2010 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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.

2010 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

← 2006November 2, 20102012 (recall) →
Turnout49.7%
 
NomineeScott WalkerTom Barrett
PartyRepublicanDemocratic
Running mateRebecca KleefischTom Nelson
Popular vote1,128,9411,004,303
Percentage52.29%46.52%

Walker:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Barrett:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Tie:      

Governor before election

Jim Doyle
Democratic

Elected Governor

Scott Walker
Republican

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

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Barrett celebrating his victory in the Democratic primary

Candidates for governor

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Declared

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Failed to qualify

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  • Jared Gary Christiansen[3]
  • Dominic Reinwand[4]

Candidates for lieutenant governor

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Declared

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Results

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Democratic primary results[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticTom Barrett 210,921 90.45
DemocraticTim John22,2649.55
Total votes233,185 100.00

Republican primary

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Candidate Mark Neumann speaks with an attendee at a campaign event
Walker celebrating his victory in the Republican primary

Candidates for governor

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Declared

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Failed to qualify

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Candidates for lieutenant governor

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Declared

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Polling

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Poll sourceDates administeredMark
Neumann
Scott
Walker
Public Policy Polling[permanent dead link]June 26–27, 201019%58%
WPRIMarch 9, 201027%46%
WPRIOctober 1, 200914%39%

Results

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Results by county:
  Walker—70–80%
  Walker—60–70%
  Walker—50–60%
  Walker—40–50%
  Neumann—40–50%
  Neumann—50–60%
Republican primary results[5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanScott Walker 360,032 58.59
RepublicanMark Neumann237,87038.71
RepublicanScott Paterick16,6092.70
Total votes614,511 100.00

Others

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Candidates

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Declared

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  • James Dean Langer (Independent)[3]
  • James James (Common Sense)[10]

Failed to qualify

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  • Michael J. Blinkwitz[3]
  • Terry Virgil[3]

General election

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Barrett (left) and Walker (right) debating each other on October 15
Walker campaigning at an October event hosted by American Solutions
Barrett at a campaign rally in Milwaukee in October

Candidates

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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.[11]

Predictions

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SourceRankingAs of
Cook Political Report[12]TossupOctober 14, 2010
Rothenberg Political Report[13]Lean R (flip)October 28, 2010
RealClearPolitics[14]Lean R (flip)November 1, 2010
Sabato's Crystal Ball[15]Likely R (flip)October 28, 2010
CQ Politics[16]TossupOctober 28, 2010

Polling

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Poll sourceDates administeredTom
Barrett (D)
Scott
Walker (R)
McClatchyOctober 20, 201040%52%
Wisconsin HeraldOctober 16, 201044%52%
CNN/Time MagazineOctober 8–12, 201044%52%
Rasmussen ReportsOctober 11, 201042%51%
Ipsos/ReutersOctober 8–11, 201042%52%
Rasmussen ReportsSeptember 29, 201044%50%
CNN/TimeSeptember 17–21, 201042%53%
Public Policy PollingSeptember 18–19, 201041%50%
Rasmussen ReportsSeptember 15, 201043%51%
Rasmussen ReportsAugust 24, 201044%47%
Rasmussen ReportsAugust 10, 201041%49%
Rasmussen ReportsJuly 27, 201043%50%
Rasmussen ReportsJuly 13, 201044%48%
Public Policy PollingJune 26–27, 201038%45%
Rasmussen ReportsJune 21, 201041%49%
Rasmussen ReportsMay 25, 201041%48%
Rasmussen ReportsApril 20, 201044%46%
Public Policy PollingMarch 20–21, 201039%42%
Rasmussen ReportsMarch 16, 201042%48%
WPRIMarch 9, 201032%36%
Rasmussen ReportsFebruary 17, 201040%49%
Rasmussen ReportsJanuary 26, 201038%48%
Public Policy PollingNovember 20–22, 200940%40%

Results

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Walker celebrating his victory on election night
Governor-elect Walker holding a press conference in December
Walker's gubernatorial inauguration
2010 Wisconsin gubernatorial election[17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
RepublicanScott Walker 1,128,941 52.29% +6.93%
DemocraticTom Barrett1,004,30346.52%-6.24%
IndependentJim Langer10,6080.49%
Common SenseJames James8,2730.38%
LibertarianTerry Virgil6,7900.31%
Write-in590.00%
Majority124,6385.77%-1.62%
Turnout2,158,974
Republican gain from Democratic

Results by county

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CountyWon
by
Walker
 %
Walker
votes
Barrett
 %
Barrett
votes
AdamsWalker52%3,74846%3,298
AshlandBarrett372205623664
BarronWalker558486446746
BayfieldBarrett412961584185
BrownWalker56495674337549
BuffaloWalker542610452174
BurnettWalker573479422555
CalumetWalker6011152387065
ChippewaWalker5611901418753
ClarkWalker616368373844
ColumbiaWalker52110594710014
CrawfordBarrett472792513062
DaneBarrett316823868149699
DodgeWalker66205683310138
DoorWalker506932486719
DouglasBarrett416255578703
DunnWalker547282445972
Eau ClaireBarrett49180185018454
FlorenceWalker65119733612
Fond du LacWalker64244073513145
ForestWalker531790461565
GrantWalker528611467573
GreenBarrett496391506567
Green LakeWalker644488322262
IowaBarrett443867544750
IronWalker531336461139
JacksonWalker513428483219
JeffersonWalker61191553811909
JuneauWalker564502423358
KenoshaWalker51251364823312
KewauneeWalker574577413345
La CrosseWalker49207544920639
LafayetteWalker522926462566
LangladeWalker614481382754
LincolnWalker556201434872
ManitowocWalker60182343911784
MarathonWalker58285164020028
MarinetteWalker578222426127
MarquetteWalker583483402384
MenomineeBarrett2216678586
MilwaukeeBarrett3812861262209932
MonroeWalker587570405199
OcontoWalker598131395380
OneidaWalker558773436762
OutagamieWalker54351434529223
OzaukeeWalker69298793113233
PepinWalker531279451093
PierceWalker537067455925
PolkWalker598842395752
PortageBarrett46127945214463
PriceWalker523284452858
RacineWalker56408134331333
RichlandWalker533293462866
RockBarrett46238135327424
RuskWalker563045402170
St. CroixWalker62172983710329
SaukWalker50110444910741
SawyerWalker583766412650
ShawanoWalker608663385487
SheboyganWalker63296573616720
TaylorWalker624212352370
TrempealeauBarrett494898494928
VernonWalker505441485278
VilasWalker636595363773
WalworthWalker65227333411870
WashburnWalker533533452974
WashingtonWalker75442222414276
WaukeshaWalker721346082852684
WaupacaWalker5910596407072
WausharaWalker605178383284
WinnebagoWalker54330444427141
WoodWalker55156264312023

Counties that flipped Democratic to Republican

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References

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Debates
Official campaign websites (Archived)