2014 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

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2014 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
Flag of Wisconsin.svg
  2012 (recall) November 4, 2014 2018  
Turnout54.5% (Decrease2.svg 3.3%)
  Scott Walker (16485216228) (1).jpg Mary Burke (cropped).jpg
Nominee Scott Walker Mary Burke
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Rebecca Kleefisch John Lehman
Popular vote1,259,7061,122,913
Percentage52.26%46.59%

2014 Wisconsin gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
2014 Wisconsin gubernatorial election by congressional district.svg
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

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.

Contents

This was one of nine Republican-held governorships up for election in a state that Barack Obama won in the 2012 presidential election. 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 Democrat Tom Barrett both times. 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 most analysts was that the race was either a tossup or leaning Republican. As of 2025, this is the last time a Republican was elected governor of Wisconsin, and the last time that a candidate was elected Governor of Wisconsin by winning a majority of counties.

Republican primary

Governor

Candidates

Results

Republican gubernatorial primary results [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Scott Walker (incumbent) 238,715 99.42%
Republican Steve R. Evans (write-in)940.04%
Republican Scattering1,2930.54%
Total votes240,102 100.00%

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

Results

Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary results [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Rebecca Kleefisch (incumbent) 228,864 99.69%
Republican Scattering7040.31%
Total votes229,568 100.00%

Democratic primary

Governor

Candidates

Disqualified

Declined

Endorsements

Mary Burke

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Mary
Burke
Brett
Hulsey
Marcia Mercedes
Perkins
Hari
Trivedi
OtherUndecided
Marquette University [26] May 15–18, 2014?± ?66%3%1%1%24%

Results

Results by county
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Burke-->90%
Burke--80-90%
Burke--70-80% Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary results by county, 2014.svg
Results by county
  Burke—>90%
  Burke—80-90%
  Burke—70–80%
Democratic gubernatorial primary results [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Mary Burke 259,926 83.28%
Democratic Brett Hulsey 51,83016.61%
Democratic Scattering3500.11%
Total votes312,106 100.00%

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

Results

Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary results [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic John Lehman 144,591 55.24%
Democratic Mary Jo Walters116,51844.52%
Democratic Scattering6310.24%
Total votes261,740 100.00%

Minor parties

Candidates

Declared

  • Running mate: Joseph Brost

Disqualified

General election

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [31] TossupNovember 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball [32] Lean RNovember 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political Report [33] Tilt RNovember 3, 2014
Real Clear Politics [34] TossupNovember 3, 2014

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Scott
Walker (R)
Mary
Burke (D)
OtherUndecided
YouGov [35] October 25–31, 20141,494± 3.4%45%43%1%11%
Public Policy Polling [36] October 28–30, 20141,814± 3%48%47%5%
Marquette University [37] October 23–26, 20141,164 LV± 3%50%43%1%7%
1,409 RV± 2.7%46%45%1%9%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov [38] October 16–23, 20143,308± 3%46%45%0%10%
Rasmussen Reports [39] October 20–21, 2014973± 3%48%49%1%2%
WPR/St. Norbert College [40] October 18–21, 2014525± 4.4%47%46%6%
Public Policy Polling [41] October 17–18, 2014860± ?47%46%7%
Marquette University [42] October 9–12, 2014803 LV± 3.5%47%47%0%5%
1,004 RV± 3.2%48%45%1%6%
Gravis Marketing [43] October 3–4, 2014837± 3%50%46%4%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov [44] September 20–October 1, 20141,444± 3%48%49%0%3%
Marquette University [45] September 25–28, 2014585 LV± 4.1%51%45%1%4%
801 RV± 3.5%46%45%1%8%
Gravis Marketing [46] September 22–23, 2014908± 3%45%50%4%
Rasmussen Reports [39] September 15–16, 2014650± 4%48%46%3%3%
Marquette University [47] September 11–14, 2014589 LV± 4.1%49%46%1%4%
800 RV± 3.5%46%46%1%7%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov [48] August 18–September 2, 20141,473± 4%49%45%0%5%
We Ask America [49] September 3, 20141,170 LV± 3%44%48%2%6%
Marquette University [50] August 21–24, 2014609 LV± 4.1%47%49%1%4%
815 RV± 3.5%48%44%1%8%
Rasmussen Reports [39] August 13–14, 2014750± 4%48%47%5%
Gravis Marketing [51] July 31–August 2, 20141,346± 3%47%47%6%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov [52] July 5–24, 20141,968± ?47%46%1%5%
Marquette University [53] July 17–20, 2014549 LV± 4.3%46%47%1%8%
804 RV± 3.5%46%45%1%8%
Marquette University [26] May 15–18, 2014805± 3.5%46%46%6%
Public Policy Polling [54] April 17–20, 20141,144± 2.9%48%45%7%
Magellan Strategies [55] April 14–15, 2014851± 3.36%47%47%2%4%
St. Norbert College [56] March 24–April 3, 2014401± 5%55%40%5%
Marquette University [57] March 20–23, 2014801± 3.5%48%41%11%
Gravis Marketing [58] March 17, 2014988± 4%49%44%7%
Rasmussen Reports [39] March 10–11, 2014500± 4.5%45%45%5%5%
Marquette University [59] January 20–23, 2014802± 3.5%47%41%8%
Marquette University [60] October 21–24, 2013800± 3.5%47%45%8%
Public Policy Polling [61] September 13–16, 20131,180± 2.9%48%42%10%
Hypothetical polling
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Scott
Walker (R)
Jon
Erpenbach (D)
OtherUndecided
Public Policy Polling [62] February 21–24, 20131,799± 2.3%48%42%9%
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Scott
Walker (R)
Russ
Feingold (D)
OtherUndecided
Public Policy Polling [62] February 21–24, 20131,799± 2.3%47%49%4%
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Scott
Walker (R)
Mahlon
Mitchell (D)
OtherUndecided
Public Policy Polling [62] February 21–24, 20131,799± 2.3%48%39%13%
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Scott
Walker (R)
Brett
Hulsey (D)
OtherUndecided
Marquette University [26] May 15–18, 2014805± 3.5%48%39%13%
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Scott
Walker (R)
Steve
Kagen (D)
OtherUndecided
Public Policy Polling [62] February 21–24, 20131,799± 2.3%48%41%11%
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Scott
Walker (R)
Tom
Nelson (D)
OtherUndecided
Public Policy Polling [61] September 13–16, 20131,180± 2.9%47%40%12%
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Scott
Walker (R)
Ron
Kind (D)
OtherUndecided
Public Policy Polling [62] February 21–24, 20131,799± 2.3%46%42%11%
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Scott
Walker (R)
Kathleen
Vinehout (D)
OtherUndecided
Marquette University [60] October 21–24, 2013800± 3.5%47%44%9%
Public Policy Polling [61] September 13–16, 20131,180± 2.9%47%41%10%
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Scott
Walker (R)
Peter W.
Barca (D)
OtherUndecided
Marquette University [60] October 21–24, 2013800± 3.5%48%42%10%
Public Policy Polling [61] September 13–16, 20131,180± 2.9%47%43%10%
Public Policy Polling [62] February 21–24, 20131,799± 2.3%48%43%9%

Results

2014 Wisconsin gubernatorial election [63]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Scott Walker (incumbent) 1,259,706 52.26% −0.82%
Democratic Mary Burke 1,122,91346.59%+0.31%
Independent Robert Burke18,7200.78%
Independent Dennis Fehr7,5300.31%
Independent Mary Jo Walters (write-in)1080.00%
Independent Brett D. Hulsey (write-in)520.00%
Constitution Jumoka A. Johnson (write-in)150.00%
Republican Steve R. Evans (write-in)90.00%
Republican Susan P. Resch (write-in)80.00%
Independent Jessica Nicole Perry (write-in)50.00%
Scattering1,2480.05%
Majority 136,7935.68%
Total votes2,410,314 100.00%
Republican hold Swing -1.13%

By county

County [63] Scott Walker
Republican
Mary Burke
Democratic
All Others
Various
MarginTotal votes cast
#%#%#%#%
Adams 4,29752.50%3,76245.96%1261.54%5356.54%8,185
Ashland 2,33335.53%4,15063.20%831.26%-1,817-27.67%6,566
Barron 9,69657.89%6,83240.79%2211.32%2,86417.10%16,749
Bayfield 3,07538.33%4,88860.92%600.75%-1,813-22.60%8,023
Brown 58,40858.24%40,75140.63%1,1321.13%17,65717.61%100,291
Buffalo 3,16957.58%2,26741.19%681.24%90216.39%5,504
Burnett 3,86859.17%2,61540.00%540.83%1,25319.17%6,537
Calumet 14,08665.17%7,28533.71%2431.12%6,80131.47%21,614
Chippewa 13,76556.17%10,40242.45%3391.38%3,36313.72%24,506
Clark 7,40965.04%3,84833.78%1341.18%3,56131.26%11,391
Columbia 11,83747.92%12,52750.72%3361.36%-690-2.79%24,700
Crawford 2,97447.41%3,22551.41%741.18%-251-4.00%6,273
Dane 73,67629.18%175,93769.69%2,8561.13%-102,261-40.50%252,469
Dodge 23,71564.38%12,73234.56%3911.06%10,98329.81%36,838
Door 8,16053.79%6,84245.10%1681.11%1,3188.69%15,170
Douglas 6,00138.11%9,59060.91%1540.98%-3,589-22.79%15,745
Dunn 8,22953.02%7,06645.53%2251.45%1,1637.49%15,520
Eau Claire 20,30448.22%21,23950.44%5621.33%-935-2.22%42,105
Florence 1,34967.42%62931.43%231.15%72035.98%2,001
Fond du Lac 27,48564.02%15,01434.97%4301.00%12,47129.05%42,929
Forest 2,03256.57%1,51142.07%491.36%52114.50%3,592
Grant 9,14950.36%8,70447.91%3131.72%4452.45%18,166
Green 7,19346.90%7,94851.82%1971.28%-755-4.92%15,338
Green Lake 5,33667.77%2,46431.29%740.94%2,87236.47%7,874
Iowa 4,48042.34%5,93756.12%1631.54%-1,457-13.77%10,580
Iron 1,75561.06%1,08537.75%341.18%67023.31%2,874
Jackson 3,81250.52%3,63148.12%1021.35%1812.40%7,545
Jefferson 21,44359.96%13,87638.80%4431.24%7,56721.16%35,762
Juneau 4,81753.33%4,08045.17%1351.49%7378.16%9,032
Kenosha 28,39850.28%27,36748.45%7171.27%1,0311.83%56,482
Kewaunee 5,67662.14%3,37936.99%790.86%2,29725.15%9,134
La Crosse 22,32146.10%25,42952.52%6721.39%-3,108-6.42%48,422
Lafayette 3,19151.05%2,98247.70%781.25%2093.34%6,251
Langlade 5,47664.59%2,92134.45%810.96%2,55530.14%8,478
Lincoln 6,86656.52%5,10442.02%1781.47%1,76214.50%12,148
Manitowoc 21,04461.83%12,56336.91%4261.25%8,48124.92%34,033
Marathon 34,58361.19%21,30537.70%6251.11%13,27823.50%56,513
Marinette 9,61060.87%6,02338.15%1550.98%3,58722.72%15,788
Marquette 3,61157.08%2,62941.56%861.36%98215.52%6,326
Menominee 21521.52%75375.38%313.10%-538-53.85%999
Milwaukee 132,70636.05%231,31662.84%4,0711.11%-98,610-26.79%368,093
Monroe 8,44655.98%6,39942.41%2431.61%2,04713.57%15,088
Oconto 10,30063.84%5,65735.06%1781.10%4,64328.78%16,135
Oneida 9,85256.90%7,19041.53%2721.57%2,66215.37%17,314
Outagamie 44,54359.43%29,50339.37%8991.20%15,04020.07%74,945
Ozaukee 32,69669.95%13,69629.30%3490.75%19,00040.65%46,741
Pepin 1,79156.62%1,33342.14%391.23%45814.48%3,163
Pierce 7,76053.02%6,66645.54%2111.44%1,0947.47%14,637
Polk 9,34558.16%6,51640.55%2071.29%2,82917.61%16,068
Portage 14,65048.26%15,28350.34%4251.40%-633-2.09%30,358
Price 3,72557.29%2,70041.53%771.18%1,02515.76%6,502
Racine 42,94453.96%35,76944.95%8681.09%7,1759.02%79,581
Richland 3,43550.25%3,31548.49%861.26%1201.76%6,836
Rock 24,99342.76%32,52355.64%9321.59%-7,530-12.88%58,448
Rusk 3,50259.48%2,28638.82%1001.70%1,21620.65%5,888
Sauk 12,22247.73%13,04150.92%3461.35%-819-3.20%25,609
Sawyer 3,72154.51%3,02944.37%761.11%69210.14%6,826
Shawano 10,93764.95%5,73034.03%1711.02%5,20730.92%16,838
Sheboygan 31,72863.16%17,95535.74%5491.09%13,77327.42%50,232
St. Croix 20,06659.44%13,23139.19%4631.37%6,83520.25%33,760
Taylor 5,40669.81%2,24829.03%901.16%3,15840.78%7,744
Trempealeau 5,61752.34%4,97446.35%1401.30%6435.99%10,731
Vernon 5,68748.31%5,93250.40%1521.29%-245-2.08%11,771
Vilas 6,94261.34%4,24037.47%1351.19%2,70223.88%11,317
Walworth 25,41564.00%13,80934.77%4881.23%11,60629.23%39,712
Washburn 3,94555.63%3,07443.34%731.03%87112.28%7,092
Washington 50,27875.88%15,50723.40%4780.72%34,77152.47%66,263
Waukesha 147,26672.46%54,50026.81%1,4820.73%92,76645.64%203,248
Waupaca 13,13063.13%7,47135.92%1970.95%5,65927.21%20,798
Waushara 6,10062.19%3,60936.79%1001.02%2,49125.40%9,809
Winnebago 37,89454.75%30,25843.72%1,0611.53%7,63611.03%69,213
Wood 17,82057.30%12,86141.35%4201.35%4,95915.94%31,101
Total1,259,70652.26%1,122,91346.59%27,6951.15%136,7935.68%2,410,314

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

By congressional district

Walker won six of eight congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat. [64]

DistrictWalkerBurkeRepresentative
1st 58.25%40.73% Paul Ryan
2nd 33.35%65.51% Mark Pocan
3rd 50.1%48.52% Ron Kind
4th 27.35%71.65% Gwen Moore
5th 67.64%31.53% Jim Sensenbrenner
6th 60.71%38.17% Glenn Grothman
7th 57.84%40.98% Sean Duffy
8th 60.16%38.76% Reid Ribble

See also

References

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  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 January 5, 2021.
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  5. Bauer, Scott (June 25, 2013). "Democrats testing potential candidacy of Mary Burke against Walker in 2014". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
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  41. Public Policy Polling
  42. Marquette University
  43. Gravis Marketing
  44. CBS News/NYT/YouGov
  45. Marquette University
  46. Gravis Marketing Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  47. Marquette University
  48. CBS News/NYT/YouGov
  49. We Ask America
  50. Marquette University
  51. Gravis Marketing
  52. CBS News/NYT/YouGov
  53. Marquette University
  54. Public Policy Polling
  55. Magellan Strategies
  56. St. Norbert College
  57. Marquette University
  58. Gravis Marketing
  59. Marquette University
  60. 1 2 3 Marquette University
  61. 1 2 3 4 Public Policy Polling
  62. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Public Policy Polling
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  64. "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts". Daily Kos. Retrieved August 11, 2020.

Official campaign websites (archived)