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2010 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

The 2010 United States Senate election in Wisconsin was held on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Democratic Senator Russ Feingold lost re-election to a fourth term to Republican challenger Ron Johnson, a businessman and first-time candidate. Johnson was the first Republican to win a Senate election in Wisconsin since 1986. Feingold also became the fifth senator in a row from Wisconsin's Class 3 Senate seat to be defeated for re-election in the general election, and the seventh in a row overall to lose by a defeat in either the primary or general elections. Johnson was re-elected in 2016 in a rematch with Feingold.

Republican primary

Candidates

On the ballot

Stephen Finn, plumber
Ron Johnson, businessman
Dave Westlake, businessman

Declined

Ted Kanavas, state senator
Dick Leinenkugel (dropped out), former State Commerce Secretary
Tommy Thompson, former governor of Wisconsin
Terrence Wall (dropped out), real estate developer

Campaign

Former Republican Governor of Wisconsin Tommy Thompson had expressed an interest in challenging Feingold, but ruled himself out of the race in April 2010.

Johnson, a millionaire manufacturer and Tea Party movement favorite running for political office for the first time, was the frontrunner. In response to controversy over his ownership of stock in BP, Johnson said he would sell it when market conditions were favorable and possibly use the proceeds to help finance his Senate campaign. Johnson was endorsed by: the Club for Growth, a fiscally conservative advocacy organization; former Wisconsin Republican Lt. Governor Margaret Farrow; Republican U.S. Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina; and Wisconsin Republican U.S. Representatives Jim Sensenbrenner, Tom Petri and Paul Ryan. Businessman David Westlake was endorsed by the Republican Liberty Caucus. According to OpenSecrets, as of August 25, 2010, Johnson had invested $4.3 million of his own money into his campaign; this amount represented 71 percent of his campaign funds, while 27 percent of his campaign funds ($1.6 million) came from individual contributions.

Polling

Results

General election

Candidates

Russ Feingold (D), incumbent U.S. senator
Ron Johnson (R), businessman
Dave Rutowski (I)
Rob Taylor (I) self-described Constitution Party candidate

Campaign

Feingold's first television ad was a positive ad released in March. In July 2010, Feingold's second 2010 television election ad attacked Johnson for alleged support for offshore drilling in the Great Lakes. Johnson quickly countered Feingold with a television ad of his own. Feingold's logo was Moving Forward. In one ad, he emphasized independence and called himself a "penny pincher." Johnson argued that manufacturers and accountants were underrepresented in the U.S. Senate, and there were too many lawyers (57 out of 100 members, including Feingold). Feingold received the endorsements of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Green Bay Press-Gazette. The Beloit Daily News endorsed Johnson.

Debates

October 8 in Milwaukee
October 11 in Wausau
October 22 in Eau Claire on WQOW

Predictions

Polling

Fundraising

Through December 31, 2010:

Results

Counties that flipped Democratic to Republican

Barron (largest city: Rice Lake)
Brown (largest city: Green Bay)
Burnett (largest village: Grantsburg)
Clark (largest city: Neillsville)
Chippewa (largest city: Chippewa Falls)
Iron (largest city: Hurley)
Jefferson (largest city: Watertown)
Kewaunee (largest city: Algoma)
Langlade (largest city: Antigo)
Manitowoc (largest city: Manitowoc)
Marathon (largest city: Wausau)
Monroe (largest city: Sparta)
Oneida (largest city: Rhinelander)
Outagamie (largest city: Appleton)
Rusk (largest city: Ladysmith)
Washburn (largest city: Spooner)
Buffalo (largest city: Mondovi)
Columbia (largest city: Portage)
Door (largest city: Sturgeon Bay)
Dunn (largest city: Menomonie)
Forest (largest city: Crandon)
Grant (largest city: Platteville)
Jackson (largest city: Black River Falls)
Juneau (largest city: Mauston)
Kenosha (largest city: Kenosha)
Lafayette (largest city: Darlington)
Lincoln (largest city: Merrill)
Pepin (largest city: Durand)
Price (largest city: Park Falls)
Racine (largest city: Racine)
Richland (largest city: Richland Center)
Sawyer (largest city: Hayward)
Trempealeau (largest city: Arcadia)
Winnebago (largest city: Oshkosh)
Adams (largest city: Adams)
Polk (Largest city: Amery)
St. Croix (Largest city: Hudson)
Taylor (Largest city: Medford)

References

External links

Elections & Voting Archived November 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine at the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board
- Candidate list Archived August 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
U.S. Congress candidates for Wisconsin at Project Vote Smart
Wisconsin U.S. Senate from OurCampaigns.com
Campaign contributions from Open Secrets
[1] 2010 Wisconsin Senate General Election: All Head-to-Head Matchups] graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
Election 2010: Wisconsin Senate from Rasmussen Reports
2010 Wisconsin Senate Race from Real Clear Politics
2010 Wisconsin Senate Race from CQ Politics
Race profile from The New York Times
Election 2010 news coverage at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel