Wisconsin Primary Returns (Feingold challenger and Panzer race)

Vanity

[SteveAustin]

Being a Freeper for 4 years...not sure I am doing this right, but hoping to get a chat going for the Wisconsin Primary results.

Polls closed a few minutes ago at 8pm CST.

Big race#1: Who will challenge Russ Feingold for Senate this year. There is a decent chance to unseat the guy. Strong 3-way race between two millionaires (Russ Darrow, Tim Michels) and Bob Welch (state assembly)

Big race#2: A liberal Republican who was majority speaker of the State Senate is being challenged by a conservative assembly person. Glen Grothman vs. Mary Panzer.

At stake is the direction of the State legislature and any chance we have for a taxpayer bill of rights to pass here.

[SteveAustin]

Anyone hearing anything on results?

The best site I have found is here: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2004/by_state/WI_Page_0914.html?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=POLITICS

[Catspaw]

Let's see if we can make this into a link:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2004/by_state/WI_Page_0914.html?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=POLITICS

[SteveAustin]

You got it...thanks..I did the link wrong...

Early returns from two precincts look like big Michels lead....but its ridiculously early...

[Catspaw]

I looked at the polls, too--Michels was way ahead, but only 1% were counted.

It's going to be a loooong night (and I can't stay up THAT late).

[SteveAustin]

Michels appears to have a sizeable lead...49%...with 7% reporting in....

Looks like it could be an early night...then again I bet Darrow is very strong in the Southeastern Wisconsin area which reports late.

[steveegg]

Early returns (mostly from WTMJ):

US Senate Rep. primary (22% reporting as of 9:00):
Tim Michels 57,346
Russ Darrow 37,218
Bob Welch 28,939
Robert Lorge 4,237

---

State Senate Dist. 20 Rep. (33% reporting as of 9:01):
Glenn Grothman 8,159
Mary Panzer 2,064

---

4th Congressional (12% reporting as of 9:01)
Republican -
Gerald Boyle 1,423
Corey Hoze 1,105
Democrat -
Gwen Moore 5,378
Matt Flynn 2,210
Tim Carpenter 1,504

[malakhi]

Looks like WTMJ is calling the race for Michels. With 87% of precincts reporting as of 10:43 P.M. CDT, the results are:

Tim Michels	161,451	43%
Russ Darrow	114,068	30%
Bob Welch	88,804	23%
Robert Lorge	14,868	4%

I was pulling for Michels, but I expected Darrow's money and name recognition to carry the race. So I am pleasantly surprised. Not sure what his chances are against Feingold, but if President Bush continues to pull ahead in WI, Michels should get a boost.

[Buttaboom]

I'm floored that Michels won. After the years watching Chuck Chvala get re-elected, I had lost all faith in my fellow cheeseheads when it came to the polls. Most of the sheeple I know will go with a name they recognize before voting for someone who's stand on issues isn't necessarily clear.

As much as I like Michels, he hasn't been that good at establishing anything other than that he's a conservative Republican who supports our military and President Bush. Darrow has more name recognition, but he's been a little creepy-looking in his ads - the ick factor in that "G-Pa" one was high, high.

I think this bodes very well for President Bush. If Michels, with what looks like an ultra-conservative, pro-military stance can win over what seemed like a known factor, then I think it's a good bet that we'll swing Republican.

Feingold must be absolutely rolling in money. I can't go an hour without seeing one of his ads lately.