Scott Harbach (left) is challenging Russ Feingold (right) in the Aug. 9 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. The winner will face off with Republican Sen. Ron Johnson. Credit: Journal Sentinel files

SHARE Election 2016

Visit our election section for complete coverage of the 2016 spring and fall local, state and national elections.

By of the

For more than a year, Democrat Russ Feingold has aggressively campaigned against Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson in a pivotal contest that may determine which party controls the Senate.

Feingold, a former three-term U.S. Senator, has raised more than $15.68 million, put together a statewide campaign operation and issued a steady stream of policy pronouncements on issues like trade, security and the cost of higher education.

But before Feingold gets a chance to take on Johnson in a rematch of their 2010 race, he has to go through the formality of winning a Democratic primary, Aug. 9.

Feingold's primary opponent is Scott Harbach, 57, a married father of three and a private detective who lives in Kenosha. Harbach's campaign is managed by one of his daughters and he personally gathered signatures to appear on the ballot.

Harbach said he struggled financially during the Great Recession. He said he lost three rental properties to foreclosure.

"I believe in miracles," Harbach said of his chances of winning the primary. He gave his campaign $300, he said, a symbolic amount that mirrored the Biblical figure Gideon going into battle with 300 men.

Harbach said he has never run for elective office. In the past, he has supported Republicans. In 2004, Harbach contributed $170 to Reince Priebus when the future Republican National Committee chairman ran for state Senate, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign database.

Harbach said he briefly volunteered for Mark Neumann's losing U.S. Senate race in 1998 against Feingold.

So why run now?

"I think it was divine intervention," Harbach said.

Harbach said he is an independent Democrat but claims on his website: "​Somehow God has been pushed out of the Democratic Party and it has become an atheist party."

Johnson, the primary focus of Feingold's attention, kicked off his post-convention campaign Saturday in Racine, where House Speaker Paul Ryan of Janesville joined him at a local GOP office and the county's fair.

Johnson has trailed in the polls for months, with a pre-convention Marquette University Law School survey of likely voters showing Feingold ahead by 5 points. Johnson rallied about 100 supporters at the Republican Party of Wisconsin's Racine field office and answered a few questions, making the case that "the Democrats and Russ Feingold are just going to grow the government."

"We (Republicans) are talking about regulatory reform, we're talking about having a competitive tax system, we're talking about actually reforming poverty programs to put people back to work so that they have that dignity," Johnson said. "It's an enormous contrast."

Ryan emphasized the GOP's message of "substance and ideas and solutions," adding he heard "no new policy ideas, only the same status quo" during the Democratic National Convention.

In a statement, Feingold's campaign responded that Johnson is "prioritizing powerful corporations and multimillionaires like himself" and "shamefully embracing" Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's candidacy.

"The Ronald and The Donald show would be a nightmare for Wisconsin's middle class and working families," the statement read. "Russ will continue to listen to the people of this state who want leaders to fight for an increase in the minimum wage and guaranteed paid family leave, protect Social Security and Medicare, and expand access to the ballot box."