Republicans re-elected in Marinette, Menominee and Oconto counties

UP NORTH – Voters in Marinette, Menominee and Oconto counties supported Republican candidates over Democrats in every partisan race Nov. 5 and generally by a substantial margin.

Former President Donald Trump won with 16,670 votes to Kamala Harris’ 7,415 in Marinette County, or with 69% of the vote, according to preliminary results posted on the county’s website. In Menominee County, Mich., Trump received 66% of total votes case, or 8,645 to Harris’ 4,252 votes. In Oconto County, Trump received 71% of the vote, or 17,675 votes to Harris’ 6,967, according to preliminary results.

In Marinette and Oconto counties, voters overwhelmingly supported a statewide referendum asking voters whether the word “every” should be amended to “only” in the “Eligibility to vote” section of the state constitution, so it says, “only a United States citizen 18 or older who resides in an election district may vote in an election for national, state or local office or at a statewide or local referendum.”

The vote was 19,438 in favor and 3,591 against in Marinette County and 19,821 in favor and 3,532 against in Oconto County, according to the preliminary election results.

About 72% of Marinette’s 33,979 eligible voters cast ballots, while 62% of Menominee County’s 21,238 eligible voters voted and 80% of Oconto County’s 31,416 voting age population cast ballots, the county documents reported.

In the U.S. Senate race in Marinette County, Republican Eric Hovde received 15,732 votes to 7,678 for Democrat Tammy Baldwin. In Oconto County, Hovde received 16,959 votes while Baldwin received 7,180.

In U.S. Congressional District 8, voters in Marinette County cast 16,065 votes for Republican Tony Wied and 7,700 votes for Democrat Kristin Lyerly. In Oconto County, Wied garnered 17,056 votes to 7,327 for Lyerly.

In the Wisconsin Dist. 12 state senate race, Republican Mary Felzkowski received 16,352 votes to Democrat Andi Rich’s 7,288 in Marinette County, and Felzkowski received 2,883 votes to Rich’s 1,253 in Oconto County.

“I’m extremely humbled by the results of the election — not only in parts of the district that I’ve represented in the past, but also in some of the new parts of the district, which include Peshtigo and Marinette,” Sen. Felzkowski said in response to the Peshtigo Times request for comment.

Instead of resorting to attack ads and negative campaigning, Felzkowski said, “I focused on telling the voters what I’ve done, what I’ve accomplished and what I plan to work on if re-elected.”

Felzkowski said the Wisconsin Senate elected her as Senate President for the upcoming 2025-26 Legislative Session. “In that new position, my role will change a little bit, but I still plan to focus on increasing healthcare access and lowering costs, cutting taxes, limiting the size of government and issues specific to northern Wisconsin, which includes finding a solution for PFAS,” or “forever chemicals.”

In Marinette County, referendums passed allowing Crivitz Schools to use $29 million in bond funds for capital improvements, allowing Goodman-Armstrong Creek Schools to exceed the revenue limit by $950,000 for three years and allowing Niagara School District to exceed its revenue limit by $900,000 in 2027-28. A referendum failed in Beecher-Dunbar-Pembine to exceed the revenue limit by $800,000 for five years.

Several towns in Marinette County asked voters to say yes or no to referendums seeking approval to appoint key positions. Voters in the Town of Amberg collectively said no to appointing the clerk and treasurer. In the Town of Goodman, voters collectively said no to appointing the clerk. In the Town of Lake, voters collectively said yes the clerk/treasurer should be appointed. In the Town of Niagara, voters collectively said yes to appointing the clerk.

In the Dist. 2 state senator race, Republican Eric Wimberger defeated Democrat Kelly Peterson 14,673 to 5,495 in Oconto County.

In the Dist. 4 state assembly race, Republican David Steffen defeated Democrat Jane Benson 10,507 to 4,036 in Oconto County.

In the Dist. 6 state assembly race, Republican Elijah Behnke defeated Democrat Shirley Hinze 4,200 to 1,317 in Oconto County.

In the Dist.35 state assembly race, Republican Calvin Callahan defeated Elizabeth McCrank 560 to 267 in Oconto County.

In the Dist.36 state assembly race, Republican Jeffrey Mursau defeated Democrat Ben Murray about 16,759 to 6,921 votes in Marinette County and 2,316 to 973 votes in Oconto County.

In Oconto County in the Town of Stiles, a referendum asking voters for approval to appoint the town clerk/town treasurer was defeated, with 469 votes against and 419 votes for. The City of Oconto’s referendum asking voters approval to increase the size of the Common Council from six to eight members narrowly passed, with 1,101 votes for and 1,036 votes against.