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Wisconsin primary election 2022: Live updates, results from August 9 contests

Get the latest updates on the Democratic and Republican primary elections in Southeast Wisconsin and Milwaukee.

Robin Vos is leading against Adam Steen so far in the race for State Assembly.

By: Jackson Danbeck

Posted

and last updated

MILWAUKEE — Candidates in dozens of Democratic and Republican primary election races are facing off in Southeastern Wisconsin on Tuesday.

Important resources:
>> Get live election results here
>> Watch TMJ4 live election coverage here
>> See county-by-county results here

The biggest races to keep an eye on: The Republican primary for governor, and the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Incumbents Gov. Tony Evers and Sen. Ron Johnson hope to keep their seats against a number of challengers, including businessman Tim Michels and former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch for governor and current Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes for U.S. Senate.

There are also a host of more local races, including the state-wide treasurer, secretary of state and lieutenant governor as well as sheriffs and members of the state Assembly in the counties and districts. Notable among the Assembly races is in the 63rd district, where Assembly Speaker Robin Vos seeks to keep his seat.

One common theme so far is the split in endorsements between candidates from former President Donald Trump and his former Vice President, Mike Pence. Trump has thrown his weight behind Michels and the candidate running against Vos, Adam Steen. Pence meanwhile backed Kleefisch.

The TMJ4 News team will be updating this election live blog with the latest information on Election Day and beyond. Make sure to bookmark this page and share it with your family and friends.

ELECTION LIVE BLOG

7:10 a.m. update:

A former state representative who says he “came up just short” in the Republican primary race for Wisconsin attorney general is urging his supporters to unite behind Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney.

Adam Jarchow issued the apparent concession early Wednesday as unofficial results showed him trailing Toney by fewer than 4,000 votes, or about 0.6% of the vote. The winner will advance to face Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul. Karen Mueller, who ran as an outsider who wants to decertify the 2020 presidential election results, ran a strong third with nearly 26% of the vote.

10:50 p.m. update: Robin Vos wins Republican primary for Wisconsin's 63rd Assembly district, TMJ4 projects

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has defeated challenger Adam Steen in the Republican primary for the state's 63rd Assembly district, TMJ4 News projects. Vos will continue working as the state's longest-serving Assembly speaker in history.

As speaker, Vos has presided over efforts to restrict abortions, weaken unions, expand gun rights and push back against COVID-19 mandates.

Wisconsin’s state legislative districts had some of the largest pro-Republican tilts among all states during the past decade and underwent only minor changes before this year’s election.

More on Ball's election here.

8:45 p.m. update: WASHINGTON (AP) — Ron Johnson wins Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin primary election. More information here.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., speaks during a confirmation hearing for United States Ambassador to the United Nations nominee Linda Thomas-Greenfield before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, in Washington. (Michael Reynolds/Pool via AP)

8:30 p.m. update: Mandela Barnes wins Democratic primary for Wisconsin's U.S. Senate, TMJ4 projects

Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes has won the Democratic primary election for Wisconsin's U.S. Senate seat and will now face off against incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson in the general election in November, TMJ4 News projects.

Barnes faced off against fellow Democratic challenger Wisconsin State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski.

The race in battleground Wisconsin, which Donald Trump narrowly won in 2016 but lost by a nearly equal number of votes in 2020, could determine which party holds majority control in the 50-50 Senate.

More information on Barnes' race here.

mandela barnes — FILE - In this July 17, 2022 file photo, Mandela Barnes participates in a televised Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Senate debate in Milwaukee. Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry plans to drop out of Wisconsin's U.S. Senate race on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 less than two weeks before the Democratic primary, his campaign spokesman said. Lasry's departure in the race would leave Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes as the top Democratic candidate in the primary where the winner will advance to take on Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

8 p.m. update: Latest count from Milwaukee Central, TMJ4's Mary Jo Ola reports.

This is Milwaukee central count. Around 7:30 staff had gone through about 28,000 absentee ballots. Roughly 36,000 went out. pic.twitter.com/APXNeJ6rmF
— Mary Jo Ola (@MaryJoOlaTV) August 10, 2022

8 p.m. update: The polls are now closed in Wisconsin! Watch the returns as they come in on TMJ4's election results page.

What to know about Wisconsin's primary election: Charles Benson explains

7:30 p.m. update: Milwaukee Central Count prepares to count ballots. Staff had gone through about 28,000 absentee ballots. Roughly 36,000 went out.

Image from iOS (12).jpg — Milwaukee Central Count prepares to count ballots.

7 p.m. update: Mandela Barnes' stage at The Cooperage for his campaign event Tuesday evening.

Image from iOS (62).jpg — Mandela Barnes' stage at The Cooperage.

7 p.m. update: Voters in 4 states decide on secretary of state nominees

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Voters in four states on Tuesday were determining their party’s nominees for the statewide office that typically oversees elections.

Much of the attention was focused on Wisconsin, where the secretary of state does not have any role with elections. Republicans want to change that should they win the office in November. Primaries were also being held in Minnesota, Connecticut and Vermont.

In Wisconsin, all three GOP candidates have echoed former President Donald Trump’s false claims that fraud cost him the 2020 election. They have called for dismantling the state election agency established with bipartisan support just six years ago.

6:30 p.m. update: TMJ4 sets up at Rebecca Kleefisch's campaign event Tuesday evening.

6 p.m. update: TMJ4 News at 5 p.m. has team coverage on the local races in the Milwaukee area and Wisconsin. Watch below:

TMJ4 News at 5: Live coverage of Wisconsin primary election

5:40 p.m. update: TMJ4 News sets up at the Tim Michels' campaign location Tuesday evening.

5:02 p.m. update: Working at the polls in Milwaukee

“Really slow,” is how poll inspector Jack Gaboury describes the scene in the auditorium at Ronald Reagan High School Tuesday for the Wisconsin partisan primary. Jack has been working elections for about 25 years in the city of Milwaukee. This polling location used to be a three-ward site but since the 2020 census, it’s now a two-ward site. By 4:30 p.m., 185 voters cast a ballot at the south side poll site.

Image from iOS (58).jpg — Poll inspector Jack Gaboury.

4:21 p.m. update: Jarchow, Toney vie for chance to take on Wisconsin AG Kaul

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A race between the Republicans seeking to knock off Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul is headed to voters.

Adam Jarchow and Eric Toney are the leading candidates in a Tuesday primary that hasn’t drawn as much attention as Wisconsin’s governor and Senate races, but carries big stakes.

Unseating Kaul would put the GOP in a position to sink his lawsuit against the state’s abortion ban or investigate former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. Jarchow, a former lawmaker, has carved out a more conservative profile, including criticizing transgender issues. Toney, the Fond du Lac district attorney, brought charges against five people over listing post office boxes as their address for voter registration.

4:16 p.m. update: Wisconsin primary may shape elections in key battleground

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Voters will choose a Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor on Tuesday.

Former President Donald Trump has endorsed businessman Tim Michels, a self-described outsider who has put $12 million into his own campaign, against former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, who has support from former Vice President Mike Pence and ex-Gov. Scott Walker.

Both candidates falsely claim the 2020 election was rigged, though Kleefisch has said decertifying the results is “not constitutional,” while Michels said “everything will be on the table.” The race to face Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is another proxy war between Trump and Pence, one-time partners now pursuing different futures for the Republican Party.