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Primary narrows field of candidates
ballot-vote

GREEN/LAFAYETTE COUNTY — The field of candidates for the Nov. 3 election was trimmed — in one race to one — in the Aug. 11 primary election.

The one-person race, barring a write-in candidate, is for Lafayette County treasurer. Candidate Lisa Black defeated Jeremiah Kleiber in the Republican primary 1,026-626. There are no other party candidates, so Black will run unopposed in her race to succeed retiring treasurer Becky Taylor.

U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-La Crosse) won his Third Congressional District primary over Mark Neumann of La Crosse, with 81% of the vote. Kind’s Republican opponent will be Derrick Van Orden, who defeated Jessi Ebben with 66% of the vote.

In the Second Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Black Earth) has a repeat Republican challenger, Peter Theron of Madison, Nov. 3.

Southwest Wisconsin has only one state Senate race, in District 32 to replace the retiring Sen. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse). Former Sen. Dan Kapanke, a Republican whom Shilling defeated in 2012, will face Democrat Brad Pfaff of Onalaska, who got 63% of the vote over Jayne Swiggum of Gays Mills (32%) and Paul Michael Weber of La Crosse (5%). Pfaff was secretary-designee of the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection until the Senate voted not to confirm Pfaff. Kapanke was elected in 2004 and reelected in 2008.

In the 49th Assembly District, Rep. Travis Tranel (R-Cuba City) will face Democrat Shaun Murphy-Lopez of Yuba, who defeated registered write-in candidate Barret Galauner of Platteville. In the 96th Assembly District, Democrat Josefine Jaynes of Readstown got 56% of the vote over Tucker Gretebeck of Cashton to face Rep. Loren Oldenburg (R-Viroqua) Nov. 3.

In the 50th Assembly District, Rep. Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc) is opposed by Democrat Mark Waldon of Reedsburg. State Rep. Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville) is opposed in the 51st Assembly District by Democrat Kriss Marion of Blanchardville, a Lafayette County supervisor.

The Nov. 3 ballot will also include the race for President, with Republican incumbent Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden. Up to five third-party candidates may also be on the ballot if allowed by the Wisconsin Elections Commission — Libertarian Jo Jorgensen, Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins, American Independent Party candidate Kyle Kenley Kopitke, American Solidarity Party candidate Brian Carroll, and Kanye West of The Birthday Party.