The 2010 Wisconsin gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Wisconsin. The primary elections on September 14 determined which candidates advanced to the general election.
Incumbent Democratic governor Jim Doyle did not seek re-election in 2010, making for the first open gubernatorial election in Wisconsin since 1982. Republican nominee Scott Walker, the Milwaukee County Executive, defeated Democratic nominee Tom Barrett, the mayor of Milwaukee. As of 2022, this was the last gubernatorial election in which a Republican gubernatorial candidate carried La Crosse and Columbia counties, and the last in which a Democratic candidate carried Trempealeau County.
Democratic primary
Governor Candidates Tom Barrett, Mayor of Milwaukee and former U.S. Representative and candidate in 2002 Tim John
Failed to qualify Jared Gary Christiansen Dominic Reinwand
Withdrawn
Barbara Lawton, incumbent lieutenant governor (2003–2011)
Declined
Jim Doyle, incumbent governor (2003–2011)
Ron Kind, U.S. Representative from Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district
Results
Lieutenant governor Candidates
Nominee
Tom Nelson, Assembly Majority Leader (2009–2011) from the 5th district.
Eliminated in primary Spencer Coggs, state senator from the 6th district (2003–2011) and former state representative (1983–2003). Henry Sanders James L. Schneider
Declined
Barbara Lawton, incumbent lieutenant governor (2003–2011)
Results
Republican primary
Governor Candidates
Nominee
Scott Walker, Milwaukee County Executive and candidate in 2006
Eliminated in primary Mark Neumann, former U.S. Representative and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1998 Scott S. Paterick
Failed to qualify William "Bill" Ingram, truck driver and write-in candidate for President of the United States in 2008 John Schless
Polling Poll source Dates administered MarkNeumann ScottWalkerPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling June 26–27, 2010 19% 58%WPRIWPRI March 9, 2010 27% 46%WPRIWPRI October 1, 2009 14% 39%
Results
Lieutenant governor Candidates
Nominee
Rebecca Kleefisch, former WISN-TV morning anchor.
Eliminated in primary Brett Davis, state representative from the 80th district. Robert Gerald Lorge, perennial candidate Dave Ross, Mayor of Superior, Wisconsin Nick Voegeli
Results
Libertarian primary Governor There were no qualified candidates in the Libertarian gubernatorial primary.
Lieutenant governor Candidates Terry Virgil
Results
Independent nominations Candidates Jim Langer (Independent) James James (Common Sense)
Failed to qualify Michael J. Blinkwitz
Results
General election
Candidates Seven candidates appeared on the primary election ballot: two Democrats, three Republicans and two other candidates. After Walker and Barrett won their respective primaries, they faced each other and independent candidates using the "Independent" and "Common Sense" labels in the November general election.
Predictions Source Ranking As of Cook Political Report October 14, 2010 Rothenberg Political Report October 28, 2010 RealClearPolitics November 1, 2010 Sabato's Crystal Ball October 28, 2010 CQ Politics October 28, 2010
Polling Poll source Dates administered TomBarrett (D) ScottWalker (R)McClatchyMcClatchy October 20, 2010 40% 52%Wisconsin HeraldWisconsin Herald October 16, 2010 44% 52%CNN/Time MagazineCNN/Time Magazine October 8–12, 2010 44% 52%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports October 11, 2010 42% 51%Ipsos/ReutersIpsos/Reuters October 8–11, 2010 42% 52%Rasmussen Reports September 29, 2010 44% 50%CNN/TimeCNN/Time September 17–21, 2010 42% 53%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling September 18–19, 2010 41% 50%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports September 15, 2010 43% 51%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports August 24, 2010 44% 47%Rasmussen Reports August 10, 2010 41% 49%Rasmussen Reports July 27, 2010 43% 50%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports July 13, 2010 44% 48%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling June 26–27, 2010 38% 45%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports June 21, 2010 41% 49%Rasmussen Reports May 25, 2010 41% 48%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports April 20, 2010 44% 46%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling March 20–21, 2010 39% 42%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports March 16, 2010 42% 48%WPRI March 9, 2010 32% 36%Rasmussen Reports February 17, 2010 40% 49%Rasmussen Reports January 26, 2010 38% 48%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling November 20–22, 2009 40% 40%
Results
By county County Scott WalkerRepublican Tom BarrettDemocratic All OthersVarious Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % # %Adams3,74852.27%3,29846.00%1241.73%4506.28%7,170Ashland2,20537.07%3,66461.59%801.34%-1,459-24.53%5,949Barron8,48654.68%6,74643.47%2881.86%1,74011.21%15,520Bayfield2,96140.89%4,18557.79%961.33%-1,224-16.90%7,242Brown49,56756.08%37,54942.48%1,2741.44%12,01813.60%88,390Buffalo2,61053.49%2,17444.56%951.95%4368.94%4,879Burnett3,47956.86%2,55541.76%851.39%92415.10%6,119Calumet11,15260.26%7,06538.18%2881.56%4,08722.09%18,505Chippewa11,90156.25%8,75341.37%5042.38%3,14814.88%21,158Clark6,36860.62%3,84436.59%2932.79%2,52424.03%10,505Columbia11,05951.71%10,01446.83%3121.46%1,0454.89%21,385Crawford2,79246.84%3,06251.37%1071.80%-270-4.53%5,961Dane68,23830.98%149,69967.96%2,3361.06%-81,461-36.98%220,273Dodge20,56866.06%10,13832.56%4271.37%10,43033.50%31,133Door6,93249.98%6,71948.44%2191.58%2131.54%13,870Douglas6,25541.17%8,70357.28%2351.55%-2,448-16.11%15,193Dunn7,28253.71%5,97244.05%3042.24%1,3109.66%13,558Eau Claire18,01848.52%18,45449.70%6611.78%-436-1.17%37,133Florence1,19765.30%61233.39%241.31%58531.91%1,833Fond du Lac24,40764.30%13,14534.63%4051.07%11,26229.67%37,957Forest1,79052.65%1,56546.03%451.32%2256.62%3,400Grant8,61152.21%7,57345.91%3101.88%1,0386.29%16,494Green6,39148.46%6,56749.80%2291.74%-176-1.33%13,187Green Lake4,48864.28%2,26232.40%2323.32%2,22631.88%6,982Iowa3,86744.21%4,75054.31%1291.47%-883-10.10%8,746Iron1,33653.38%1,13945.51%281.12%1977.87%2,503Jackson3,42850.59%3,21947.51%1291.90%2093.08%6,776Jefferson19,15560.75%11,90937.77%4661.48%7,24622.98%31,530Juneau4,50256.36%3,35842.04%1281.60%1,14414.32%7,988Kenosha25,13651.29%23,31247.57%5621.15%1,8243.72%49,010Kewaunee4,57756.69%3,34541.43%1521.88%1,23215.26%8,074La Crosse20,75449.32%20,63949.05%6841.63%1150.27%42,077Lafayette2,92652.31%2,56645.87%1021.82%3606.44%5,594Langlade4,48161.17%2,75437.60%901.23%1,72723.58%7,325Lincoln6,20154.73%4,87243.00%2582.28%1,32911.73%11,331Manitowoc18,23460.03%11,78438.80%3571.18%6,45021.23%30,375Marathon28,51657.59%20,02840.45%9701.96%8,48817.14%49,514Marinette8,22256.49%6,12742.09%2071.42%2,09514.39%14,556Marquette3,48358.05%2,38439.73%1332.22%1,09918.32%6,000Menominee16622.07%58677.93%00.00%-420-55.85%752Milwaukee128,61237.71%209,93261.56%2,4730.73%-81,320-23.85%341,017Monroe7,57057.83%5,19939.72%3202.44%2,37118.11%13,089Oconto8,13159.35%5,38039.27%1891.38%2,75120.08%13,700Oneida8,77355.29%6,76242.62%3312.09%2,01112.67%15,866Outagamie35,14353.85%29,22344.78%8931.37%5,9209.07%65,259Ozaukee29,87968.88%13,23330.50%2690.62%16,64638.37%43,381Pepin1,27953.14%1,09345.41%351.45%1867.73%2,407Pierce7,06753.10%5,92544.52%3162.37%1,1428.58%13,308Polk8,84259.37%5,75238.62%2982.00%3,09020.75%14,892Portage12,79446.23%14,46352.26%4201.52%-1,669-6.03%27,677Price3,28452.21%2,85845.44%1482.35%4266.77%6,290Racine40,81356.07%31,33343.05%6450.89%9,48013.02%72,791Richland3,29352.72%2,86645.89%871.39%4276.84%6,246Rock23,81345.61%27,42452.52%9761.87%-3,611-6.92%52,213Rusk3,04556.37%2,17040.17%1873.46%87516.20%5,402Sauk11,04449.82%10,74148.46%3811.72%3031.37%22,166Sawyer3,76657.97%2,65040.79%811.25%1,11617.18%6,497Shawano8,66360.27%5,48738.18%2231.55%3,17622.10%14,373Sheboygan29,65763.27%16,72035.67%4971.06%12,93727.60%46,874St. Croix17,29861.48%10,32936.71%5101.81%6,96924.77%28,137Taylor4,21262.17%2,37034.98%1932.85%1,84227.19%6,775Trempealeau4,89848.88%4,92849.18%1951.95%-30-0.30%10,021Vernon5,44149.78%5,27848.29%2111.93%1631.49%10,930Vilas6,59562.58%3,77335.80%1711.62%2,82226.78%10,539Walworth22,73364.73%11,87033.80%5161.47%10,86330.93%35,119Washburn3,53353.43%2,97444.98%1051.59%5598.45%6,612Washington44,22274.99%14,27624.21%4750.81%29,94650.78%58,973Waukesha134,60871.49%52,68427.98%9860.52%81,92443.51%188,278Waupaca10,59659.12%7,07239.46%2561.43%3,52419.66%17,924Waushara5,17860.11%3,28438.12%1521.76%1,89421.99%8,614Winnebago33,04453.96%27,14144.32%1,0561.72%5,9039.64%61,241Wood15,62655.27%12,02342.52%6252.21%3,60312.74%28,274Total1,128,94152.25%1,004,30346.48%27,5881.28%124,6385.77%2,160,832
Counties that flipped Democratic to Republican Adams (largest city: Adams) Barron (largest city: Rice Lake) Buffalo (largest city: Mondovi) Burnett (largest village: Grantsburg) Chippewa (largest city: Chippewa Falls) Clark (largest city: Neillsville) Columbia (largest city: Portage) Door (largest city: Sturgeon Bay) Dunn (largest city: Menomonie) Forest (largest city: Crandon) Grant (largest city: Platteville) Iron (largest city: Hurley) Jackson (largest city: Black River Falls) Kenosha (largest city: Kenosha) La Crosse (largest city: La Crosse) Lafayette (largest city: Darlington) Lincoln (largest city: Merrill) Marathon (largest city: Wausau) Monroe (largest city: Sparta) Oneida (largest city: Rhinelander) Outagamie (largest city: Appleton) Pepin (largest city: Durand) Pierce (largest city: River Falls) Polk (Largest city: Amery) Price (largest city: Park Falls) Richland (largest city: Richland Center) Rusk (largest city: Ladysmith) Sauk (largest city: Baraboo) Sawyer (largest city: Hayward) St. Croix (Largest city: Hudson) Vernon (largest city: Viroqua) Washburn (largest city: Spooner) Winnebago (largest city: Oshkosh) Wood (largest city: Wisconsin Rapids)
Notes
References
External links Elections & Voting at the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board Candidate list Wisconsin Governor Candidates at Project Vote Smart Campaign contributions for 2010 Wisconsin Governor from Follow the Money graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com Election 2010: Wisconsin Governor from Rasmussen Reports 2010 Wisconsin Governor – Walker vs. Barrett from Real Clear Politics 2010 Wisconsin Governor's Race from CQ Politics Race Profile in The New York Times Election 2010 at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Debates Wisconsin Governor Republican Primary Debate, C-SPAN, August 25, 2010 Wisconsin Gubernatorial Debate, C-SPAN, September 24, 2010 Official campaign websites (Archived) Tom Barrett for WI Governor Scott Walker for WI Governor Tim John for WI Governor