There were big winners and losers from the Wisconsin primary election yesterday. Local races were on the ballot but the politics and money behind some candidates were not from local sources, causing last minute big advertising pushes to sway voters. One race that had a lot of outside groups spending was the Milwaukee County District Attorney race. Incumbent John Chisholm faced challenger Verona Swanigan.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:
John Chisholm survived a late barrage of negative radio and TV ads from outside groups and easily won re-election Tuesday as Milwaukee County’s district attorney by a 2-to-1 margin over challenger Verona Swanigan.
Swanigan, a lawyer who had never managed a large office and conducted only one criminal trial in Wisconsin, was backed by conservative Republicans who have ripped Chisholm for investigating Gov. Scott Walker’s 2012 campaign finances.
“I saw this coming for four years,” Chisholm said after declaring victory with his supporters Tuesday night at Best Place in the former Pabst brewery complex. “Everything I thought would happen, did happen.”
“I relied on our citizens to see through the nonsense,” he said. “All sides pulled together because they recognized the existential threat” of unidentified interests trying to exert outsize influence on local elections.
One liberal group weighed in some negative ads about Swanigan, whose legal practice includes criminal defense and has included representing landlords in evictions and strip clubs in licensing efforts.
For more, visit, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
