Governors Race
From the money raising and the spending. My impression from the state party was protecting Evers and holding just enough seats to protect the veto pen was the priority. The Wisconsin Supreme Court sided with the state legislature regarding the districts' drawing, making the 2023 State Supreme Court election much more critical. Suppose we can get another impartial justice on the supreme court. They can strike down the unfair advantage they built through gerrymandering.
Credit to Ben Wikler and the Doing the Right Thing Tour
Tony Evers campaigned in counties like Marinette, Vilas, Lincoln, Door, and Brown. He overperformed Joe Biden in some of these red counties. Tony Evers has been a heck of a Governor and campaigner, and I am Glad he is getting four more years.
U.S. Senate
Here is where I will get hammered or banned from this site for saying another swing and a miss. In 2010 Ron Johnson surprised us all by unseating Russ Feingold and winning in a rematch in 2016. Mandela Barnes was a good candidate, and I still think he has a future in the Democratic Party. But like Scott Walker in 2018. You cannot put an “up-and-comer” against Ron Johnson. The Johnson machine will define him right away, and unfortunately, that is what happened.
Again, most of his primary opponents were “ rising stars” in the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. Beating Ron Johnson in 2026 will take someone like a Tony Evers caliber campaigner who can go into these Republican territories and overperform at the top of the ticket.
WI-03.
This is the one knock I will give DCCC Ben Wikler is not investing in this race, but I understand his priorities. It was much closer than I thought it would be. Could someone like Sarah Godlewski run for this seat? Sarah Godlewski could get big donors to combat Van Orden. I am willing to bet next cycle DCCC will put more emphasis on this seat.
Conclusion
Overall. Like the national narrative. Ben Wikler should be pretty relieved with the results. The Senate race is closer than most people thought it would be, and Governor Evers outperformed expectations. Just pay attention to that open seat on the State Supreme Court.
