Republican Eric Toney Running Again for Wisconsin Attorney General
Fond du Lac County district attorney seeks rematch against Democrat Josh Kaul.
Republican attorney general candidate Eric Toney speaks during the 1st District GOP Fall Fest on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, at the Racine County Fairgrounds in Union Grove, Wis. Angela Major/WPR
Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney is running again for Wisconsin attorney general.
Toney, 41, is a Republican who was first elected to be Fond du Lac County’s top prosecutor in 2012.
His announcement could set up a rematch between Toney and Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul.
Kaul, 44, said earlier this month he would seek a third, four-year term as state attorney general. That announcement ended speculation that Kaul would run for governor in 2026.
In a news release, Toney said he decided to run again after undergoing open-heart surgery two years ago.
“By the grace of God—and years of running—my heart held on,” Toney said in a statement. “That clarity led me here: if I could still make a difference for Wisconsin, I would. After seven years of broken promises and political spin in the Attorney General’s office, it’s time for change.”
In his announcement, Toney also focused on support for law enforcement and said he would target violent crime in Milwaukee, which he said “spreads across the state.”
“As your Top Cop, I will stand up for every Wisconsinite, enforce the law, and bring conservative, common-sense leadership back to the DOJ,” Toney said.
The general election will be on Nov. 3 of next year. The primary is set for Aug. 11, but as of now, no other Republicans have announced for attorney general.
Three years ago, Kaul defeated Toney by 35,000 votes, a margin of just 1.4 percentage points.
Wisconsin’s attorney general leads the state’s Department of Justice — a role that involves overseeing litigation with statewide and sometimes national importance. During his time as attorney general, Kaul has made headlines by joining dozens of multi-state lawsuits against the Trump administration.
Kaul also brought a successful challenge to Wisconsin’s near-total abortion ban, which had been set under a 19th century state law. During his last campaign, Toney promised to defend the state law which led to that ban.
In a statement, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin attacked Toney’s record on abortion.
“Eric Toney is an extremist when it comes to taking personal health care decisions away from women,” said state Democratic Party Chair Devin Remiker. “Eric Toney is adding his name to the growing list of failed, now recycled GOP candidates, making it feel as if 2026 is going to be a battle for the biggest Wisconsin Republican loser.”
Wisconsin’s Department of Justice also oversees a statewide crime lab and prosecutes some crimes.
Republican Eric Toney is running again for Wisconsin attorney general was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
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