Politics of Wisconsin
During the
Through the first half of the 20th century, Wisconsin's politics were dominated by Robert La Follette and his sons, originally of the Republican Party, but later of the revived
Some have argued the state has experienced democratic backsliding since 2011.[4][5][6] Some political scientists classify Wisconsin as a hybrid regime;[4] the state's House of Representative and legislature elections are considered to be free but not fair, with districts undergoing "extreme partisan gerrymanders" to entrench Republicans "beyond electoral rotation".[4][5][7]
Federal elections
Year | Republican / Whig | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 1,610,184 | 48.82% | 1,630,866 | 49.45% | 56,991 | 1.73% |
2016 | 1,405,284 | 47.22% | 1,382,536 | 46.45% | 188,330 | 6.33% |
2012 | 1,407,966 | 45.89% | 1,620,985 | 52.83% | 39,483 | 1.29% |
2008 | 1,262,393 | 42.31% | 1,677,211 | 56.22% | 43,813 | 1.47% |
2004 | 1,478,120 | 49.32% | 1,489,504 | 49.70% | 29,383 | 0.98% |
2000 | 1,237,279 | 47.61% | 1,242,987 | 47.83% | 118,341 | 4.55% |
1996 | 845,029 | 38.48% | 1,071,971 | 48.81% | 279,169 | 12.71% |
1992 | 930,855 | 36.78% | 1,041,066 | 41.13% | 559,193 | 22.09% |
1988 | 1,047,499 | 47.80% | 1,126,794 | 51.41% | 17,315 | 0.79% |
1984 | 1,198,800 | 54.19% | 995,847 | 45.02% | 17,369 | 0.79% |
1980 | 1,088,845 | 47.90% | 981,584 | 43.18% | 202,792 | 8.92% |
1976 | 1,004,987 | 47.83% | 1,040,232 | 49.50% | 56,117 | 2.67% |
1972 | 989,430 | 53.40% | 810,174 | 43.72% | 53,286 | 2.88% |
1968 | 809,997 | 47.89% | 748,804 | 44.27% | 132,737 | 7.85% |
1964 | 638,495 | 37.74% | 1,050,424 | 62.09% | 2,896 | 0.17% |
1960 | 895,175 | 51.77% | 830,805 | 48.05% | 3,102 | 0.18% |
1956 | 954,844 | 61.58% | 586,768 | 37.84% | 8,946 | 0.58% |
1952 | 979,744 | 60.95% | 622,175 | 38.71% | 5,451 | 0.34% |
1948 | 590,959 | 46.28% | 647,310 | 50.70% | 38,531 | 3.02% |
1944 | 674,532 | 50.37% | 650,413 | 48.57% | 14,207 | 1.06% |
1940 | 679,206 | 48.32% | 704,821 | 50.15% | 21,495 | 1.53% |
1936 | 380,828 | 30.26% | 802,984 | 63.80% | 74,748 | 5.94% |
1932 | 347,741 | 31.19% | 707,410 | 63.46% | 59,657 | 5.35% |
1928 | 544,205 | 53.52% | 450,259 | 44.28% | 22,367 | 2.20% |
1924 | 311,614 | 37.06% | 68,115 | 8.10% | 461,097 | 54.84% |
1920 | 498,576 | 71.10% | 113,422 | 16.17% | 89,282 | 12.73% |
1916 | 220,822 | 49.39% | 191,363 | 42.80% | 34,949 | 7.82% |
1912 | 130,596 | 32.65% | 164,230 | 41.06% | 105,149 | 26.29% |
1908 | 247,747 | 54.52% | 166,662 | 36.67% | 40,032 | 8.81% |
1904 | 280,315 | 63.21% | 124,205 | 28.01% | 38,921 | 8.78% |
1900 | 265,760 | 60.06% | 159,163 | 35.97% | 17,578 | 3.97% |
1896 | 268,135 | 59.93% | 165,523 | 37.00% | 13,751 | 3.07% |
1892 | 171,101 | 46.05% | 177,325 | 47.72% | 23,155 | 6.23% |
1888 | 176,553 | 49.79% | 155,232 | 43.77% | 22,829 | 6.44% |
1884 | 161,135 | 50.38% | 146,453 | 45.79% | 12,247 | 3.83% |
1880 | 144,398 | 54.04% | 114,644 | 42.91% | 8,145 | 3.05% |
1876 | 130,067 | 50.57% | 123,926 | 48.19% | 3,184 | 1.24% |
1872 | 104,994 | 54.60% | 86,477 | 44.97% | 834 | 0.43% |
1868 | 108,900 | 56.25% | 84,703 | 43.75% | 0 | 0.00% |
1864 | 83,458 | 55.88% | 65,884 | 44.12% | 0 | 0.00% |
1860 | 86,113 | 56.59% | 65,021 | 42.73% | 1,049 | 0.69% |
1856 | 66,090 | 55.30% | 52,843 | 44.22% | 579 | 0.48% |
1852 | 22,210 | 34.34% | 33,658 | 52.04% | 8,814 | 13.63% |
1848 | 13,747 | 35.10% | 15,001 | 38.30% | 10,418 | 26.60% |
![A middle-aged man in a white shirt and black and yellow striped tie speaks into a microphone on stage in front of a crowd.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Paul_Ryan_Carroll_University_3.jpg/220px-Paul_Ryan_Carroll_University_3.jpg)
In 2020, Wisconsin leaned back in the Democratic party's direction as Joe Biden won the state by an even narrower margin of 0.7%. Biden's win was largely carried by Milwaukee and Dane counties with the rural areas of the state being carried by Trump.[9]
Wisconsin has leaned Democratic in recent presidential elections, although Donald Trump managed to win the state in 2016 by a narrow margin of 0.8%. This marked the first time Wisconsin voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1984, when every state except Minnesota and Washington D.C. went Republican. In 2012, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney chose Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, a native of Janesville, as his running mate against incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. Obama nevertheless carried Wisconsin by a margin of 53% to 46%. Both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections were quite close, with Wisconsin receiving heavy doses of national advertising, in accord with its status as a "swing", or pivot, state. Al Gore carried the presidential vote in 2000 by 5,700 votes, and John Kerry won Wisconsin in 2004 by 11,000 votes. Barack Obama carried the state in 2008 by 381,000 votes (56%).
Republicans had a stronghold in the
State elections
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/2011_Wisconsin_Budget_Protests_1_JO.jpg/220px-2011_Wisconsin_Budget_Protests_1_JO.jpg)
At the statewide level, Wisconsin is competitive, with control regularly alternating between the two parties. In 2006, Democrats gained in a national sweep of opposition to the Bush administration, and the Iraq War. The retiring GOP 8th District Congressman, Mark Green, of Green Bay, ran against the incumbent Governor Jim Doyle. Green lost by 8% statewide, making Doyle the first Democratic governor to be re-elected in 32 years. The Republicans lost control of the state Senate. Although Democrats gained eight seats in the state Assembly, Republicans retained a five-vote majority. In 2008, Democrats regained control of the State Assembly by a 52–46 margin, marking the first time since 1986 that the governor and state legislature were both Democratic.[12]
With the election of
Following the 2014 general election on November 4, 2014, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Attorney General and State Treasurer were all Republicans, while the Secretary of State remained in the Democratic camp.
See also
References
- JSTOR 20174004.
- JSTOR 4630124.
- ISBN 978-0-8032-1548-1.
- ^ ISBN 9780226564388.
Wisconsin's elections can be criticized along the third of these criteria, China's along all three. The result is a series of "blurred and imperfect" boundaries between democracy and its alternatives, in addition to myriad pathways away from democratic ordering toward one of a range of alternatives.
- ^ S2CID 234000893.
- from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ Leip, David. "Presidential General Election Results Comparison – Wisconsin". US Election Atlas. Archived from the original on October 27, 2022. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
- ^ "Live election results: 2020 Wisconsin results". www.politico.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ^ "David Obey, former U.S. Representative". GovTrack.us. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
- ^ Abby Sewell (February 27, 2011). "Protesters out in force nationwide to oppose Wisconsin's anti-union bill". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 3, 2011. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
- ^ Walters, S.; Marley, P. (November 9, 2008). "ELECTION 2008 Darling Wins Despite Tough Day for GOP Democrats to Control Assembly for First Time in 14 Years". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. Z3 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Wisconsin Assembly passes bill to curb collective bargaining". CNN. March 10, 2011. Archived from the original on February 19, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
- ^ Governor Walker of Wisconsin signs right-to-work bill Archived February 23, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, nytimes.com, March 10, 2015.
- ^ Stein, Jason (July 20, 2015). "Scott Walker Signs 20-Week Abortion Ban, Trooper Pay Raise". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
- ^ Stein, Jason (July 8, 2011). "Walker Signs Concealed-Carry Measure Into Law". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on October 31, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
- ^ Stein, Jason (December 7, 2011). "Walker Signs 'Castle Doctrine' Bill, Other Measures". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on October 31, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
- ^ Strauss, Daniel (June 24, 2015). "Scott Walker Signs Two Pro-Gun Bills". Politico. Archived from the original on October 31, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
- ^ Wisconsin 2014 election results Archived January 2, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, wisconsinvote.org; accessed November 5, 2014.
- ^ Johnson, Shawn (January 17, 2023). "Lawsuit challenging Wisconsin 'lame duck' law persists more than 4 years after it was passed". Wisconsin Public Radio. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2023.