Wisconsin voters reject GOP-written ballot measures, U.S. Senate race set with Hovde's primary win

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin voters on Tuesday rejected Republican-authored ballot questions that would have limited the governor’s power to spend federal money that comes to the state for such things as disaster relief, a big win for Democrats who mobilized against them.

In Wisconsin’s closely watched U.S. Senate race, Republican businessman Eric Hovde, who was endorsed by Donald Trump, easily won the primary. He advances to face Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin in a race that could determine majority control of the chamber.

And in two competitive congressional primaries, Trump-backed Republican Tony Wied defeated a current and former state lawmaker in northeast Wisconsin, and Democrat Rebecca Cooke beat a state lawmaker in western Wisconsin.

Wied will face Democrat Kristin Lyerly, a doctor who sued to protect abortion rights, in the race for the open 8th Congressional District seat. Cooke will try to knock off incumbent Rep. Derrick Van Orden, a former Navy SEAL who is one of Trump’s loudest backers, in the 3rd District.

While the Trump-backed Wied won his race, two of Trump’s biggest supporters in the Legislature, including one endorsed by the former president, lost in primaries to more moderate Republicans.

State Rep. Janel Brandtjen, who Trump endorsed, lost in a primary to current state Sen. Dan Knodl, a race between two Republican incumbents created under newly drawn legislative districts. And former state Rep. Tim Ramthun lost to state Sen. Dan Feyen.

Both Brandtjen and Ramthun had pushed to decertify President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory.

Rejection of the ballot measures was a huge win for liberals.

Democrats, including Gov. Tony Evers, and a host of liberal groups and others organized against the amendments. They had argued adopting them would slow down the distribution of money when it needs to be spent quickly.

“This was a referendum on our administration’s work and the future for Wisconsin we’ve been working hard to build together, and the answer is reflected in the people’s vote tonight,” Evers said in a statement.

Republican backers argued the measures would have added more oversight and serve as a check on the governor’s powers.

Republicans pushed the amendments after taking issue with Evers having the power to distribute billions of dollars in covid-19 federal relief money without legislative approval.

In the Senate race, Hovde faced only nominal opposition and has been running as the presumptive nominee for months. He’s already spent at least $13 million of his own money on the race to knock off Baldwin, who ran unopposed in her party’s primary as she seeks a third term.

Baldwin has attacked Hovde as an out-of-touch California bank owner, while Hovde argues Baldwin is too liberal for Wisconsin. Hovde previously ran for the Senate in 2012 but lost in the primary.

In northeastern Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District, Wied defeated state Sen. Andre Jacque and former state Sen. Roger Roth.

Wied formerly owned a gas station chain and is running his first campaign for office. Trump endorsed Wied in April before Wied had officially entered the race. His primary victory was an early test of Trump’s support in a heavily Republican part of Wisconsin.

The seat is open due to former Rep. Mike Gallagher stepping down before his term was over in April.

In Western Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, Democrat Cooke defeated longtime state Rep. Katrina Shankland and political newcomer Eric Wilson. Cooke previously ran in 2022 for the seat but lost in the primary.

Cooke, 36, is a former small business owner and political fundraiser. She currently runs a nonprofit.

The district is a target for Democrats as they seek to win back majority control of the House. The district had been represented by a Democrat for 26 years before it flipped in 2022 and is the most competitive district in the state.

The election was also the first under new legislative maps more favorable to Democrats.

Legislative incumbents faced each other in six primaries, including four Assembly races where the new maps pitted them against each other.

The winners in Tuesday primaries will face off in November, when all 99 seats in the Assembly and half in the Senate are on the ballot.