Republicans Conceding in 21st, 31st Senate Districts

Republicans are conceding defeat in the open Senate seat covering the Racine area and the Eau Claire-area district held by freshman Republican Ron Brown.

A significant number of wards were still out in both districts were still out. But Keith Gilkes, head of the Committee to Elect a Republican Senate, said he'd seen the numbers on the ground and said it's a "Republican blood bath."

"That's putting it kindly," Gilkes said. "It's generic. It's nothing to do with any of our candidates. It's all about the national tides that swept through Wisconsin that we didn't think was going to."

With 73 percent of the vote in the 21st SD, Dem John Lehman was leading Bill McReynolds with 53 percent of the vote.

In the 31st, Dem Kathleen Vinehout was leading with 52 percent of the vote over Brown. Sixty-three percent of the returns were in in.

Gilkes said Republicans continued to hold out hope they would win in the other two seats that WisPolitics rated toss ups heading into Election Day.

In the 5th SD, incumbent Tom Reynolds, R-West Allis, led with 51 percent of the vote and 69 percent of wards reporting.

In the 23rd, incumbent Republican Dave Zien narrowly led Pat Kreitlow by 65 votes with 45 percent of wards reporting.

-- By JR Ross