Tim Michels defeats Rebecca Kleefisch; Mandela Barnes wins; Robin Vos narrowly survives

Tim Michels defeats Rebecca Kleefisch

Wow. What a night.

In the headline race, businessman Tim Michels, running hard on an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, defeated ex-Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch to win the Republican nomination for governor.

State Rep. Tim Ranthum finished a distant third.

During his victory speech, Michels thanked Trump for his support, comparing the two as business men who didn't need to run for office but wanted to "drain the swamp" of long-time politicians.

"He knows that we need to have new leadership in Madison, and he sees a lot of similarities," Michels said. "He wanted to drain the swamp and we found out it's a really big swamp."

Kleefisch, who burst on the political scene with her dramatic primary victory for lieutenant governor in 2010, conceded the race and urged her supporters "to stay in the fight.

"The fight now is truly against Tony Evers, and the liberals who want to take away our way of life," she said.

Michels will take on Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in the fall general election.

In the primary races for lieutenant governor, state Rep. Sara Rodriguez won the Democratic nomination while state Sen. Roger Roth took the Republican nomination.

Mandela Barnes wins

It was the calm before the autumn storm.

Days after his three top rivals dropped out and handed him their endorsements, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes officially won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.

He goes on to the fall election against Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson.

And it will be a political brawl.

"We are going to show up everywhere ... We're going to fight like hell ... And we're going to win" Barnes declared.

Here's a report on Barnes, his story and the victory.

And check back with JSonline.com for a preview of the fall contest.

"This race is going to get nasty on both sides," said Jessica Taylor, Senate and Governors Editor for The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter.

Robin Vos narrowly survives

Ex-President Donald Trump tried to take out the most powerful Republican lawmaker at the state Capitol.

But give Assembly Speaker Robin Vos credit: he survived.

Vos defeated Adam Steen to hang on to his legislative seat  Trump put Vos on the hot seat because Vos rejected the idea of overturning the 2020 election.

Even former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, whom Vos hired in 2021 to review the 2020 election, had turned on Vos.

On Tuesday, Vos called Gableman "an embarrassment to the state of Wisconsin."

It's official: Milwaukee to host 2024 RNC

For months, Milwaukee and Nashville were locked in a duel to host the 2024 Republican National Convention.

And in the final weeks, Nashville stumbled when its city council couldn't agree to a deal while Milwaukee rushed through the tape to officially win the right to host the big political show.

A large Milwaukee delegation was on hand Friday in Chicago when Milwaukee was picked.

How Milwaukee emerged from the pack to win the bid is a tale of determination, organization and just a little bit of luck.

With some cheese, sausage and beer thrown in.

We talked to two of the major players who got the job done, VISIT Milwaukee president and chief executive Peggy Williams-Smith and Gerard Randall, first vice chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.

And, we landed an interview with Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel who declared: "I looked at what type of experience this would be for our delegates and our nominee and Milwaukee just hit it on every single level."

Final dates haven't been set, but there are three potential windows in July and August of 2024.

And there are already groups vowing to protest.

Around the horn

President Biden recognized the anniversary of Oak Creek attack and called for passage of gun legislation.

Site on Milwaukee's northwest side would replace Lincoln Hills under plan from Gov. Tony Evers.

Wisconsin Congressional Republicans criticize the FBI raid on Trump's Mar-a-Lago home.

Doug La Follette advances in Democratic primary and will face Republican Amy Loudenbeck in election for Wisconsin secretary of state.

Anna Hodges wins Milwaukee County clerk of circuit court after raucous race.

Denita Ball elected Milwaukee County's next sheriff, first woman to take top spot at the agency.

Eric Toney narrowly defeats Adam Jarchow in GOP primary for attorney general.

Brad Pfaff declares victory in Dem primary for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, meets Derrick Van Orden in November.

Tweet of the week

WTMJ-AM radio host Stephen Scaffidi on all the opinions surrounding the FBI search at Mar-a-Lago: "So now everybody is a LEGAL expert in addition to their medical expertise? Got it!"

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tim Michels defeats Rebecca Kleefisch; Mandela Barnes wins