Evers tops crowded field to win governor primary
Democrat to face Walker in fall
MADISON - Tony Evers won an eight-way Democratic primary Tuesday, setting up a November showdown between the state’s education chief and GOP Gov. Scott Walker.
“We’re going to win because we’re going to hold Scott Walker accountable for his reign of terror,” Evers told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shortly after the Associated Press called the race for him based on unofficial returns.
Walker handily won his own primary against a political unknown, Sun Prairie businessman Robert Meyer, who raised just $270 in the first half of the year.
In a string of posts on Twitter, Walker touted the state’s record-low unemployment rate, his cuts to income taxes and property taxes, and his program to shore up premiums for those who buy insurance through Affordable Care Act marketplaces,
“Wisconsin is working — and we are moving the state forward with our bold reforms that are having a positive impact across the state,” Walker wrote.
The primary came a day after President Donald Trump — who at times has criticized Walker — tweeted that the Wisconsin governor “has done incredible things for that Great State” and had Trump’s “complete & total Endorsement.”
As the primary wrapped up, the general election kicked off, with the state Republican Party making plans to spend nearly $500,000 on TV and digital ads attacking Evers that will begin airing Thursday.
On Wednesday, Walker plans to visit La Crosse, Eau Claire, Schofield, Green Bay and Waukesha, while Evers will be in Madison, Appleton and Waukesha. Both are scheduled to travel the state later in the week, as well.
With Trump in the White House and liberal enthusiasm rising, Democrats view Walker as vulnerable.
Republicans see Walker as strongly positioned in part because of his huge financial advantage. At the end of July, Walker had $4.9 million in his campaign account, 31 times as much as Evers had at that point.
On the issues, the Democrats have been largely united, with most of them saying they would end the $4 billion taxpayer-funded incentive package for Foxconn Technology Group, legalize marijuana, expand access to health care, boost spending on roads and schools, and scale back Act 10, the 2011 law that all but eliminated collective bargaining for public workers.
Those stances put them in agreement with one another but deeply at odds with Walker, who has championed the Foxconn deal, his tax cuts and the state’s economy. Walker
opposes legalizing marijuana, has sought to overturn Obamacare and has fought with his fellow Republicans to prevent gas taxes from going up to fund roads.
“He’s got a bad record on roads, you name it,” Evers said. “I’m equally concerned that we as Democrats provide a positive vision for the future and it starts with education and it intersects with all other areas and we’re going to take it to him.”
Jon Thompson, a spokesman for the Republican Governors Association, said in a statement that Democrats had chosen a “far-left, big-government politician committed to raising taxes and opposing job creation.”
“As the state’s top education official, Evers has consistently failed Wisconsin students, and opposed Governor Walker’s successful efforts to spur job growth throughout the state,” his statement said.
Evers established himself early on as the front-runner, though there were so many undecided voters that it seemed possible one of his challengers could overtake him. But no one else was able to consolidate support.
In a Marquette University Law School poll last month, 31% of likely Democratic voters backed Evers and 38% were undecided.
Following Evers in that poll were firefighters union President Mahlon Mitchell (6%); state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout of Alma (6%); former state Democratic Party Chairman Matt Flynn (5%); Madison Mayor Paul Soglin (4%); liberal activist Mike McCabe (3%); former state Rep. Kelda Roys of Madison (3%); and attorney Josh Pade (0%).
Since then, Evers, Flynn, Mitchell, Soglin and Roys began running ads.
All the Democrats were expected to spend virtually all their money to get through the primary, which will widen their financial gap with Walker, at least temporarily.
Recognizing that, the Democratic Governors Association set up a plan to provide the nominee with post-primary advice and a financial network that Evers can now quickly tap. That won’t eliminate the fundraising gap, but Democrats hope it will mitigate it enough that Evers can withstand an expected avalanche of GOP ads.
“We know they are going to carpet bomb us — that is his M.O.,” Evers said of Walker. “He likes to divide people.”
The primary came two days after Trump put Walker and other Republicans in an awkward spot by tweeting that he thought a boycott of Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson Inc. would be “great” because the company is moving some production overseas.
The company says it is doing so because of new European tariffs that came in response to Trump’s tariffs. Trump has disputed that, saying the company would have shifted jobs overseas even without the tariffs.
Walker said Monday he opposed a Harley boycott but supported Trump’s goal of eventually eliminating tariffs. The break with Trump on the boycott didn’t appear to hurt his standing with Trump, who praised Walker on Twitter less than five hours later.
Evers cast Walker as beholden to Trump in his victory speech.
“Donald Trump will no longer have a doormat here in Wisconsin,” Evers said.
Evers, first elected in 2009, was the only Democrat in the field who has held statewide office. His background in education gives him a chance to go after Walker on an issue that Democrats see as a weak spot for the governor.
His current title could cut the other way as well. Walker’s team, for instance, has noted that Evers called Walker’s last state budget “kid-friendly,” possibly limiting how effective Evers could be in arguing against Walker’s funding for schools.
Flynn told Evers at a forum last week that Walker would “have you for lunch” because of his “kid-friendly” comment.
But on Tuesday, Flynn praised Evers and said he would work with him to defeat Walker. Other Democratic candidates joined in trying to unite the party.
Evers did not go as far as his Democratic opponents on some issues. For instance, he is the only Democrat to oppose making the state’s technical colleges free . And unlike many of his colleagues, he did not embrace legalizing marijuana outright, saying he would do so only if voters approved of the idea in a statewide referendum.
Lieutenant governor
In the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, former state Rep. Mandela Barnes of Milwaukee appeared on track to defeat Sheboygan businessman Kurt Kober.
Barnes will be paired with Evers on the November ballot. Incumbent Republican Rebecca Kleefisch did not have a challenger in the primary.
State treasurer
Businessman Travis Hartwig beat Jill Millies in the Republican primary for state treasurer.
The Democratic primary hadn’t been called as of 10:20 p.m. Competing in that race were businesswoman Sarah Godlewski, former communications director for the Office of the state Treasurer Cynthia Kaump and former Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass.
Secretary of state
Secretary of State Doug La Follette easily withstood a challenge in the Democratic primary from Madison Ald. Arvina Martin.
La Follette will face Republican businessman Jay Schroeder in November. Schroeder beat U.S. Air Force veteran Spencer Zimmerman.