Here & Now

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson Wins Reelection

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WISCONSIN WENT ALL IN FOR REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES TUESDAY, INCLUDING A WINNING NIGHT FOR INCUMBENT U.S. SENATOR RON JOHNSON. ZAC SCHULTZ WAS THERE.

ANNOUNCER ON TV:

NOW PROJECTING THAT SENATOR RON JOHNSON WILL BEAT BACK A CHALLENGE FROM DEMOCRAT RUSS FEINGOLD IN A HARD-FOUGHT BATTLE. RON JOHNSON WILL WIN THAT STATE.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THE ANNOUNCEMENT CAUGHT THE ROOM BY SURPRISE. JUST BEFORE 10:00, WISCONSIN U.S. SENATE’S RACE WAS CALLED FOR RON JOHNSON. AND HIS SUPPORTERS CHEERED AND HUGGED. THEY KEPT CHEERING AS REPUBLICANS KEPT WINNING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

RON JOHNSON:

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]

ZAC SCHULTZ:

EVEN JOHNSON WAS SURPRISED HOW EARLY THE RACE WAS OVER.

RON JOHNSON:

THANK YOU, WISCONSIN. I’M PRETTY SURPRISED BY THIS RESULT. I THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE KIND OF A LATE NIGHT, SO…

RUSS FEINGOLD:

OH, MY FRIENDS.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

ACROSS THE STATE, DEMOCRAT RUSS FEINGOLD WAS IN SHOCK AS WELL, DEFEATED FOR THE SECOND TIME BY RON JOHNSON.

RUSS FEINGOLD:

I REALLY WANTED TO GET THIS DONE, BUT OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING IS HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTRY TONIGHT. I DON’T UNDERSTAND IT COMPLETELY. I DON’T THINK ANYBODY DOES.

RON JOHNSON:

IT’S A BIG NIGHT FOR WISCONSIN. IT’S A BIG NIGHT FOR AMERICA.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

EVEN AS JOHNSON CELEBRATED THE WIN, HE WAS THINKING ABOUT HIS GOALS BACK IN WASHINGTON, WITH REPUBLICANS IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF CONGRESS AND A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT.

RON JOHNSON:

THIS IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

HE SAYS HIS PRIORITIES INCLUDE REGULATORY AND TAX REFORM.

RON JOHNSON:

THAT WILL HEAL OUR ECONOMY, WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO STRENGTHEN OUR MILITARY, DEFEAT ISIS, SECURE OUR BORDER. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY CONFIRMING JUDGES TO THE SUPREME COURT.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

AND A FULL REPEAL OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.

RON JOHNSON:

WE’LL HAVE A FULL REPEAL AND REPLACE PLAN FOR OBAMACARE. THAT’S A GOOD PLACE TO START.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

JOHNSON STARTED OFF IN THE MINORITY IN THE U.S. SENATE, SO HE KNOWS THE POWER OF THE FILIBUSTER TO PREVENT LEGISLATION FROM PASSING, BUT HE SAYS HE WOULD NOT SUPPORT ELIMINATING IT IN ORDER TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR REPUBLICANS TO PASS THEIR AGENDA.

RON JOHNSON:

THE 60-VOTE THRESHOLD IN THE SENATE WAS PART OF THE GENIUS OF OUR FOUNDING FATHERS. WE ARE THE CHECK WITHIN CONGRESS. SO I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND REDUCING THAT 60-VOTE THRESHOLD ON LEGISLATION.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

WHILE JOHNSON SAYS HE’S LOOKING TO THE FUTURE AND WILLING TO WORK ACROSS THE AISLE —

RON JOHNSON:

I DON’T CARE WHAT DIVIDES US. LET’S CONCENTRATE ON WHAT WE AGREE ON.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

HE ALSO SAYS THERE’S SOME UNFINISHED BUSINESS WITH HILLARY CLINTON’S EMAILS. AND HE’D LIKE TO SEE HER PROSECUTED.

RON JOHNSON:

THOSE ARE SERIOUS CRIMES. THERE ARE PEOPLE SPENDING TIME IN JAIL HAVING DONE FAR LESS. I THINK SECRETARY CLINTON NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

JOHNSON ALSO REITERATED A PROMISE HE MADE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL THAT HE WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION TO A THIRD TERM IN 2022.