Brad Pfaff ‘very confident’ with 32nd District State Senate results despite very close race

Pfaff, a Democrat, defeated Republican Dan Kapanke for the State Senate seat by 589 votes

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) – Democrat Brad Pfaff might tell you that his race against Republican Dan Kapanke was a little too close for comfort.

“I tip my hat to him,” Pfaff said. “He’s a very hard worker.”

But after a race that was decided by just 589 votes, the Onalaska resident earned the same seat he tried winning in 2004.

“We have an awful lot of work to do to make sure we can move this region forward,” Pfaff said.

Farming hits close to home for Pfaff.

“I was raised on a family dairy farm in northern La Crosse County,” Pfaff said.

And he wants the Legislature to give an extra focus to agriculture.

“I want to be a State Senator that’ll look to find new markets for these products, work with our agriculture industry, work with our farmers,” Pfaff said.

The “Wisconsin Tomorrow” report says state farmers lost nearly $700 million dollars this year caused by COVID.

“It’s been difficult,” Pfaff said.

Pfaff says he’s also focused on getting the state’s economy back on track, despite the governor issuing an order that limits capacity in public spaces at 25 percent.

“We need to make sure that we have a relief package that’s available for our small businesses and for our workers,” Pfaff said.

On the possibility of a recount, Pfaff says he trusts the votes clerks counted.

“I’m very confident in the results of last night,” Pfaff said. “And I look forward to going to work on behalf on all of the resident’s in this region.”

Pfaff is filling the seat that was held by Jennifer Shilling since 2011 before she resigned and took a government relations manager role at Dairyland Power in the spring this year.

News 8 Now contacted Kapanke on whether he’s filing for a recount, which he says he isn’t sure yet. In a statement, he says, “While we wait for the final canvass to be completed, I want to thank my family, my friends, my team, and my volunteers for their support during this campaign. This campaign has been unique in so many ways but I enjoyed every second of it. There are so many great people who reside in the 32nd district and the next Senator will have the wonderful privilege of representing them in Madison.”

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