County voters support Republicans, incumbents win local races

While Trempealeau County voters heavily favored Republican candidates, one incumbent Democrat was able to earn reelection in the 31st State Senate District, defeating a challenger from Trempealeau County.

Republican candidates for governor/lieutenant governor, attorney general, United States Senator, Third Congressional District, 31st State Senate District and Assembly District 92 all received at least 55 percent of the vote in Trempealeau County. That helped two of the three Republican candidates in the local races win their contests.

Treig Pronschinske received 62.4 percent of the Trempealeau County vote and 63.4 percent overall — with Eau Claire, Pepin  Buffalo and Jackson counties included — to earn reelection in Assembly District 92, defeating Maria Bamonti. Pronschinske received at least 58 percent of the vote in each county. 

Derrick Van Orden received roughly 58.5 percent of the Trempealeau County vote and 52 percent overall to earn the Third Congressional seat. Van Orden will replace Democrat Ron Kind, who firs took office in 1997, but did not seek reelection. Van Orden defeated Kind-backed Democrat Brad Pfaff. Van Orden won 16 of the 18 counties with the exceptions of Eau Claire, La Crosse and Portage. 

The one democrat to win, despite falling short in Trempealeau County was incumbent 31st District Senator Jeff Smith. 

Though he faced an opponent whose home base is in Trempealeau County, Smith performed better here than Bamonti or Pfaff as Republican challenger Dave Estenson, of rural Whitehall, received 57.1 percent of the vote in the county. 

While a better showing in Trempealeau County would’ve helped Estenson, the big difference came in Smith’s home Eau Claire County. That’s where Smith received 19,773 votes – more than half his total and 7,826 more than Estenson. 

In addition to winning Trempealeau County, Estenson received more votes in Buffalo, Dunn, Jackson, Pepin, Pierce and St. Croix counties. He received at least 55 percent of the vote in all six counties and more than 60 percent in Pepin, Dunn and Buffalo. Estenson received 100 percent of the vote in St. Croix County, but only three votes were cast. 

In all, Smith received 38,915 votes to Estenson’s 38,237, according to the unofficial counts posted on the county websites. 

Estenson indicated he may seek a recount. On a social media post to his campaign page, Estenson wrote that he and his team would “continue to review the results of the official canvassing and certification then decide what steps to take once all of the votes have been counted.” 

Trempealeau County Clerk Paul Syverson said the county canvass would be done on Tuesday of this week and candidates would have three days after the certification to file for a recount. 

Elsewhere, Ron Johnson received 59.8 percent of the vote in Trempealeau County as he narrowly defeated challenger Mandela Barnes in the race for U.S. Senate with 50.5 percent of the statewide vote. 

Tim Michels received 55.6 of the county vote for governor and Eric Toney polled at 56.8 percent for attorney general, but both lost statewide races as Tony Evers was reelected governor and Josh Kaul the AG.