroe https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_69
Assembly 76 D Francesca Hong Madison (downtown) https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_76
Assembly 90 D Kristina Shelton Green Bay https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_State_Assembly_District_90
U.S. House 1 D Roger Polak Racine-Janseville https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin%27s_1st_Congressional_District
U.S. House 3 R Derrick Van Orden West Wisconsin https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin%27s_3rd_Congressional_District
U.S. House 5 R Scott Fitzgerald SE Wisconsin – Dodge, Jefferson, Waukesha, Washington https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsins_5th_Congressional_District
U.S. House 6 D Jessica King East Central Wisconsin https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin%27s_6th_Congressional_District

 

By, Amber Seitz

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