Wisconsin has 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]
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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 AssemblyJohn Gard defeated fellow
State RepresentativeTerri 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.