State voters navigate new maps in legislative primaries

Aug. 8, 2012

Written by

Todd Richmond

Associated Press

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Go to legis.wisconsin.gov and click on 2010 Redistricting Information to access district maps of your area in advance of Tuesday’s election.

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MADISON — Legislative primaries are often ho-hum affairs, and they likely will attract even less attention next week.

Wisconsin voters are still recuperating from a brutal series of recall elections over the last year. What’s more, state lawmakers moved the primary date ahead a month to ensure military and overseas voters had enough time to cast absentee ballots ahead of the Nov. 6 general election, putting the primaries on Tuesday — smack dab in the middle of summer vacation. State election officials predict only about 20 percent of the state’s voting age population will go to the polls.

But these primaries still promise some drama. They’ll set the ballot for the general election, which could determine the course of Wisconsin politics for years to come.

New district maps are drawn every 10 years to account for population shifts in the most recent census. Republicans earned the right to redraw the boundaries after they seized control of both the Assembly and Senate in 2010.

The lines they drew maximized the number of GOP-leaning areas, which should help solidify Republicans’ hold on power, particularly in the Assembly. Republicans hold a 59-39-1 advantage in that chamber. Democrats have a 17-15 edge in the Senate.

“There’s very few swing seats left,” said Brandon Scholz, a Madison lobbyist and veteran of GOP congressional campaigns. “The majority they get this election cycle, they get it for 10 years.”

Wisconsin voters might have to break out the maps, compasses and scorecards to figure out the political landscape created by that redistricting.

The new lines have created a jumble of open seats, races with multiple candidates and incumbents pushed into new territory. A number of Democratic lawmakers wound up having to change districts or compete against long-time colleagues.

Primaries will be held in 44 races. Here’s how the election breaks down:

• Candidates will compete for 23 Assembly seats and two Senate seats left open after the incumbents retired, decided to run for another office or chose to run in another district because of the new boundaries.

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• Nine Democrats are vying for the right to take on Republican Patrick Testin of Stevens Point in central Wisconsin’s 71st Assembly District after incumbent Democrat Louis Molepske decided to run for district attorney. Eight Democrats are fighting for an open seat in Milwaukee’s 18th Assembly District after incumbent Democrat Tamara Grigsby decided to retire after struggling with health problems. And five Republicans and two Democrats are seeking an open seat in southeastern Wisconsin’s newly drawn 37th District. Incumbent Democrat Andy Jorgensen decided to run in a more Democratic-leaning area after redistricting landed him in more conservative territory.

• Five Assembly Republican incumbents face a primary challenge, including veteran Dean Kaufert of Neenah, who voted against Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to end collective bargaining for nearly all public workers.

• Luther Olsen of Ripon is the only Republican Senate incumbent who faces a primary challenger. He is battling tea party supporter David Eiler of Brandon. The winner will square off against Democrat Margarete Worthington of Wautoma in November.

• Nine Assembly Democratic incumbents, including four running in a new district, face a primary. Seven of those races will decide who wins the seat.

Incumbents running in new areas have been scrambling to learn their territories, network with new local officials and introduce themselves to voters.

For example, Sandy Pasch, D-Whitefish Bay, suddenly found herself living in the new 23rd District, which includes Milwaukee’s conservative northern suburbs. Rather than face an uphill battle against incumbent Rep. Jim Ott, R-Mequon, she decided to run for the open seat in the new 10th District, which includes the northern edge of the city of Milwaukee, a Democratic stronghold.

Now she’s locked in a four-way Democratic primary. She’s gone door-to-door to introduce herself to her new would-be constituents, and if she wins would have to sell her house and move into the 10th.

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“Some people made hard choices,” said Joel Gratz, executive director of the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee.

A number of Democratic incumbents found themselves pitted against friends they’d served with for years. Rep. Chris Danou, D-Trempealeau, found himself in the new 92nd District alongside hunting buddy Rep. Mark Radcliffe, D-Black River Falls. Rather than forcing a primary, Radcliffe chose to retire and leave Danou unopposed.

Radcliffe downplayed the decision, saying he accomplished what he wanted in the Legislature and wanted to help his son start college. But Danou didn’t care for the GOP’s tactics.

“If you look at what they did, the Republicans were pretty clever,” Danou said. “It’s annoying.”

Rep. Robin Vos, R-Burlington, is spearheading Republicans’ Assembly races. He said the district lines are fair and Democrats shouldn’t complain.

“If you don’t want to run, don’t,” Vos said, adding, “That’s a prime example of where politicians think they’re more important than the job. Stand and fight and if you lose go back to private life, where we all return.”