Wisconsin midterms: Ticket splitters voted for 'someone in the middle'

MILWAUKEE - Within a divided Wisconsin on midterm Election Day, there were independent voters who kept us guessing. These ticket splitters, as they're sometimes called, do not vote along party lines. Instead, they may choose a Republican senator and a Democratic governor. 

FOX6 News asked these ticket splitters to contact us, and they did. We weren't sure if the independent voters would want to chat. Asking someone who they voted for is sometimes too forward. When you add in independent voters who tend to keep to themselves, it's a recipe for silence.

However, a handful of people were kind enough to share their thoughts.

"I kind of treat it like a job interview, really," said Eric Pitsel. "I try to find someone in the middle. I don't care what side they're on as long as they're going to represent everyone they're working for, not just the 50% that voted for them."

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"I am not afraid to say I am a ticket splitter all my life," said Cathy in an email to FOX6. "I have never voted a straight ticket, and I vote for the person I believe will do the best job for the voters, not the party who backs them."

"I voted for Ron Johnson, the Republican but could not vote for Michels. I voted for Josh Kaul, a Democrat. I am an independent.  I do not vote for a party. I vote for people I can trust to do the best thing for society."

Mordecai Lee, professor at UW-Milwaukee, said ticket-splitters are truly independent.

"This was astonishing to me and actually good news," said Lee. "In other words, instead of Wisconsin being a 50/50 state, we’re a 49/49/2 state."  

"I am not an old grandma living in a far away place," said Robert in an email to FOX6. "I live in Sheboygan, and I, in fact, split my ticket to balance the power and to vote for candidates that best align with my views."  

"I was all wrong," said Lee. "This wasn’t Little Red Riding Hood’s grandma. These were serious Wisconsin citizens, serious voters who follow what’s going on."

Lee said he'd like to see more independent voters. His exact words were that he would like to see them "multiply and be fruitful."