Felzkowski, Wimberger, Nygren earn legislative seats

Oconto County is one of the reddest for Trump
By: 
Warren Bluhm
Oconto County Times Herald News Editor

The 12th District seat in the Wisconsin Senate formerly held by U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany remains in Republican hands after Tuesday’s election.

State Rep. Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma, garnered two-thirds of the vote against Democratic opponent Ed Vocke to secure a four-year term in the state Senate. Felzkowski has served the 35th Assembly District for four two-year terms and is the current assistant majority leader in the Senate.

The 12th District is comprised of parts of 10 counties; in Oconto County she will represent the cities of Gillett and Oconto Falls, the villages of Suring and Lena, and the towns of Bagley, Brazeau, Breed, Chase, Doty, Gillett, How, Lakewood, Lena, Maple Valley, Morgan, Mountain, Oconto Falls, Riverview, Spruce, Townsend and Underhill.

Meanwhile, the GOP captured the 30th Senate District seat for the first time in 20 years, as attorney Eric Wimberger earned about 60% of the vote against Jonathon Hansen, the nephew of retiring Sen. Dave Hansen.

Wimberger received about 9,000 more votes this year than he did in 2016, when he ran against Dave Hansen and lost by a margin of 51.3% to 48.7%. Hansen’s five terms matched the previous longest-serving lawmaker in the seat, the late Reuben La Fave of Oconto, a Republican who held the post from 1957 to 1976.

The 30th District spans Brown, Oconto and Marinette counties, including the city of Oconto and the towns of Abrams, Little River, Little Suamico, Oconto, Pensaukee and Stiles.

State Rep. Jeff Mursau, whose 36th Assembly District covers the same municipalities in Oconto County as the 12th Senate District, was unopposed for reelection.

State Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, won his eighth two-year term serving the 89th Assembly District, which is part of the 30th Senate District.

Nygren picked up close to 70% of the vote over Democrat Karl Jaeger, a member of the Marinette County Board.

A referendum in the Town of Spruce, asking if the town clerk and treasurer be appointed positions, passed by a margin of 56.9% to 43.1%. The unofficial tally was 296 yes, 224 no.

All of the numbers are considered unofficial until ratified by the board of canvassers, which is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the conference rooms at the county Law Enforcement Center in Oconto.

Oconto County was one of the reddest counties in Wisconsin with President Donald Trump receiving about 70% of the vote for president.

The candidates for four county offices were all unopposed. Earning new terms were District Attorney Edward Burke, County Clerk Kim Pytleski, and County Treasurer Tanya Peterson, and Deputy Register of Deeds Laurie Wusterbarth will succeed Annette Behringer, her boss, upon her retirement from the office in January.

Earlier version

The 12th District seat in the Wisconsin Senate formerly held by U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany remains in Republican hands after Tuesday’s election.

State Rep. Mary Czaja-Felzkowski, R-Irma, garnered two-thirds of the vote against Democratic opponent Ed Vocke to secure a four-year term in the state Senate.

The 12th District is comprised of parts of 10 counties; in Oconto County she will represent the cities of Gillett and Oconto Falls, the villages of Suring and Lena, and the towns of Bagley, Brazeau, Breed, Chase, Doty, Gillett, How, Lakewood, Lena, Maple Valley, Morgan, Mountain, Oconto Falls, Riverview, Spruce, Townsend and Underhill.

Meanwhile, the GOP captured the 30th Senate District seat for the first time in 20 years, as attorney Eric Wimberger earned about 60 percent of the vote against Jonathon Hansen, the nephew of retiring Sen. Dave Hansen.

The 30th District spans Brown, Oconto and Marinette counties, including the city of Oconto and the towns of Abrams, Little River, Little Suamico, Oconto, Pensaukee and Stiles.

State Rep. Jeff Mursau, whose 36th Assembly District covers the same municipalities in Oconto County as the 12th Senate District, was unopposed for reelection.

State Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, won his eighth two-year term serving the 89th Assembly District, which is part of the 30th Senate District.

Nygren picked up close to 70% of the vote over Democrat Karl Jaeger, a member of the Marinette County Board.

President Donald Trump held a 4-percentage-point lead over former Vice President Joe Biden with 88% of the vote counted statewide, but vote counting was lagging in populous Democrat-leaning Milwaukee County, where election officials said it likely would be 5 a.m. or later before all the ballots were tallied. Oconto County was one of the reddest counties in Wisconsin with Trump receiving about 70% of the vote for president.

The candidates for four county offices were all unopposed. Earning new terms were District Attorney Edward Burke, County Clerk Kim Pytleski, and County Treasurer Tanya Peterson, and Deputy Register of Deeds Laurie Wusterbarth will succeed Annette Behringer, her boss, upon her retirement from the office in January.

This story will be updated.