Wisconsin has been getting a fair share of the national political spotlight Tuesday night, as voters cast ballots in the primary election to choose party nominees for the Nov. 3 general election. Here is a look at some of the early vote totals. We will continue to update this story with more Wisconsin 2026 primary results as races are called.
Democratic primary for governor
After weeks of polling showing a dominant lead for state Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison) in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, the actual vote counting shows a very close race with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.
With 84% of the votes reported, here was the latest slate of results:
Crowley 39.95%
Hong 39.74%
Roys 7%
Brennan 4%
Rodriguez 3%
Barnes 3%
Hughes <1%
On the Republican side, US Rep. Tom Tiffany had no trouble defeating Andy Manske.
Congressional primaries
3rd Congressional District – Based on early results, there will be a rematch in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District as Rebecca Cooke fended off a challenge from Emily Berge in the Democratic primary. Cooke gets another chance to unseat Republican US Rep. Derrick Van Orden. Decision Desk HQ called the race at 8:35 p.m. CDT. With an estimated 63% of the vote in, Cooke led Berge, former president of the Eau Claire City Council, 57% to 43%.
7th Congressional District – Michael Alfonso has won a close race to become the Republican nominee in the 7th Congressional District, setting up the chance to claim the seat once held by his father-in-law, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
Alfonso held off former 7th Congressional District Republican Party Chair Kevin Hermening and two other contenders, despite a scant work history and a campaign funded largely with funds tied to Duffy, the transportation sector he’s supposed to oversee, and billionaires.
Legislative primaries
In southwest Wisconsin’s 17th State Senate District, Rep. Jenna Jacobson, with the backing and resources of the State Senate Democratic Committee, has a lead over former childcare operator Corrine Hendrickson and business owner Lisa White. The winner will challenge GOP Sen. Howard Marklein, co-chair of the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee.
State treasurer’s race
Marathon County Board member Yee Leng Xiong has won the Democratic primary for the role of state treasurer, the only statewide post currently held by a Republican, John Leiber.
Xiong, who is also a member of the Weston Village Board and the DC Everest School Board, defeated Black Earth Village Board member Dylan Helmenstine, who is also a member of the Wisconsin Heights school board.
With 71% of the vote counted, Xiong led the race, 56%-42%. He is hoping to become the first Hmong American elected to statewide office in the United States.
GOP statewide races
There have been surprises in two of the Republican Party’s statewide races, where the candidates endorsed at the state convention lost in Tuesday’s primaries.
The lieutenant governor running mate for US Rep. Tom Tiffany will be David Varnam, the mayor of Lancaster, rather than the party-endorsed candidate, Will Martin, from Racine. With 67% of the votes counted, Varnam had 54% to Martin’s 46%.
And in the race for Secretary of State, party-endorsed candidate Nate Pollnow lost to Jay Schroeder. Pollnow and Martin had access to party resources as a result of the convention endorsements, but GOP voters went in a different direction.
Meanwhile, in Minnesota…
Pillow salesman and Trump-backed election denier Mike Lindell has lost his bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Minnesota. It will be state House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Democratic US Sen. Amy Klobuchar vying to replace retiring Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.
