WISCONSIN
      Nov. 2, 2010 U.S. Senate

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 Sen.1
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+Ron Johnson (R)
1,125,999
 		51.86%
Russ Feingold (D) i
 		1,020,958
 		47.02%
Rob Taylor (C)
23,473
 		1.08%
write-in and scattering
 		901
 		0.04%

2,171,331
Plurality: 105,041 votes (4.84 percentage points).
WI Elections Commission



REPUBLICAN PICK-UP
Notes:  In one of the surprise races of 2010, U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D) lost his bid for a fourth term to Oshkosh businessman Ron Johnson (R), who was making his first run for elective office. 

In his 1992 campaign and three terms in the Senate, Feingold had developed a distinctive brand as an independent progressive, fiscally conservative, perhaps best known for his concern about the role of money in politics.  Each year he visited all of Wisconsin's 72 counties.  In 2005-6 Feingold and his leadership PAC, Progressive Patriots Fund, were active nationally and he was subject of considerable speculation about a possible presidential run.  After the mid-terms, on Nov. 12, 2006, Feingold ruled out a run (+).

Johnson's path the the Senate started in May 2010 when he won the the Republican Party of Wisconsin's endorsement at their convention in Milwaukee.  Johnson then won the Sept. 14 primary with 84.7% of the vote, defeating businessman David Westlake. 

Feingold and Johnson debated:

Oct. 8 - hosted by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Foundation at WMVS-TV studios at Milwaukee Area Technical College in Milwaukee (>);

Oct. 11 - at UW Marathon County in Wausau (>); and

Oct. 22 - sponsored by WISN-TV, Milwaukee Public TV and wispolitics.com, at Marquette University Law School (>).

Feingold's campaign seemed to lack the creative energy of his previous efforts, and Johnson, running against the incumbent and dissatisfaction with Washington, prevailed (1,2), carrying 57 counties to 15 for Feingold.


Campaign Managers:
Ron Johnson:  Juston Johnson
(May 2010)  Deputy director of political education at the RNC, Aug. 2009-May 2010.  Political director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, Jan. 2007-Aug. 2009; Wisconsin Victory director for the RNC, May 2008-Feb. 2009.  Campaign manager on Van Hollen for Attorney General, Nov. 2005-Dec. 2006.  B.A. in political science from University of Wisconsin Madison, 2002.

Russ Feingold:  George Aldrich
(Mar. 2003)  Director of Feingold's Progressive Patriots Fund, Dec. 2004-Dec. 2009.  Political director on Barrett for Wisconsin, Mar.-Sept. 2002.  Campaign manager on Elizabeth Burmaster for Wisconsin Schools Superintendent, Jan.-Apr. 2001.  Studied business/managerial economics at Marquette University.


See also:
Nathan L. Gonzales.  "Feingold Couldn't Re-Create '92 Magic."  Roll Call, Dec. 6, 2010.

Alexander Cockburn.  "Russ Feingold for President."  The Nation, Nov. 29, 2010.

Katharine Q Seelye.  "In Feingold's Loss, Independents Turn on One of Their Own."  The New York Times, Nov. 4, 2010.

Rich Lowry.  "Why Ron Johnson Is Winning."  National Review, Nov. 1, 2010.

Mark Guarino.  "Struggling in Wisconsin, 'maverick' Feingold cozies up to Obama."  The Christian Science Monitor, Oct. 22, 2010.

Jim Vendehei.  "The Wisconsin race that says it all."  Politico,  Oct. 12, 2010.

John Nichols.  "Russ Feingold, the Senate's True Maverick."  The Nation, Sept. 23, 2010.

Dinesh Ramde.  "Wis. GOP endorses Ron Johnson in US Senate race."  Associated Press, May 23, 2010.



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