Candidates for key midterm election races in Wisconsin, including a seat that could be critical for control of the Senate, turned in paperwork this week in order to be eligible for the August primary.
Incumbent Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), as well as challengers Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes (D-WI) and State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski (D-WI), all turned in nomination signatures this week ahead of the August 9 primary.
Another Senate hopeful seeking the Democratic nomination who officially filed with the Wisconsin Elections Commission is millionaire Alex Lasry, who is taking a break from his role as a Milwaukee Buck executive.
Johnson’s campaign, which filed on Tuesday, said that they had collected 30,000 signatures. His team said that they broke Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s (D-WI) record when she ran in 2018. A Senate candidate in Wisconsin needs to file between 2,000 to 4,000 nominating signatures.
“This amount of nomination signatures proves how energized and motivated Wisconsin Republicans are to win in November,” the senator said. “I want to thank each and every individual who worked tirelessly to collect and return a record-breaking number of signatures from all 72 counties in Wisconsin. I am looking forward to continuing this fight for freedom.”
Barnes announced this week that his team turned in the signatures this week and that he had collected 5,000 nomination signatures, and said that he was “building the grassroots army we’ll need to send Ron Johnson packing once and for all.”
The lieutenant governor has been endorsed by Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC), Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA).
Godlewski, who has been state treasurer since 2019, said that she collected over 4,000 signatures.
“I’m grateful to all the staffers, volunteers, circulators, and signers who collected well over 4,000 nomination signatures and helped us get here. Together, we are going to defeat Ron Johnson and return this U.S. Senate seat to the people of Wisconsin,” she said in a statement.
She boasts endorsements from the pro-abortion Emily’s List, and a series of other progressive women’s groups like Her Bold Move, Women Lead Wisconsin, and Feminist Majority.
There are several other Democrats vying for the chance to challenge Johnson — who also faces a challenge from Republican David Schroeder, though Johnson is expected to win easily.
Several Republicans also filed to challenge Governor Tony Evers (D-WI) who squeaked out a victory against then Governor Scott Walker (R-WI) in 2018.
One of the Republican front runners is Walker’s former Lt. Governor, Rebecca Kleefisch, who announced that she had collected 6,700 signatures.
“There is so much at stake this November — from election integrity to the safety of our communities. As governor, I’ll help Wisconsin families take back control of state government from the Madison swamp, get our schools back on track and get our economy back to work,” she said in a statement.
Other candidates seeking the Republican nomination include former Marine Kevin Nicholson and state Rep. Tim Ramthun.