Eric Hovde, Tony Wied Win Wisconsin Primaries

U.S. Republican Senate hopeful Eric Hovde (R) speaks at a campaign event for former U.S. President Donald Trump in Racine, Wis., on June 18, 2024. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Winners have emerged from primaries across “America’s Dairyland,” Wisconsin.

One is Eric Hovde, the Republican businessman now slated to take on Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) in November.

“Thank you, Wisconsin! I look forward to earning everyone’s support this November. We’ve got a country to go save,” Hovde wrote on X soon after the polls closed on Aug. 13. While victory had not been declared by the Associated Press, neither of his challengers were considered likely to win.

The AP named him the winner at 8:20 p.m. local time, 20 minutes after the polls closed. With 27 percent of the total counted, he had 88.7 percent. His rivals Rejani Raveendran and Charles Barman had earned 5.1 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively.

Baldwin was unopposed in her primary. She has represented Wisconsin in the Senate since 2013. Her counterpart, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), was last reelected in 2022.

Wied Wins in Dual Eighth District Primaries

In Wisconsin’s Eighth District, three Republicans battled to come out on top in not one but two primaries—one for the regular election and another for a special election that will take place the same day.

Tony Wied, a businessman who previously owned a chain of gas stations, came out ahead in both of those primaries. He beat former state Sen. Roger Roth and state Sen. André Jacque.

Wied was endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Roth was backed by former Gov. Scott Walker, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.), among others.

Jacque’s supporters include Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) as well as various local sheriffs and Wisconsin lawmakers.

The special races were occasioned by Rep. Mike Gallagher’s (R-Wis.) unexpected early retirement from Congress this year, prior to the conclusion of his term.

Gov. Tony Evers called for the special primary and general elections to complete the remainder of Gallagher’s term, which ends Jan. 3.

That comes alongside the regular primary and general elections, which will determine who will represent the district in the next Congress spanning 2025 through 2027.

Officials with the Wisconsin Elections Commission voiced concerns about voter confusion over the races during a May hearing.

Wied had 40.5 percent of the vote with 62 percent counted in the special election. Roth had 34 percent while Jacque had 25.5 percent.

The results weren’t too different in the regular primary.

AP made the call at 10:35 p.m. With 65 percent of the vote tallied, Wied had garnered 40 percent. Roth had 35.5 percent and Jacque had 24.5 percent.

On the Democrat side, Dr. Kristin Lyer ran unopposed in both races.