Open congressional seat headlines fall ballot

Eric Lindquist, The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.
·4 min read

Jun. 2—EAU CLAIRE — An eight-way race for a 3rd Congressional District seat that is open for just the second time in 42 years will headline regional elections this fall, while only five of west-central Wisconsin's 13 legislative races this year will require primaries.

The primary ballots were to be settled after Wednesday's 5 p.m. deadline for candidates to submit nomination papers with the required number of signatures to the Wisconsin Elections Commission. The ballot status of several registered regional candidates was still pending as of early evening (as indicated in the accompanying chart).

The 3rd Congressional District campaign features six Democrats, one Republican and one Libertarian seeking the job held by U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, since he claimed the seat in the 1996 election, succeeding 16-year Republican incumbent Steve Gunderson of Osseo. Kind announced last August that he would not seek reelection.

The five Democrats who will square off in the Aug. 9 partisan primary are former CIA officer and U.S. Army Capt. Deb Baldus McGrath of Menomonie, state Sen. Brad Pfaff of Onalaska, Eau Claire business owner and nonprofit founder Rebecca Cooke, retired La Crosse pediatrician Mark Neumann, Brett Knudsen of Holmen and Justin Bradley of La Crosse. Baldus McGrath is the daughter of late Rep. Al Baldus, the Menomonie Democrat who was the last person to hold the seat before Gunderson and Kind.

The winner will take on Prairie du Chien Republican Derrick Van Orden, a former Navy SEAL who lost to Kind two years ago, and Libertarian Rustin Provance of Pepin in the Nov. 8 general election.

In the 7th Congressional District, Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, will face a primary challenge from Arbor Vitae Republican David Kunelius, with the winner clashing with Democrat Richard Ausman of Lac du Flambeau and Hayward independent Ken Driessen in the general election.

State Senate

Two of three regional state Senate elections will require a primary.

The most competitive race calls for a three-way Republican primary in the 23rd Senate District involving 68th Assembly District Rep. Jesse James of Altoona, businessman and longtime state and local Republican Party officer Brian Westrate of Fall Creek and Sandra Scholz of Chippewa Falls. The winner will be unopposed in November because no Democrats registered to run for the open seat created when Sen. Kathy Bernier, R-Lake Hallie, elected not to seek reelection.

In the 31st Senate District, freshman Democratic Sen. Jeff Smith, a former Assemblyman from the town of Brunswick, will not face a primary challenge but in the general election will take on the winner of the Republican primary between David Estenson of Whitehall and Amber Provance of Pepin.

No primary will be necessary before the November election in the 25th Senate District race, which will pit Ashland Democrat Kelly Westlund against Cameron Republican and former state Rep. Romaine Quinn.

Assembly

Three Republicans — Karen Hurd of Fall Creek, Hillarie Roth of Altoona and Chris Connell of Eau Claire — will face off in a primary for the 68th District seat being vacated by James. The winner will take on Democrat Nathan Otto of Altoona and independent William Bogdonovich of Willard in the general election.

Republican incumbent Reps. Treig Pronschinske of Mondovi and James Edming of Glen Flora both will face primary challenges from within their party.

Osseo Republican Ryan Owens will challenge Pronschinske, a three-term incumbent, in the 92nd District, with the winner taking on Mondovi Democrat Maria Bamonti in November.

Medford Republican Michael Bub is mounting a challenge to Edming, who has represented the 87th District since 2015. Democrat Elizabeth Riley of Hayward, Libertarian Wade Mueller of Athens and Libertarian/independent Tom Rasmussen of Medford await the winner.

Following are regional Assembly races that will not require primaries:

Rep. Warren Petryk, the town of Washington Republican who has held the 93rd District seat since 2011, will face opposition from River Falls Democrat Alison Page.

Two-term incumbent Rep. Jodi Emerson, D-Eau Claire, will face a challenge from Eau Claire Republican Josh Stanley in the 91st District.

Freshman Rep. Clint Moses, R-Menomonie, is opposed by New Richmond Democrat Danielle Johnson in the 29th District.

Three-term incumbent Rep. Shannon Zimmerman, R-River Falls, will face rematch of the 2020 election from Hudson Democrat Sarah Yacoub in the 30th District.

Rep. Rob Summerfield, R-Bloomer, who has represented the 67th District since 2017, will face opposition from Chippewa Falls Democrat Jason Bennett and Bloomer Libertarian Bryce Thon.

Freshman Rep. Donna Rozar, R-Marshfield, will face a challenge from Marshfield Democrat Lisa Boero in the 69th District.

Freshman Rep. David Armstrong, a Rice Lake Republican representing the 75th District, is the only area legislator running unopposed in the fall election.

In addition, two Chippewa Valley residents are running for statewide office. Kyle Yudes of Eau Claire will be on the primary ballot for lieutenant governor, and Karen Mueller of Chippewa Falls had her ballot status pending for attorney general.