Tony Evers beats Scott Walker to be the next Wisconsin governor after close race

Kleefisch says prepare for recount

Site staff by Site Contributor

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers has knocked out incumbent Gov. Scott Walker to win a first term as governor of Wisconsin.

Sign being changed at The Orpheum Theater. pic.twitter.com/lTSGAXUwkJ

— Susan Siman (@susansiman) November 7, 2018

The election is considered the tightest race for governor in more than 50 years, according to the Associated Press. Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch told supporters of Walker to prepare for a recount.

The Wisconsin governor’s race is shaping up for the closest finish in more than 50 years

In 1962, the race was determined by less than 1 percentage point when Democrat John Reynolds won by 11,955 over Republican Philip Kuehn@ScottWalker and @Tony4WI is too close to call

— Scott Bauer (@sbauerAP) November 7, 2018

Walker and Evers were locked in a consistently close battle for the statehouse since Evers won an eight-way Democratic primary in August. The most recent polling by the Marquette Law School had showed the two literally tied among likely voters polled.

The incumbent Republican Walker had been warning of a potential “blue wave” in the election for months in order to try and increase enthusiasm among the Republican base, and telling voters that Evers would stop positive economic momentum.

Evers ran a campaign repeatedly telling voters it was “time for a change” in the governor’s office.

Both were dogged by issues in the waning weeks of the campaign — and also worked to clarify their positions on controversial issues.

We’re passing the time with a little game of Euchre. pic.twitter.com/rrYHwFNFiF

— Tony Evers (@Tony4WI) November 7, 2018

News broke in late October that a budget submitted by Evers’ Department of Public Instruction had been plagiarized, with a number of passages not correctly cited. That same week, a fourth former cabinet secretary of Walker publicly criticized his leadership, and penned a letter with two of those secretaries saying they were supporting Evers.

Sign being changed at The Orpheum Theater. pic.twitter.com/lTSGAXUwkJ

— Susan Siman (@susansiman) November 7, 2018

In the final days of the campaign, both clarified their positions on issues that had driven the campaign. Walker promised to enact the exact language covering pre-existing conditions found in the Affordable Care Act, despite concerns that the Legislature may not go along with the plan.

Evers defended statements that he would not raise taxes in the state, although he had said he would repeal parts of the manufacturing and agriculture tax credit for higher income earners.

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