Josh Kaul wins second term as Wisconsin attorney general
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) --- Attorney General Josh Kaul has declared victory in Wisconsin's attorney general race.
His republican challenger, Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney, called Kaul to concede around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning.
After his call to concede, Toney spoke to a small group of supporters who stayed at his Fond du Lac watch party until the early hours on Wednesday.
"We just don’t see a pathway to victory given what appears to be the limited number of votes out there," Toney said. "I do look forward to working with the attorney general as the president of our Wisconsin District Attorneys Association and prioritizing public safety into the future."
Around 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, it appeared as though Toney may had conceded too early with unofficial results showing him taking a slight lead over Kaul in the race. This was short-lived, however, with a percentage of absentee votes that had yet to be added to the system swinging the race back in favor of Kaul.
Kaul released a statement early Tuesday morning claiming victory.
"I'm grateful that Wisconsinites have put their trust in me to serve as Attorney General for another four years, and I look forward to the work ahead of us as we continue to deliver results and work to build safer and stronger communities across the state," Kaul said, thanking Toney for running a hard-fought race.
Kaul was first sworn in back in January of 2019 as Wisconsin's top law enforcement official. An election watch party was held Tuesday in Madison at the Overture Center where his supporters gathered.
Kaul, a former federal prosecutor, is a Wisconsin native and since taking office, his administration has focused on tackling the opioid epidemic, school safety, gun violence, and a backlog of sexual assault kits. His office also launched a statewide investigation into clergy abuse.
The AG race is critical in battleground Wisconsin as many states have turned to attorneys general to help challenge controversial issues like abortion.