Democrat Brad Pfaff wins 32nd Senate District

WISCONSIN (Civic Media) – Incumbent Democrat Brad Pfaff has been called the winner of the race for the 32nd Senate District in Wisconsin.

The Associated Press made the call Tuesday evening.

The Democratic Party was favored in this district going into the election, according to CNalysis. The district was considered likely Democrat with a projected margin of 9 points.

Pfaff, who was first elected to the Senate in 2020, is on five committees. Before running for State Senate, Pfaff served as the agriculture secretary-designee under Gov. Evers, but was fired by the Republican leadership in an unprecedented move. Pfaff also was a long-time staff member for Rep. Ron Kind, and worked for the USDA under President Barack Obama. Pfaff is now seeking a second term as a state senator in this La Crosse area district in western Wisconsin. 

In 2020, Pfaff won the closest race on the map in the State Senate, defeating Republican Dan Kapanke by less than 600 votes. This helped protect the governor’s veto, and kept Republicans one seat shy of a Senate supermajority. In 2022, Pfaff ran for Congress, coming much closer than many might have expected against Republican Derrick Van Orden — 51.8% to 48.1% — a race many feel could have been won by the Democrat with more support from the national party. 

Pfaff defeated Republican challenger Stacey Klein, who initially ran for U.S. Senate this year, but in April, chose instead to run for State Senate. She was criticized for anti-LGBTQ comments made during her brief campaign against Tammy Baldwin. Klein currently serves on the Trempealeau County Board of Supervisors, and is the treasurer for the Republican Party of Trempealeau County. 

The 32nd Senate District covers La Crosse County and parts of Monroe, Vernon, and Trempealeau counties in west-central Wisconsin. The 94th, 95th, and 96th Assembly Districts are in the 32nd Senate District.

For more analysis on the 2024 Election, you can visit our Election Coverage website here. A preview of all state races is available on our 2024 Wisconsin Legislature Voter Guide.