Johnson knocks off Feingold in massive upset
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is projected to defeat Democrat Russ Feingold, a massive upset that provides a huge boost for GOP chances to keep the Senate majority.
{mosads}Feingold was heavily favored to beat Johnson in a rematch of the 2010 race that swept Feingold out of Washington.
Feingold, a former three-term senator, tied Johnson to the billionaire mega-donors Charles and David Koch and attacked him for supporting GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. He also attacked Johnson on healthcare, trade and the economy.
Johnson countered by framing Feingold as a career politician, calling him ineffective and too liberal. And he raised questions about the PAC Feingold set up after leaving office in 2011.
Feingold led nearly every poll throughout the campaign. But Johnson surged to within a few points in the final weeks of the race — drawing outside groups and national surrogates into the state.
Vice President Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine all came to Wisconsin in the final week of the race, campaigning for Feingold and presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
Home-state conservatives like Gov. Scott Walker and House Speaker Paul Ryan hit the trail for Johnson, who also rallied with Trump late in October.
Feingold served three terms in the Senate before his 5-point loss to Johnson six years ago during the Tea Party wave.
His decision to seek the seat was seen as a major boon for Democrats, who considered the state a must-win in their fight to win back the Senate majority. Democrats entered Tuesday needing to flip five seats — or four if they keep the White House — to win back control of the chamber.
Johnson, a businessman who made a fortune in plastics manufacturing, is chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. He said during the campaign that he would not seek a third term in 2022 if he retained his seat.
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