2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin

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2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin
Flag of Wisconsin.svg
  2004 November 7, 2006 2008  

All 8 Wisconsin seats to the United States House of Representatives
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election44
Seats won53
Seat changeIncrease2.svg1Decrease2.svg1
Popular vote1,003,1561,040,071
Percentage48.62%50.41%

2006 Wisconsin United States House of Representatives election by Congressional District.svg

The 2006 congressional elections in Wisconsin were held on November 7, 2006, to determine who would represent the state of Wisconsin in the United States House of Representatives. Representatives were elected for two-year terms; those elected served in the 110th Congress from January 3, 2007, until January 3, 2009. The election coincided with the 2006 U.S. senatorial election and the 2006 Wisconsin gubernatorial election.

Contents

Wisconsin had eight seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Its 2006-2007 congressional delegation consisted of four Democrats and four Republicans. That changed after the 2006 congressional elections in Wisconsin when the open 8th congressional district formerly held by Republican Mark Green, was won by Democratic Representative Steve Kagen.

Wisconsin was one of four states in which the party that won the state's popular vote did not win a majority of seats in 2006, the other states being Indiana, Nevada, and New Mexico.

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin, 2006 [1]
PartyVotesPercentageSeats+/–
Republican 1,040,07150.41%3-1
Democratic 1,003,15648.62%5+1
Independents20,1860.98%0
Totals2,063,413100.00%8

District 1

WI 1st Congressional District.png

Incumbent Republican Congressman Paul Ryan has represented this swing district in southeast Wisconsin since his initial election in 1998. Though this district only barely went to President George W. Bush in 2004, defeating Congressman Ryan was not a priority for the Democratic Party, and the Democratic nominee was former Janesville City Councilman and perennial candidate Jeff Thomas, whom Ryan was able to handily beat, even in an unfavorable election year for Republicans.

Wisconsin's 1st congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Paul Ryan (inc.) 161,320 62.63
Democratic Jeffrey C. Thomas95,76137.17
Write-ins5150.20
Total votes257,596 100.00
Republican hold

District 2

WI 2nd Congressional District.png

Incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, the only openly lesbian member of Congress, has represented this deep-blue district located in Madison and vicinity since 1999. This year, Baldwin was able to win a fifth term in a rematch from 2004 against Republican candidate Dave Magnum.

Endorsements

Individuals
Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Tammy Baldwin (inc.) 191,420 62.82
Republican Dave Magnum113,01537.09
Write-ins2590.20
Total votes304,688 100.00
Democratic hold

District 3

2006 Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district election
Flag of Wisconsin.svg
  2004
2008  
  Ron Kind portrait (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Ron Kind Paul R. Nelson
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote163,322 88,523
Percentage64.9%35.1%

2006 WI-3 Election Results.svg
County results
Kind:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

U.S. Representative before election

Ron Kind
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Ron Kind
Democratic

WI 3rd Congressional District.png

Democratic Congressman Ron Kind has represented this western Wisconsin-based district since he was first elected in 1996 and sought a sixth term this year against Republican nominee Paul Nelson. Congressman Kind was successful and won another term in Congress.

Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Ron Kind (inc.) 163,322 64.79
Republican Paul R. Nelson88,52335.12
Write-ins2420.10
Total votes252,087 100.00
Democratic hold

District 4

WI 4th Congressional District.png

Freshman Democratic Congresswoman Gwen Moore ran for a second term in this district based in the city of Milwaukee. Congresswoman Moore faced Republican candidate Perfecto Rivera, whom she was easily able to dispatch with to return to Washington for another term.

Wisconsin's 4th congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Gwen Moore (inc.) 136,735 71.31
Republican Perfecto Rivera54,48628.42
Write-ins5210.27
Total votes191,742 100.00
Democratic hold

District 5

WI 5th Congressional District.png

Incumbent Republican Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner, who has represented this solidly conservative district based in the northern suburbs of Milwaukee since 1979, ran for a fifteenth term this year. Congressman Sensenbrenner faced Democratic candidate Bryan Kennedy, who was able to perform surprisingly well in this district, though he ultimately fell to Sensenbrenner in the general election.

Wisconsin's 5th congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jim Sensenbrenner (inc.) 194,669 61.76
Democratic Bryan Kennedy112,45135.68
Green Bob Levis4,4321.41
Independent Robert R. Raymond3,5251.12
Write-ins1030.03
Total votes315,180 100.00
Republican hold

District 6

WI 6th Congressional District.png

Facing no major-party opposition, incumbent Republican Congressman Tom Petri was easily able to retain his seat for a fourteenth term in this heavily conservative district located in the cities of Oshkosh and Neenah.

Wisconsin's 6th congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Tom Petri (inc.) 201,367 98.92
Write-ins2,1901.08
Total votes203,557 100.00
Republican hold

District 7

2006 Wisconsin's 7th congressional district election
Flag of Wisconsin.svg
  2004
2008  
  Dave Obey 111th congressional portrait.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Dave Obey Nick Reid
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote161,90391,069
Percentage62.17%34.97%

2006 WI-7 Election Results.svg
County results
Obey:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

U.S. Representative before election

Dave Obey
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Dave Obey
Democratic

WI 7th Congressional District.png

Long-serving Democratic Congressman Dave Obey, a high-ranking member on the House Appropriations Committee and the dean of Wisconsin's congressional delegation, ran for a twentieth term in Congress against Republican candidate Nick Reid and Green Party candidate Mike Miles. Obey has represented northwest Wisconsin for decades, and retained his seat by a large margin.

Wisconsin's 7th congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Dave Obey (inc.) 161,903 62.17
Republican Nick Reid91,06934.97
Green Mike Miles7,3912.84
Write-ins650.02
Total votes260,428 100.00
Democratic hold

District 8

2006 Wisconsin's 8th congressional district election
Flag of Wisconsin.svg
  2004
2008  
  Steve Kagen, official 110th Congress photo portrait, color (cropped).JPG 3x4.svg
Nominee Steve Kagen John Gard
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote141,570135,622
Percentage50.9%48.8%

2006 WI-08 Election Results.svg
County results
Kagen:     50–60%     80–90%
Gard:     50–60%

U.S. Representative before election

Mark Green
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Steve Kagen
Democratic

United States House of Representatives, Wisconsin District 8 map.gif

When incumbent Republican Congressman Mark Green declined to seek a fifth term, instead opting to run for Governor, an open seat was created. Physician Steve Kagen defeated business consultant Jamie Wall and former Brown County Executive Nancy Nusbaum in the Democratic primary, while the Speaker of the State Assembly John Gard defeated fellow State Representative Terri McCormick in the Republican primary. Gard and Kagen duked it out in this marginally conservative district, with the election becoming the most expensive congressional election in Wisconsin state history. Ultimately, Kagen was able to take advantage of the Democratic wave sweeping the country and defeated Gard to seize the seat for the Democrats.

Endorsements

Individuals
Wisconsin's 8th congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Steve Kagen 141,570 50.90
Republican John Gard 135,62248.76
Write-ins9430.34
Total votes278,135 100.00
Democratic gain from Republican

References

  1. "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives".
  2. "Tammy Duckworth (IL-06) | WesPAC". Archived from the original on January 2, 2007.
  3. "Dr. Steve Kagen (WI-08) | WesPAC". Archived from the original on November 4, 2006.
Preceded by
2004 elections
United States House elections in Wisconsin
2006
Succeeded by
2008 elections