Primaries likely in Congressional, State Senate races

Both major parties could have primaries for Congress in Wisconsin’s 3rd District this summer. 

As of Monday’s filing deadline, the Wisconsin Elections Commission had approved two Democrats and two Republicans as candidates for Congress in the August primary. 

Incumbent Democrat Ron Kind is challenged in his own party by Mark Neumann of La Crosse. 

On the GOP side, Derrick Van Orden and Jessi Ebben will both appear on the primary ballot. 

The 3rd District Republican Party has already endorsed Van Orden for the nomination. 

Three other Republicans who had declared as candidates did not file nomination papers.       

A three-way Democratic primary in August could decide a state Senate nominee in the La Crosse area. 

The Commission has approved the nomination papers for Democrats Brad Pfaff of Onalaska, Jayne Swiggum of Gays Mills, and Paul Weber of La Crosse.

Former Senator Dan Kapanke is the only Republican who filed papers for the 32nd District race. 

Pfaff was the Democratic nominee in 2004, when Kapanke was first elected to the Senate. 

Democrat Jennifer Shilling announced in April that she would not run for another term in the Senate, and resigned from her seat last month. 

This week, Shilling began work at Dairyland Power in La Crosse.      

Democratic State Rep Steve Doyle in the 94th District has no primary opponent, but he’ll face challenges from Republican Kevin Hoyer and independent Leroy Brown, both from West Salem.

Rep. Jill Billings of La Crosse, also a Democrat, is being challenged in the 95th District by Republican Jerome Gundersen.