Wisconsin Candidates File For Fall U.S. Senate, House And State Legislature Races

As of Wednesday, 362 candidates submitted paperwork to run in this fall’s partisan primary and general election, according to the state’s elections agency.

The races include a high-profile contest for a U.S. Senate seat, all eight of the state’s seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, all state Assembly seats and even-numbered state Senate seats.

Incumbent GOP U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and his opponent, former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold, were among candidates to submit their nomination paperwork before Wednesday’s 5 p.m. deadline.

Feingold walked with a small crowd of supporters from a rally in downtown Madison to the state’s elections agency to submit his candidacy petition signatures. Like many statewide candidates, he brought more than enough signatures to get on the ballot and had to pare a few down.

Johnson also filed his paperwork on Wednesday, likewise turning in more than the 4,000-signature limit, according to his campaign.

Other high-profile races this fall will include a Republican primary challenge to House Speaker Paul Ryan, a race for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble, and primary challenges to two prominent Democrats in the state Senate.

Businessman Paul Nehlen submitted his paperwork to face Ryan in Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District. Nehlen has criticized Ryan for being a “career politician.”

By Wednesday afternoon, at least five candidates’ paperwork was approved in the race to replace Ribble in the 8th Congressional District. Those candidates include Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson, a Democrat, and current Republican state Sen. Frank Lasee.

In the state Senate, Rep. Mandela Barnes, D-Milwaukee, is challenging incumbent Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, for her seat. Taylor is a member of the powerful Joint Committee on Finance, which oversees the state budget.

Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-LaCrosse, is also facing a primary challenge from La Farge private investigator Jared Landry.

The partisan primary will be held on Aug. 9, and the general election on Nov. 8.