What Went Down In Elections In Minnesota, Wisconsin, Vermont And Connecticut

Wisconsin is among the 19 states to never have had a female governor, but former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, who has been endorsed by her former boss, Gov. Scott Walker, among others, could change that.

She faces stiff competition, though, from wealthy construction business owner Tim Michels, who has also earned Trump’s endorsement. It’s been a nasty, expensive race. At a rally for Michels last week, Trump said Kleefisch was “the handpicked candidate of the failed establishment, the RINOs and the Washington swamp.” Trump also criticized her husband, who is a lobbyist. Notably, none of the Republican women’s groups we are watching (E-Pac, VIEW PAC, Maggie’s List, Winning for Women) have endorsed in this race. The winner of this primary will face the Democratic incumbent, Gov. Tony Evers.

Of course, this isn’t the only race where Republican women stand to make gains. The women’s groups we are watching have weighed in on a couple of open primaries, too. However these candidates would face tough races come November. In the primary for Connecticut’s U.S. Senate seat, for instance, two women could win the nomination — Cuban American businesswoman Leora Levy, who has been endorsed by VIEW PAC (and Trump), and former state House Minority Leader Themis Klarides. But whoever wins this primary has to face Democratic incumbent, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who the 2022 FiveThirtyEight midterm election forecast predicts as being heavily favored. It’s a similar story in Vermont, where U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan, who has been endorsed by VIEW PAC, could win the primary. But if she wins, she will face an uphill battle against Rep. Peter Welch, the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Below is a table of all the Republican women on the ballot tonight who I’ll be watching: