2. Democratic enthusiasm is still sky-high: Wisconsin: Dem 537,840; GOP 456,007

[riversedge]

Tim Pawlenty goes down and six takeaways from Tuesday's primaries


by Chuck Todd, Mark Murray and Carrie Dann / Aug.15.2018 / 7:38 AM ET

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/tim-pawlenty-goes-down-six-takeaways-tuesday-s-primaries-n900861

WASHINGTON — Last night’s primaries in Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont and Wisconsin brought us another surprise — the defeat of former two-term Gov. Tim Pawlenty in Minnesota’s GOP gubernatorial contest. Pawlenty lost to Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson, 53 percent to 44 percent.

Here are our six takeaways from Tuesday’s primaries:

1. The Tim Pawlentys no longer have a place in today’s Trump-led GOP
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2. Democratic enthusiasm is still sky-high

While measuring primary turnout isn’t a perfect way to gauge how the general election will play out — primary voters, after all, don’t necessarily equal general-election voters — it’s unmistakable that more Democratic voters participated last night. (And while Scott Walker, for example, faced little opposition in his GOP primary in Wisconsin, there was a competitive Republican contest for Senate.) Here’s a look at the turnout in last night’s gubernatorial primaries:

Minnesota: Dem 580,962; GOP 319,276
Wisconsin: Dem 537,840; GOP 456,007
Connecticut: Dem 211,499; GOP 142,890
Vermont: Dem 57,102; GOP 35,840

3. Scott Walker vs. Tony Evers will be arguably the nation’s top gubernatorial contest in the fall

Well, we asked yesterday which Democrat would be the party’s nominee against incumbent GOP Gov. Scott Walker. And State Schools Superintendent Tony Evers, as expected, won the crowded primary, getting nearly 42 percent of the vote. Walker is vulnerable, and he’s facing the most challenging political environment of his career; the NBC/Marist poll showed him losing to Evers in a hypothetical matchup.

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5. It will be Baldwin vs. Vukmir in Wisconsin’s Senate race

Leah Vukmir defeated Kevin Nicholson, 49 percent to 43 percent, for the right to face Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., in November. The millions that donors, including Richard Uihlein, poured into the contest to help Nicholson couldn’t overcome Vukmir’s backing by Wisconsin’s GOP establishment. The Cook Report has the race as “Likely D.”



6. Top House races for November are now set

...........................................and in WI-1 (Paul Ryan’s seat), it will be Dem Randy Bryce vs. Republican Bryan Steil.