Trump-endorsed Republican Tony Wied wins Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District seat

Northeast Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District will stay in Republican hands for at least the next two years. 

Republican businessman Tony Wied defeated Democratic OB-GYN Dr. Kristin Lyerly in their race for the seat on Tuesday. 

The Associated Press called the race shortly before 11 p.m. With about 60 percent of votes counted, Wied had 60.6 percent of the vote, while Lyerly had 39.4 percent.

Wied declared victory shortly after 10 p.m., before the AP had called the race. In his victory speech at the Legacy Hotel, he told supporters the district’s voters sent a message that they’re ready to bring “common sense” to Washington, D.C.

Wied was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, which helped him win a GOP primary against two opponents. He is the former owner of a chain of Dino Stop convenience stores and has not held elected office before. He leaned into his business experience in his campaign and victory speech.

“I set out to run a positive campaign, based on my experience and my plan to bring a pragmatic approach to Washington,” Wied said. “That’s exactly what we did. People are tired of the same old political attacks and want somebody that will actually go to work and solve the problems that we are facing.”

Wied also thanked Trump for the endorsement during his speech, calling the endorsement an “honor.”

The 8th Congressional District includes Green Bay and much of northeast Wisconsin, including rural areas that tilt heavily toward the GOP. It has been held by Republicans since 2011. Wied will replace former U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, who resigned earlier this year. Gallagher was first elected in 2016.

Wied spoke to reporters after declaring victory.

“I think we did very well here in this race,” he said. “I’m very thankful for the voters and entrusting me with this position, and I’m looking forward to serving everyone here in District 8. I feel good. I feel confident.”

Lyerly campaigned hard on the issue of abortion access, and served as a surrogate for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Lyerly outraised and outspent Wied in the race, according to the last finance reports filed ahead of the election. 

In a statement released Wednesday, Lyerly conceded the race and congratulated Wied for his victory.

“Despite falling short, we gave northeast Wisconsinites a solid choice, and we created a strong foundation for years to come,” she said.

Because of Gallagher’s resignation, voters in the district voted twice for the same two candidates — once as a special election to serve the remainder of Gallagher’s term, and once to serve in the next Congress.