2014 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

The 2014 Wisconsin gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to determine the governor and lieutenant governor of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It occurred concurrently with elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

2014 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

November 4, 2014
Turnout	54.5% ( 3.3%)
Nominee Scott Walker Mary Burke Party Republican Democratic Running mate Rebecca Kleefisch John Lehman Popular vote 1,259,706 1,122,913 Percentage 52.3% 46.6%
County results Walker:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Burke:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Governor before election Scott Walker Republican Elected Governor Scott Walker Republican

Incumbent Republican Governor Scott Walker won re-election to a second term in office, defeating Democratic businesswoman and Madison school board member Mary Burke and two minor party candidates in the general election.

Walker, who was elected in 2010, survived an attempted recall in 2012, the first governor in United States history to do so, defeating Democratic nominee Tom Barrett. Wisconsin voters have elected a governor from a different political party than the sitting president in 27 of the last 31 elections since 1932; only once has a Democratic candidate been elected governor in Wisconsin in the last 18 contests when a Democrat was in the White House.[1] Eleven of the last twelve Wisconsin governors, dating back to Republican Vernon Wallace Thomson in the late 1950s, had, unlike Burke, previously won an election to state government, the exception being Republican Lee S. Dreyfus in 1978.[2]

The polling leading up to the election was very close, with no candidate clearly in the lead. The consensus among The Cook Political Report, Governing, The Rothenberg Political Report, Daily Kos Elections, and others was that the contest was a tossup.

Republican primary

Declared

• Scott Walker, incumbent governor[3]

Results

Republican primary results[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Scott Walker (incumbent)	238,715	99.42
	Republican	Steve Evans (write-in)	94	0.04
	No party	Scattering	1,293	0.54
Total votes			240,102	100

Democratic primary

Declared

• Mary Burke, businesswoman, member of the Madison school district board and former Wisconsin Secretary of Commerce[5]
• Brett Hulsey, state representative[6]

Disqualified

• Marcia Mercedes Perkins[6]
• Hari Trivedi, independent candidate for governor in the 2012 recall election[6]

Declined

• Chris Abele, Milwaukee County Executive[7]
• Tom Barrett, Mayor of Milwaukee and nominee for governor in 2010 and 2012[8]
• Deb Carey, founder and president of New Glarus Brewing Company[9]
• Russ Feingold, former U.S. Senator[10]
• Mark L. Harris, Winnebago County Executive[11]
• Ron Kind, U.S. Representative[12]
• Jon Erpenbach, state senator[13]
• Kathleen Falk, former Dane County Executive and candidate for governor in 2012[14]
• Kathleen Vinehout, state senator and candidate for governor in 2012[15]
• Peter W. Barca, Minority Leader of the Wisconsin State Assembly and former U.S. Representative[13][16]
• Dave Cieslewicz, former mayor of Madison[17]
• Lori Compas, executive director of the Wisconsin Business Alliance and nominee for the Wisconsin Senate in 2012[18][19]
• Kevin Conroy, biotechnology executive[13]
• John Dickert, Mayor of Racine[20]
• Dave Hansen, state senator[19]
• Dianne Hesselbein, state representative[18]
• Sara Johann, political activist[18][21]
• Steve Kagen, former U.S. Representative[16]
• Jessica King, former state senator[18][20]
• Herb Kohl, former U.S. Senator[20]
• Chris Larson, Minority Leader of the Wisconsin Senate[20]
• Julie Lassa, state senator[18][19]
• Cory Mason, state representative[14]
• Mahlon Mitchell, president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2012[13][16]
• Gwen Moore, U.S. Representative[18]
• Tom Nelson, Outagamie County Executive and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2010[13][16][17]
• Dave Obey, former U.S. Representative[20]
• Joe Parisi, Dane County Executive[13]
• Jennifer Shilling, state senator[18][19]
• Chris Taylor, state representative[18][20]

Endorsements

Mary Burke

• EMILY's List[22]
• Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin[23]
• Progressives United[24]
• Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters[25]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Mary Burke	Brett Hulsey	Marcia Mercedes Perkins	Hari Trivedi	Other	Undecided
Marquette University	May 15–18, 2014	?	± ?	66%	3%	1%	1%	—	24%

Results

Democratic primary results[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mary Burke	259,926	83.28
	Democratic	Brett Hulsey	51,830	16.61
	No party	Scattering	350	0.11
Total votes			312,106	100

Third parties and independents

Declared

• Robert Burke (Libertarian Party), founder of the Libertarian Party of Pierce-St. Croix[26]

• Running mate: Joseph Brost

• Dennis Fehr (The People's Party), businessman and founder of The People's Party[27]
• Brett Hulsey (write-in), state representative[28]

Disqualified

• Francis Klein (Pirate Party)[29]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[30]	Tossup	November 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[31]	Lean R	November 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political Report[32]	Tilt R	November 3, 2014
Real Clear Politics[33]	Tossup	November 3, 2014

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Scott Walker (R)	Mary Burke (D)	Other	Undecided
YouGov	October 25–31, 2014	1,494	± 3.4%	45%	43%	1%	11%
Public Policy Polling	October 28–30, 2014	1,814	± 3%	48%	47%	—	5%
Marquette University	October 23–26, 2014	1,164 LV	± 3%	50%	43%	0.7%	7%
		1,409 RV	± 2.7%	46%	45%	0.8%	9%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov	October 16–23, 2014	3,308	± 3%	46%	45%	0%	10%
Rasmussen Reports	October 20–21, 2014	973	± 3%	48%	49%	1%	2%
WPR/St. Norbert College	October 18–21, 2014	525	± 4.4%	47%	46%	—	6%
Public Policy Polling	October 17–18, 2014	860	± ?	47%	46%	—	7%
Marquette University	October 9–12, 2014	803 LV	± 3.5%	47%	47%	0.4%	5%
		1,004 RV	± 3.2%	48%	45%	0.5%	6%
Gravis Marketing	October 3–4, 2014	837	± 3%	50%	46%	—	4%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov	September 20–October 1, 2014	1,444	± 3%	48%	49%	0%	3%
Marquette University	September 25–28, 2014	585 LV	± 4.1%	51%	45%	0.7%	4.1%
		801 RV	± 3.5%	46%	45%	0.9%	7.6%
Gravis Marketing	September 22–23, 2014	908	± 3%	45%	50%	—	4%
Rasmussen Reports	September 15–16, 2014	650	± 4%	48%	46%	3%	3%
Marquette University	September 11–14, 2014	589 LV	± 4.1%	49%	46%	0.5%	4.3%
		800 RV	± 3.5%	46%	46%	0.7%	6.9%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov	August 18–September 2, 2014	1,473	± 4%	49%	45%	0%	5%
We Ask America	September 3, 2014	1,170 LV	± 3%	44%	48%	2%	6%
Marquette University	August 21–24, 2014	609 LV	± 4.1%	47%	49%	0.6%	4.2%
		815 RV	± 3.5%	48%	44%	0.8%	7.5%
Rasmussen Reports	August 13–14, 2014	750	± 4%	48%	47%	—	5%
Gravis Marketing	July 31–August 2, 2014	1,346	± 3%	47%	47%	—	6%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov	July 5–24, 2014	1,968	± ?	47%	46%	1%	5%
Marquette University	July 17–20, 2014	549 LV	± 4.3%	46%	47%	1%	8%
		804 RV	± 3.5%	46%	45%	1%	8%
Marquette University	May 15–18, 2014	805	± 3.5%	46%	46%	—	6%
Public Policy Polling	April 17–20, 2014	1,144	± 2.9%	48%	45%	—	7%
Magellan Strategies	April 14–15, 2014	851	± 3.36%	47%	47%	2%	4%
St. Norbert College	March 24–April 3, 2014	401	± 5%	55%	40%	—	5%
Marquette University	March 20–23, 2014	801	± 3.5%	48%	41%	—	11%
Gravis Marketing	March 17, 2014	988	± 4%	49%	44%	—	7%
Rasmussen Reports	March 10–11, 2014	500	± 4.5%	45%	45%	5%	5%
Marquette University	January 20–23, 2014	802	± 3.5%	47%	41%	—	8%
Marquette University	October 21–24, 2013	800	± 3.5%	47%	45%	—	8%
Public Policy Polling	September 13–16, 2013	1,180	± 2.9%	48%	42%	—	10%

Results

Wisconsin gubernatorial election, 2014[34]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Scott Walker (incumbent)	1,259,706	52.26%	-0.82%
	Democratic	Mary Burke	1,122,913	46.59%	+0.31%
	Independent	Robert Burke	18,720	0.78%	N/A
	Independent	Dennis Fehr	7,530	0.31%	N/A
	n/a	Write-ins	1,445	0.06%	0.00%
Total votes			'2,410,314'	'100.0%'	N/A
	Republican hold

References

1. Ostermeier, Eric (August 23, 2013). "Scott Walker's Ticket to Ride: Obama in the White House?". Smart Politics.
2. Ostermeier, Eric (September 17, 2014). "Wisconsin Gubernatorial Pathways: How Does Burke's Measure Up?". Smart Politics.
3. "8 firebrand GOP governors meet 2014's political reality". The Northwestern. June 5, 2013. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
4. "Official Election Results" (PDF). G.A.B. Canvass Reporting System. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
5. Bauer, Scott (June 25, 2013). "Democrats testing potential candidacy of Mary Burke against Walker in 2014". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
6. Craver, Jack (April 21, 2014). "Brett Hulsey running for Wisconsin governor: 'I promise you it will be very entertaining'". The Capital Times. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
7. Schultze, Steve (February 26, 2013). "Citing rapport with Gov. Walker, Abele says he's not contemplating 2014 Democratic run for governor". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
8. Umhoefer, Dave (June 4, 2013). "Barrett: Will Walker run for governor again?". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
9. Kertscher, Tom (March 18, 2013). "Run for governor? Brewer Deb Carey prefers suds to hot oil". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
10. Walker, Don (June 7, 2013). "Russ Feingold teases Democrats about 2016 Senate run". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
11. Glauber, Bill (August 30, 2013). "Winnebago County Exec Mark Harris declines run for governor". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
12. Beckett, Andrew (June 8, 2013). "Kind says no plans to run for governor". Wisconsin Radio Network. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
13. Stein, Jason (December 15, 2012). "Few Democrats lining up to challenge Walker in 2014". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
14. Adair, Paul (July 2, 2013). "Who Will be Elected Governor in 2014". Germantown Now. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
15. Patrick Marley (January 17, 2014). "Kathleen Vinehout announces she won't run for governor". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
16. Ross, JR (June 9, 2012). "2014 Dem field unclear as party looks to next shot at Walker". Wispolitics.com. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
17. Penzenstadler, Nick; Opoien, Jessica (June 7, 2013). "Walker's next opponent could come from Northeastern Wisconsin". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
18. Camp, Aaron (June 6, 2013). "Can a woman defeat Scott Walker in 2014? YES!!!". The Apollo Report. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
19. Camp, Aaron (August 12, 2013). "Is a competitive Democratic primary for Governor of Wisconsin inevitable?". The Prairie Badger. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
20. Penzenstadler, Nick; Opoien, Jessie (June 7, 2013). "Fox Valley's Nelson, Harris could present challenge to Walker in 2014". The Post-Crescent. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
21. "WI-Gov: Sara Johann considering run". Daily Kos. May 24, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
22. Stein, Jason (October 24, 2013). "EMILY's List endorses Mary Burke, could bring big campaign money". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
23. "ENDORSED CANDIDATES". ppawi.com. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
24. DeFour, Matthew (October 22, 2013). "On Politics: Progressives United will support Mary Burke against Scott Walker". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
25. "Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters Endorses Mary Burke for Governor" (PDF). Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters. April 21, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
26. Kertscher, Tom (February 14, 2014). "A Mary Burke and a Robert Burke running for governor?". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 4, 2014.
27. Aarik Woods (March 19, 2014). "Local man launches campaign for governor's race". wqow.com. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
28. Wagman, Jen (October 23, 2014). "State Rep. Brad Hulsey launches write-in campaign for governor". The Daily Cardinal. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
29. Horne, Michael (June 8, 2013). "Ahoy! Pirate Party Will Rally Downtown". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
30. "2014 Governor Race Ratings for November 3, 2014". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
31. "The Crystal Ball's Final 2014 Picks". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
32. "2014 Gubernatorial Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
33. "2014 Elections Map - 2014 Governors Races". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
34. "gab.wi.gov" (PDF).

External links

• Wisconsin gubernatorial election, 2014 at Ballotpedia
• Campaign contributions at FollowTheMoney.org

Official campaign websites (Archived)

• Scott Walker for Governor
• Mary Burke for Governor
• Robert Burke