As expected, Republican Rick Gundrum won in the 58th. Congratulations!
The results of the election were interesting. As I suspected might happen, the Democrats had a much stronger showing than they normally do in the 58th. Turnout was a mere 12.49% and Gundrum won the race 56.56% to 43.37%. Bear in mind that this is a district that is about 70% Republican. In a low turnout race, the Democrats are clearly more motivated.
Also interesting is that the Democrat actually won West Bend. Dennis Denigenhardt pulled in 1,279 votes to Gundrum’s 1,270 in the City of West Bend.
Also, the Democrats won a Wisconsin Senate seat in a pink district. Does this signal the coming of a Blue Wave in November? Should Walker be more worried about reelection? Will the Conservative Revolution in Wisconsin be coming to an end?
It’s going to be an interesting year.
The 10th is yet another signal of the onrushing Dem Tsunami, and it matches the pattern in other special elections, even ones the GOP won – the loss of suburbia by the GOP.
I don’t have a feel whether the 58th is another sign. The last time the Dems fielded a candidate there was the mad scramble after Glenn Grothman decided to take out Mary Panzer in 2004 Pat Strachota won 69.57%-30.38% in the middle of a national GOP wave.
Dennis ran a good campaign. Republicans were unmotivated, given it was a solid red district.
Results were interesting. Had Democrats got total turnout like Owen talked about, they could have won.
They would have lost seat in normal election cycle, but it could have gotten Democrats really excited in interim.
Democrats are not getting Assembly back. They, may, capture State Senate if everything falls their way.
“Democrats are not getting Assembly back. They, may, capture State Senate if everything falls their way.”
That’s because of gerrymandered districts where the electorate get to choose who votes for them versus voters getting to choose the electorate. It’s backwards from what it supposed to be.
As Bathhouse Barry said, elections have consequences.
The GOP won, and got to draw the lines. Try winning an election that matters next time.
I don’t want the Dems or the Repubs gerrymandering.
Please provide links of your criticism of Democratic gerrymandering prior to the 2010 election.
Why??
If the GOP has a worry, it should be that reasonable guys like Dennis decide to run. Pretty easy to vote against some of the loons of the past.
The party in power always takes a hit in midterms. This will likely be bigger than normal.
Democrats have nothing to run on, except muh Russia and muh DACA.
With 4% growth, the losses will be minimal. And Charlie is an RA, no matter how often this gets zapped.
Well, OK. Now let’s look at 10 Senate. The (R) Party folks are sounding the “SEND MONEY” alarm b/c of the loss in what some people call a “purple” district.
But maybe that loss has to do with turnout, eh?
“Dennis ran a good campaign.” In what way?
He came off as non-crazy liberal. I couldn’t be on Facebook without seeing him on an ad, and I could actually tolerate listening to him. I disagreed with what he said most of the time, but he was not your typical disgusting, totally arrogant, completly disagreeable in attitude liberal.