Campaign 2020: Ron Kind and Derrick Van Orden cruise in Wisconsin primary
Primary sets up Kind vs. Van Orden for 3rd Congressional District, Brad Pfaff wins democratic nomination for 32nd Wisconsin Senate District
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) – After Wisconsin’s August primary candidates will need to start their engines as the November general election approaches. Votes were cast for several local district races Tuesday narrowing down the names that will appear on the ballot in November.
One Democratic challenger is seeking to unseat current U.S. Rep. Ron Kind in Tuesday’s primary for Wisconsin’s 3rd congressional district. Mark Neumann is a retired physician and now serves as a part-time medical examiner in La Crosse County. Kind had no problem winning the democratic nomination with 81 percent of the vote with 65 percent of precincts reported.
Kinds said he spoke to Neumann who is now endorsing him as he advances to the general election.
“I am very proud to receive the support and trust of the people of this congressional district. I am going to do everything in my power to live up to that. trust, but there will be a clear choice to make this November,” Kind said. “I have a clear plan to defeat this coronavirus and to emerge even stronger, to rebuild Wisconsin, rebuild build America as we come out of this virus with the crucial steps that we have to take.”
Two candidates in Tuesday’s Republican primary are vying to challenge for Wisconsin’s 3rd congressional district, currently held by Democratic incumbent Kind. Tuesday’s winner will face the winner of the Democratic primary in the November 3rd election.
The term is for two years. Jessi Ebben of Eau Claire is in public relations and is facing off with Derrick Van Orden of Hager City who is a retired Navy Seal. Van Orden was also declared the winner early with 65 percent of the vote with 67 percent of precincts reported. Van Orden told News 8 Now he has the leadership experience to represent residents in western Wisconsin.
“The first thing I’m going to do is show up for work,” Van Orden said. “That’s something Ron Kind has not done for a very long period of time. The second thing I can do and will be doing is supporting the Trump administration with the implementation of the USMCA (United State-Mexico-Canada Agreement). American farmers and farmers in the third district, in particular, can compete with anyone around the world as long as they have a level playing field. That’s what I’m going to do.”
Wisconsin’s 32nd state senate district is currently vacant. It was last represented by Democratic Senator Jennifer Shilling who decided not to run again.
Three Democrats are on the ballot. They are Brad Pfaff, Jayne Swiggum, and Paul Michael Weber. The winner will face Dan Kapanke who is the republican on the ballot.
Kapanke won that seat in 2004 but lost to Shilling during a recall election in 2011. Pfaff was declared the winner receiving 60 percent of the vote nearly 80 percent of precincts reported.
Political expert Anthony Chergosky explains the importance of this 32nd Senate race in Wisconsin.
“And so this race that we have locally here could be the one that decides if the republicans achieve their two-thirds majority,” Chergosky said. “Why is that important? It’s a two-thirds majority vote that can override a veto by the Democratic Governor Tony Evers.”
For full election results click here.
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