9-24-19 special election to replace duffy

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s Democratic governor announced Monday that the special election to fill Republican Sean Duffy’s congressional seat will be held in January, a move that avoids potentially boosting GOP turnout in a state Supreme Court election next spring.   Duffy’s House district, in mostly rural central, northwest and northern Wisconsin, is the heart of President Donald Trump country, so holding the special election during the already-scheduled April 7 election could have benefited conservative Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly’s chances. That also is the day Wisconsin Democrats cast their presidential primary ballots.  Duffy’s final day in Congress was Monday. He made a surprise announcement last month that he would not finish out his fifth term because his ninth baby, due in early October, was diagnosed with a hole in its heart that would require more of his time and attention.  Gov. Tony Evers set the election for Duffy’s seat for Jan. 27 with a primary on Dec. 30, saying he wanted to hold it “quickly” to ensure people in the district “have a voice in Congress.”   Mark Jefferson, executive director of the Wisconsin Republican Party, accused Evers of making a “desperate move” to “shield his party from rural voters during the spring election.”   Whoever wins the special election to replace Duffy would serve through the end of 2020 and have to run and win again in November 2020 to serve a full two-year term. Under the dates of the special election, the seat will be vacant for about four months.