Sen. Glenn Grothman
An apparent win for state Senator Glenn Grothman in the Republican primary for the Sixth Congressional District is now being called into question, after a more complete tally of votes in Sheboygan County made the race much tighter. With 99-percent of the district’s ballots counted, Grothman — a state Senate Republican from Campbellsport — had only a 215-vote over fellow Senator Joe Leibham this morning.
Leibham refused to accept the Associated Press’s declaration of a Grothman victory, saying too many wards in his home county of Sheboygan went uncounted. His campaign issued a statement around 2:30 this morning that Leibham will wait to pass judgment on the results until they’re final.
Assembly Republican Duey Strobel finished third in the four-way primary with 26-percent. That’s after the real estate developer spent $700,000 of his own money on the race. Oshkosh retiree Tom Danow was a distant fourth.
Grothman had not commented on the overnight development. Earlier, he said the voters wanted “bold, conservative reforms.”
The Republican winner faces Winnebago County Executive Mark Harris in November for the House seat given by up by 36-year G-O-P veteran Tom Petri of Fond du Lac.
Four other Wisconsin congressional seats had primaries, and those incumbents were never in jeopardy.
Milwaukee House Democrat Gwen Moore got 71-percent of the vote over ex-state Senator and convicted felon Gary George. Moore will now face Republican Dan Sebring, who won his primary with 80 percent of the vote.
Janesville Republican Paul Ryan got 94 percent against Madison protester Jeremy Ryan. The House budget chair will face Kenosha Democrat Rob Zerban in November for the second time in a row. Zerban beat out the Sikh Temple’s Amar Kaleka 78-to-22-percent.
Incumbent Wausau Republican Sean Duffy easily won a primary challenge from Don Raihala. Duffy will face Ashland City Council member Kelly Westlund in November. She won her primary with 78 percent of the vote.
In western Wisconsin, Tony Kurtz got 57 percent in a three-way GOP primary for the right to face veteran Democrat Ron Kind in November.