Compiled by Courier Staff
There were no big upsets in Tuesday’s primary election results. With a good voting turnout statewide, many local incumbents held on to their spots. The two most watched races were actually the Republican gubernatorial candidates, former U.S. Rep. and businessman Mark Neumann and Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, where Walker was declared the winner, now setting the stage for the Nov. 2 general election to battle Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
Barrett did not face much opposition for the primary, he easily defeated Tim John of Oconomowoc, owner of a company that prints religious calendars. Both the Barrett and Walker campaigns will now take to an intense battle for the highest elected position in the state, and regardless of the result, it will be a fi rst for a candidate from Milwaukee to make a successful bid to be the governor of Wisconsin.
Another race that had voters on the edge of their seats was the Democratic race for Milwaukee County Sheriff. Incumbent Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, Jr. found himself in a tough race against police Lt. Chris Moews.
Sheriff Clarke, Jr. defeated Lt. Moews with 53 percent of the vote, Moews garnered 47 percent. That means Clarke, 54, advances to the general election in November against Republican Steven Duckhorn, a Milwaukee police officer.
Clarke says he has plenty to do in a third term, though he points out that his record is already changing a culture of complacency in the sheriff’s offi ce and at the County Correctional Facility- South in Franklin. The county turned over management of the facility, formerly called the House of Correction, to Clarke in January 2009. He ran on a record of fiscal responsibility, noting that unlike his predecessors, he hasn’t run any budget deficits. Clarke said he’ll consider privatizing additional services as a way to keep a tight budget in the black.
Clarke says that he takes nothing for granted, and he is not taking it lightly that he does have an opponent for the general election.
Other incumbents that held on to their democratic seats included; State Rep. Leon Young, Congr. Gwen Moore, and State Rep. Barbara Toles. Milwaukee County Supervisor Elizabeth Coggs was the winner in the highly contested seat for State Rep. Annette Polly Williams’ seat.
State Senator Spencer Coggs was defeated by Tom Nelson for the Democratic Lt. Governor position.
The Nov. 2 general election is literally seven weeks away. The primary election ballot and the process was reported to be a bit confusing for voters. Some polling places even ran out of paper ballots, not prepared for the record turnouts in some areas. Also, the one party voting process caught many voters off guard, making it a bit confusing. From the numbers reported the Republicans turned out in the highest numbers statewide.
The general election ballot will not have the same restrictions as the primary, but it is still evident that the Democrats have a lot of work to do in getting voters to the polls.