Tosa follows broader trends in primary voting

Wauwatosa voters helped the rest of the state push former Gov. Tommy G. Thompson past a strong challenge by Eric Hovde in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Herb Kohl, who is stepping down.

Thompson squeaked past Hovde in Wauwatosa, capturing 34.6 percent of the electorate - 2,536 votes - to Hovde's 32.7 percent. Just 138 votes separated the two, out of 7,333 votes cast. Jeff Fitzgerald finished a distant third, with 18.6 percent of the city's vote, and Mark Neumann earned 14.l percent.

Thompson will face Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin in the general election.

In other contested races affecting Wauwatosa, Rob Hutton easily beat Thomas Schellinger in the GOP primary in Assembly District 13. Hutton won 58 percent of the district's vote, and about 53 percent of Wauwatosa's vote, for a local total of 1,364. Nate Ristow finished a distant third districtwide and in Wauwatosa.

Hutton will face John Pokrandt, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Pokrandt is a former unsuccessful candidate for mayor of Wauwatosa.

In another contest involving Wauwatosa, he Democratic primary for the Assembly seat in District 12, incumbent Frederick P. Kessler beat Mario R. Hall, 1,633 to 677 votes throughout the district. Wauwatosa also chose Kessler, by a 97 to 7 margin.

The GOP did not field a candidate for the District 12 seat in the primary, meaning Kessler is likely to be re-elected.

In Wauwatosa, Thompson and Hovde battled evenly in ward-by-ward matchups, separated by no more than a dozen votes in most cases, with both showing areas of strength throughout the city.