Russ Feingold defeats political newcomer Scott Harbach to face Ron Johnson for Senate seat
RACINE -- Former Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold on Tuesday, August 9th faced political newcomer Scott Harbach from Kenosha in the partisan primary election. The Associated Press called the race for Feingold around 8:30 p.m.
It was an easy victory for Feingold, who will face incumbent Republican Senator Ron Johnson in November.
There wasn't too much worry Tuesday among Feingold supporters. Volunteers at the Racine Democratic Field Office Tuesday predicted a landslide victory for Feingold, and said they hope that carries into November.
Feingold himself didn't seem fazed by the primary. He was expected to speak to supporters at the Racine Field Office Tuesday. FOX6 News was told Feingold would "contrast a positive vision for Wisconsin with what he calls the disastrous economic proposals" of Senator Johnson and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Feingold served as a US Senator from 1993 until 2011.
Russ Feingold
He lost his bid for re-election to Johnson during the 2010 election.
Feingold is focusing on several core issues during this campaign: Building a strong foundation for Wisconsin businesses to grow and succeed, giving a fair shot to the middle class and working families and protecting social security.
"Senator Johnson has consistently voted against the interests of working families and middle class families. People know I will support increases to minimum wage, making sure people get family leave when they have a child, and we have to bring down the cost of prescription drugs," Feingold said.
Russ Feingold
Johnson is the lone Republican candidate in this race. He did not have a challenger in Tuesday's primary.
FOX6 News was told Feingold planned to watch the election results come in at home Tuesday night with his family in the Madison area.
He released this statement following his primary victory:
"I’m incredibly grateful for the thousands of Wisconsinites who voted in today’s primary, and I’m proud to accept the Democratic nomination to serve the people of this state in the U.S. Senate.
Our campaign is about Wisconsin's middle class and working families, and the concerns they share with me as I travel across all 72 counties in this state: increasing the federal minimum wage, opposing disastrous trade deals, closing loopholes for corporations that ship jobs overseas, making higher education more affordable, and protecting the retirement security of seniors and working families across this state.
Wisconsinites now have a clear choice in this election. Sen. Johnson has spent years in Washington ignoring the people of this state. Instead he’s fought to protect a system that benefits multi-millionaires like himself, oil billionaires, powerful corporations and the special interests funding the super PACs dedicated to his reelection bid.
Wisconsinites deserve an economy that works for everyone – not just corporate CEOs and the special interests. Wisconsinites deserve leaders who will actually listen to and fight for them. If we win in November, that’s exactly what I’ll do as a senator."
Meanwhile, Ron Johnson released this statement on the "official start of the general election:"
“I am proud of the work our team and the Republican Party of Wisconsin have done, and I’m confident the grassroots army we’ve built will propel us to victory in November. The choice in this election is clear: between an Oshkosh manufacturer and outsider like me, and a career politician who has made his living on the taxpayers’ dime and doesn’t know the first thing about creating jobs or keeping local communities safe.”
CLICK HERE for complete partisan primary election results.