Veteran Dave Hansen narrowly beats Wimberger

With the exception of Sen. Dave Hansen, state-level incumbents had an easy time at the polls in northeastern Wisconsin on Tuesday.

Hansen, D-Green Bay, narrowly beat Republican challenger Eric Wimberger, 40,208-38,169.

In Assembly District 90, Eric Genrich, D-Green Bay, was re-elected without opposition.

Results are unofficial.

Wisconsin Senate races

District 2

Incumbent Robert Cowles, R-Allouez, comfortably led John N. Powers, D-Wittenberg, 49,427-27,130, with 77 of 94 districts reporting.

Cowles has held state office since 1983, and been a senator since 1987. Powers is a teacher and historian. The district includes parts of Brown County including Allouez, Ashwaubenon, Hobart, Pittsfield and Pulaski as well as sections of Shawano County, western Waupaca County and northern Outagamie County.

District 12

Incumbent Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, comfortably led challenger Bryan Van Stippen, D-Deerbrook, 53,568-31,712, with 173 of 180 districts reporting.

Tiffany was elected to the Senate in 2012, after two years in the Assembly and four as a town supervisor. Van Stippen is a small-business owner and an attorney. The district, which includes all or parts of nine counties including Oconto, Marinette and Menominee, extends to the Michigan boarder on the north.

District 30

In the region's lone close race for a state office, incumbent Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, led Eric Wimberger, R-Green Bay, 40,208-38,169.

Hansen, a former school teacher, was first elected to the Senate in 2000. Wimberger is an attorney in private practice in Green Bay. The district includes parts of Brown, eastern Oconto and southeastern Marinette counties.

Wisconsin Assembly races

District 1

Incumbent Joel Kitchens (I), R-Sturgeon Bay, held off challenger Lynn Utesch, D-Kewaunee, 20,044-13,289, to win a second two-year term.

Kitchens, a veterinarian, was elected to the seat in 2014. Utesch is a farmer and clean-water activist. The district includes Door and Kewaunee counties, and the town of Two Creeks.

District 2

Incumbent Andre Jacque, R-De Pere, cruised to victory over independent Mark Grams of Two Rivers, 16,790-7,119, with 26 of 30 districts reporting.

Jacque was first elected to the Assembly in 2010. Grams is a retired Dodge County veterans' service officer. The district stretches from De Pere to Two Rivers, and includes much of southern Brown and northern Manitowoc counties.

District 4

Incumbent David Steffen, R-Howard, led Tony Lee, D-Green Bay, 15,680-10,759, with 20 of 22 districts reporting.

Steffen, a small business owner, joined the Assembly in 2015. Lee works for the NEW Community Clinic. The district includes Howard, Ashwaubenon, Allouez and part of southwestern Green Bay.

District 5

Incumbent Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, easily defeated newcomer Sam Kelly, D-Kaukauna, 19,949-10,951.

Steineke, a regional manager for an investment business, was elected to the assembly in 2010. Kelly is a St. Norbert College student. The district includes much of northeastern Outagamie County and a small part of western Brown County.

District 6

Gary Tauchen (I), R-Bonduel, led William James Switalla, D-Wittenberg, 12,871-5,623, with 32 of 47 districts reporting.

Tauchen, a business owner, was first elected to the Assembly in 2006. Switalla operates his family's floral shop. The district includes Shawano, Pulaski, Clintonville and more than two dozen rural towns, most in Shawano County.

District 88

John Macco, R-De Pere, defeated Noah Reif, D-Green Bay, 17,737-11,309, to win a second term.

Macco, who founded floor-covering and financial-planning businesses, was elected to the assembly in 2014. Reif works as a programming coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. The district includes parts of Green Bay's east side, parts of Bellevue, Ledgeview and Glenmore.

District 89

Incumbent John Nygren (I), R-Marinette, led challenger Heidi Fencl, D-Sobieski, 16,827-7,987, with 21 of 23 districts reporting.

Nygren, who has represented the district since 2006 and co-chairs the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee, also works in financial services. Fencl is a physics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. The district stretches from Marinette to Green Bay and includes parts of Marinette, Oconto and northwestern Brown counties.

dschneid@greenbaypressgazette.com and follow him on Twitter @PGDougSchneider