U.S. House, Wisconsin - 8th District
Northeast -- Green Bay, Appleton
Race Forecast: Leans Democratic
2008: Rep.
2006:
The rematch between Kagen and Gard switched positions for the candidates from 2006, when Gard was a sitting legislator and Kagen the challenger. Kagen now has one term in Congress under his belt after winning the seat by 2 percentage points over the former state Assembly speaker, but the two are nearly equally matched in fundraising. The district leans Republican: President Bush carried the 8th in 2000 and in 2004, but has since seen his approval ratings drop statewide. Kagen picked up at least one conservative plaudit when he won the endorsement of the National Rifle Association, and a poll earlier this month by SurveyUSA indicated Kagen held a double-digit lead over Gard. Numerous polls on the presidential race indicate
Race Information
- Incumbent: Rep. Steve Kagen, D
- First Elected: 2006 (1st term)
- Last Elected: 2006 (50.9%)
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Race Forecast: Leans Democratic
District Information
Politics in America District Profile
On autumn Sundays, all eyes in Wisconsin turn to the 8th to watch football’s Green Bay Packers. Regardless of the team’s fortunes, the Packers represent the emotional heart of the state, and they pull in millions of dollars. But the district’s blue-collar feel stems from the Fox River Valley’s paper industry, which stretches southwest from Green Bay.
The 8th’s mostly stable economy depends on natural resources. The sparsely populated north contains the state’s largest tracts of forests, supplying the local paper industry. Fertile soil in the district’s south supports grain, and the open land hosts ranches. Appleton and Green Bay have some high-skill manufacturing.
The area draws many tourists, especially from Milwaukee and Chicago, during the more temperate seasons. Forests and lakes in Vilas County, near the Michigan border, lure outdoorsmen and nature lovers. The Door County peninsula jutting into Lake Michigan has 250 miles of shore and attracts wealthier vacationers to upscale second homes, vineyards, apple and cherry orchards, and artists’ colonies. The 8th also is home to six American Indian tribes, each of which boasts a reservation-based casino.
The largely Catholic 8th has a long history of social conservatism. Although the district has a slight GOP lean, Brown County (Green Bay) has competitive areas and Democrats dominate Menominee County. George W. Bush won the 8th’s 2004 presidential vote, but district voters elected a Democrat to the House in 2006 with 51 percent of the vote.
Major Industry
Paper products, casinos, agriculture, tourism
Cities
Green Bay, 102,313; Appleton (pt.) 69,270
Notable
The snowmobile was invented in Sayner.
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population: 670,480
- Under 18: 25.8%
- Over 65: 13.5%
- Married: 59.4%
- Non-Hispanic White: 92%
- Black: 1%
- Hispanic: 2%
- Asian: 1%
- Foreign Born: 2.6%
- Language other than English: 5.6%
- Median Household Income: 43,274
- Owner Occupied Housing: 73.3%
- Income above $200k: 1.3
- Workforce/Education (2000 census)
- White Collar: 53.9%
- Blue Collar: 32.5%
- Services: 13.6%
- Bachelor's Degree: 19%
- Graduate Education: 5.2%
- Civilian Veterans: 69,033
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | Steve Kagen (D) | 193,261 | 54% |
| John Gard (R) | 164,561 | 46% | ||
| 2006 | general | Steve Kagen (D) | 141,570 | 50.9% |
| John Gard (R) | 135,622 | 48.8% | ||
| 2004 | general | Mark Green (R) | 248,070 | 70.1% |
| Dottie Le Clair (D) | 105,513 | 29.8% | ||
| 2002 | general | Mark Green (R) | 152,745 | 72.6% |
| Andrew Becker (D) | 50,284 | 23.9% | ||
| Dick Kaiser (WG) | 7,338 | 3.5% | ||
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 44% | George W. Bush: 55% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 43% | George W. Bush: 52% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GARD, JOHN G (R) | November 24, 2008 | $1,574,339.00 | $1,527,769.00 | $140,050.00 | $1,051,403.00 | $44,196.00 | |
| WALL, JAMES RICHARD JR (D) | July 25, 2007 | $5,275.00 | $13,763.00 | ||||
| MCCORMICK, TERRI (R) | June 30, 2008 | $248.00 | $164.00 | $136,613.00 | |||
| KAGEN, STEVEN L (D) | November 24, 2008 | $2,153,583.00 | $2,153,939.00 | $150,104.00 | $870,785.00 | $52,043.00 | $619,300.00 |
| NUSBAUM, NANCY JEAN (D) | January 30, 2007 | $2,458.00 | $10,542.00 | $189,742.00 | |||
