The 2016 Wisconsin Fall General Election was held in the U.S. state of Wisconsin on November 8, 2016. One of Wisconsin's U.S. Senate seats and all eight seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election, as well as half of the Wisconsin Senate seats and all 99 Wisconsin State Assembly seats. Voters also chose ten electors to represent them in the Electoral College, which then participated in selecting the 45th president of the United States. The 2016 Fall Partisan Primary was held on August 9, 2016.

The Wisconsin Republican Party made large gains in the 2016 election. Businessman and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump won Wisconsin in an upset, becoming the first Republican to win the state since 1984. Additionally, the state GOP had a strong showing in the State Legislature, building their largest majorities since 1957, and Republican senator Ron Johnson defeated Russ Feingold a second time for a second term. This put Walker and the Wisconsin GOP in a strong position.

The 2016 Wisconsin Spring Election was held April 5, 2016. This election featured a contested race for Wisconsin Supreme Court, with Republicans' preferred candidate, recently appointed justice Rebecca Bradley, winning a ten-year term. The Spring election also saw various other judicial and local elections, including contested county executive and mayoral races in Wisconsin's largest city and county, Milwaukee. The 2016 Wisconsin Spring Primary was held February 17, 2016.

Federal President

Senate

In a rematch of the 2010 election, first term incumbent Republican Ron Johnson ran against former Democratic U.S. Senator Russ Feingold. Johnson defeated Feingold in the general election with 50.2% of the vote.

House of Representatives

All of Wisconsin's eight United States House of Representatives seats were up for election in 2016. Party composition remained unchanged after the general election.

DistrictIncumbentElectedDefeatedDemocraticRepublicanOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %District 1 Paul Ryan Paul Ryan 107,003 30.21% 230,072 64.95% 17,170 4.85% 354,245 12.77% Republican HoldDistrict 2 Mark Pocan Mark Pocan Peter Theron (R) 273,537 68.72% 124,044 31.16% 479 0.12% 398,060 14.35% Democratic HoldDistrict 3 Ron Kind Ron Kind Ryan Peterson (Ind) 257,401 98.86% 0 0.0% 2,969 1.14% 260,370 9.39%Democratic HoldDistrict 4 Gwen Moore Gwen Moore Andy Craig (Lib) 220,181 76.74% 0 0.0% 66,728 23.26% 286,909 10.34%Democratic HoldDistrict 5 Khary Penebaker (D) 114,477 29.29% 260,706 66.70% 15,661 4.01% 390,844 14.09% Republican HoldDistrict 6 Glenn GrothmanGlenn Grothman Sarah Lloyd (D) 133,072 37.26% 204,147 57.15% 19,964 5.59% 357,183 12.88% Republican HoldDistrict 7 Sean DuffySean Duffy Mary Hoeft (D) 138,643 38.27% 223,418 61.67% 210 0.06% 362,271 13.06%Republican HoldDistrict 8 Reid RibbleMike Gallagher Tom Nelson (D)Wendy Gribben (Green) 135,682 37.30% 227,892 62.65% 206 0.06% 363,780 13.12%Republican HoldTotal1,379,996 49.75% 1,270,279 45.80% 123,387 4.45% 2,773,662 100.00%

State Legislature State Senate

The 16 even-numbered districts out of 33 seats in the Wisconsin Senate were up for election in 2016. Nine of these seats were held by Republicans and seven were held by Democrats. Prior to the election, Republicans controlled the chamber with a 19 to 14 majority, but they gained a seat in the election.

Senatorial district Incumbent This race Results District Senator Party Firstelected Incumbent Status CandidatesWinner 2 Robert Cowles Republican 1987 Running Robert Cowles (Republican)John Powers (Democratic)Robert Cowles65% 4 Lena Taylor Democrat 2005 Running Lena Taylor (Democrat)Lena Taylor100% 6 Nikiya Harris Democrat 2013 Not Running La Tonya Johnson (Democrat)LaTonya Johnson100% 8 Alberta Darling Republican 1993 Running Alberta Darling (Republican)Alberta Darling100% 10 Sheila Harsdorf Republican 2001 Running Sheila Harsdorf (Republican)Diane Odeen (Democrat)Sheila Harsdorf63% 12 Tom Tiffany Republican 2013 Running Tom Tiffany (Republican)Bryan Van Stippen (Democrat)Tom Tiffany63% 14 Luther Olsen Republican 2004 Running Luther Olsen (Republican)Brian Smith (Democrat)Luther Olsen57% 16 Mark F. Miller Democrat 2005 Running Mark Miller (Democrat)Mark Miller100% 18 Rick Gudex Republican 2013 Not Running Dan Feyen (Republican)Mark Harris (Democrat)Dan Feyen56% 20 Duey Stroebel Republican 2015 Running Duey Stroebel (Republican)Duey Stroebel100% 22 Robert Wirch Democrat 1997 Running Robert Wirch (Democrat)Robert Wirch100% 24 Julie Lassa Democrat 2003 Running Patrick Testin (Republican)Julie Lassa (Democrat)Patrick Testin52% 26 Fred Risser Democrat 1962 Running Fred Risser (Democrat)Fred Risser100% 28 Mary Lazich Republican 1998 Not Running Dave Craig (Republican)Dave Craig100% 30 Dave Hansen Democrat 2001 Running Dave Hansen (Democratic)Eric Wimberger (Republican)Dave Hansen51% 32 Jennifer Shilling Democrat 2011 Running Jennifer Shilling (Democrat)Dan Kapanke (Republican)Chip DeNure (independent)Jennifer Shilling49%

State Assembly

All 99 seats of the Wisconsin State Assembly were up for election in November. Nine Assemblymen (6 Republicans, 3 Democrats) did not seek re-election.

AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalRepublicanDemocraticVacant Before 2016 elections6336 990Latest voting share After 2016 elections6435 990Latest voting share

Judiciary

State Supreme Court

Incumbent Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley defeated Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in the April general election. Justice Bradley had been appointed to the court in 2015 by Governor Scott Walker, to replace Justice N. Patrick Crooks, who had died in office. Justice Crooks' term was already set to expire in 2016, thus the election did not need to be scheduled any earlier than it was already set to be held before Crooks's death.

Though Wisconsin's judicial elections are officially nonpartisan, Bradley's victory was seen as a win for the Republican Party, as she supported a judicial philosophy in line with that of federal conservative judges like Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas. During the election her primary backers were Republican-aligned interest groups such as the NRA Political Victory Fund and Wisconsin Right to Life. Justice Crooks, her predecessor, was seen as a swing vote on the court, so his replacement by the conservative Bradley was seen as a net gain for the conservative bloc on the court.

State Court of Appeals All four districts of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals had a seat up for election in 2016. None of the races were contested. In District I, Judge Joan F. Kessler was elected to her third term without opposition. In District II, Judge Paul F. Reilly was elected to his second term without opposition. In District III, Judge Thomas Hruz was elected to his first full term, after being appointed to the court by Governor Scott Walker in 2014. In District IV, Judge Brian Blanchard was elected to his second term without opposition.

State Circuit Courts Forty of the state's 249 circuit court seats were up for election in 2016. Ten of those seats were contested. Three incumbent judges were defeated—Milwaukee County judges Paul Rifelj and Michelle Ackerman Havas, and Eau Claire County judge Brian H. Wright. All three defeated judges had been appointed by Governor Scott Walker.

CircuitBranchIncumbentElectedDefeated Defeated in PrimaryNameVotes%NameVotes%Name(s) Barron 1 James C. Babler James C. Babler 12,364 99.66% Crawford James P. Czajkowski Lynn Marie Rider 4,327 99.63% Dane 3 Jim Troupis Valerie L. Bailey-Rihn 132,270 99.10% 4 Amy Smith Everett Mitchell 132,939 99.14% 5 Nicholas J. McNamara Nicholas J. McNamara 131,068 99.19% 14 C. William Foust John D. Hyland 130,198 99.23% 15 Stephen Ehlke Stephen Ehlke 130,754 99.27% 17 Peter C. Anderson Peter C. Anderson 129,643 99.23% Eau Claire 1 Brian H. Wright John F. Manydeeds 18,850 55.35% Brian H. Wright 15,132 44.43% Fond du Lac 2 Peter L. Grimm Peter L. Grimm 25,290 100.00% 4 Gary R. Sharpe Gary R. Sharpe 25,020 100.00% Iowa William D. Dyke Margaret M. Koehler 4,546 51.21% Timothy B. McKinley 4,315 48.61% Larry NelsonTim Angel Juneau 1 John Pier Roemer John Pier Roemer 6,384 99.72% Kewaunee Dennis J. Mleziva Keith A. Mehn 4,096 51.66% Jeffrey Ronald Wisnicky 3,832 48.34% Andrew Naze Lincoln 1 Jay R. Tlusty Jay R. Tlusty 7,844 99.27% Marathon 2 Greg Huber Greg Huber 37,240 99.56% Milwaukee 5 Mary M. Kuhnmuench Mary M. Kuhnmuench 171,093 98.72% 14 Christopher R. Foley Christopher R. Foley 175,825 98.91% 25 Stephanie Rothstein Stephanie Rothstein 168,070 98.83% 31 Paul Rifelj Hannah C. Dugan 132,461 64.90% Paul Rifelj 70,098 34.35% 34 Glenn H. Yamahiro Glenn H. Yamahiro 167,132 98.83% 44 Daniel L. Konkol Gwen Connolly 167,479 98.93% 45 Michelle Ackerman Havas Jean Marie Kies 100,409 49.86% Michelle Ackerman Havas 99,225 49.28% Monroe 2 Mark L. Goodman Mark L. Goodman 11,260 99.68% 3 J. David Rice J. David Rice 11,100 99.61% Oconto 2 Jay Conley Jay Conley 11,890 100.00% Pierce Joseph D. Boles Joseph D. Boles 10,309 100.00% Portage 2 Robert J. Shannon Robert J. Shannon 12,551 54.22% Trish Baker 10,515 45.42% David R. Knaapen Jared Redfield Racine 2 Eugene A. Gasiorkiewicz Eugene A. Gasiorkiewicz 40,407 100.00% 4 John S. Jude Mark Nielsen 34,573 71.84% Joseph W. Seifert 13,554 28.16% Rock 2 Alan Bates Alan Bates 35,354 99.29% Rusk 2 Steven P. Anderson Steven P. Anderson 2,542 52.29% Richard J. Summerfield 2,319 47.71% St. Croix 4 R. Michael Waterman R. Michael Waterman 18,333 99.34% Sauk 1 Michael Screenock Michael Screenock 15,773 100.00% 2 James Evenson Wendy J. N. Klicko 10,757 53.36% Kevin R. Calkins 9,403 46.64% Vilas Neal A. Nielsen III Neal A. Nielsen III 7,354 99.27% Walworth 2 James L. Carlson Daniel S. Johnson 16,420 54.80% Dan Necci 13,385 44.67% Shannon Wynn 4 David M. Reddy David M. Reddy 24,024 99.14% Winnebago 3 Barbara Hart Key Barbara Hart Key 41,909 99.23% 5 John A. Jorgensen John A. Jorgensen 40,795 99.29%

Local Kenosha John Antaramian was elected to a four-year term as Mayor of Kenosha. He was returning to office after having previously served four four-year terms as mayor from 1992 through 2008.

Milwaukee Incumbent Tom Barrett was reelected to his fourth term as Mayor of Milwaukee, defeating alderman Bob Donovan. Incumbent County Executive Chris Abele was re-elected, defeating state senator Chris Larson.

References