Thompson to run against Baldwin in Senate race
After winning the Wisconsin Republican Primary Election, former Governor Tommy Thompson will run against U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin in November’s general election for a seat in the United States Senate.
Thompson defeated three other candidates, including runner-up and businessman Eric Hovde, who said in his concession speech after the election that the loss marked the end of his political career.
In his victory speech Aug. 14, Thompson said he is campaigning for his children and grandchildren.
“We have always in America…promised our children and our grandchildren that we are going to give them a country that is stronger and freer, fairer and safer,” Thompson said. “I don’t think we can fulfill that promise unless we take our country back.”
Thompson began his first of four consecutive terms as governor of Wisconsin in 1986, and served as Secretary of Health and Human Services under former President George W. Bush.
Pocan defeats Roys to run for seat in U.S. House
State Rep. Mark Pocan won the Aug. 14 Democratic primary for Wisconsin’s second congressional district, which includes Madison, and will run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in the November.
Three other candidates, including state Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, ran against Pocan. Pocan received almost 74 percent of the votes compared to Roys’ 21 percent.
“I am really proud that we ran a positive campaign based on our progressive values and accomplishing real results,” Pocan said in a victory speech after the election.
He also spoke of a need for jobs to remain in the United States, what he called “meaningful” campaign finance reform and the need for health care access.
Pocan will run against Republican Chad Lee in the Nov. 6 general election for a seat previously occupied by U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., who will run instead for the U.S. Senate.
Walker first governor to survive a recall election
Governor Scott Walker defeated Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in a much-anticipated gubernatorial recall election June 5, making Walker the first governor in United States history to survive a recall election.
Despite heavy voter turnout, which experts said would help Barrett, Walker earned 53 percent of the vote while Barrett received 46 percent. When the two met in the 2010 gubernatorial election, Walker won in a similar fashion, beating Barrett 52 to 46 percent.
The movement to recall Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and four Republican state senators came in response to legislation passed early last year that, among other things, limited collective bargaining rights for most public sector employees.
While celebrating his victory, Walker called for Wisconsin to move on from the bitter division that has consumed the state for the past year and a half and to look toward a future of cooperation.
Barrett preached a similar message of cooperation in Milwaukee, but called on Walker and the state’s Republicans to “do what’s right for Wisconsin’s families.”
