House Speaker Paul Ryan defeated Paul Nehlen to win Republican primary in Wisconsin, Paul Ryan , GOP Nomination, Donald Trump, Paul Nehlen, businessman, Wisconsin primary.
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House Speaker Paul Ryan defeated Paul Nehlen to win Republican primary in Wisconsin, Paul Ryan , GOP Nomination, Donald Trump, Paul Nehlen, businessman, Wisconsin primary.

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House Speaker Paul Ryan defeated Paul Nehlen to win Republican primary in Wisconsin, Paul Ryan,GOP Nomination, Donald Trump, Paul Nehlen, businessman, Wisconsin primary
House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday defeated a long-shot Republican primary challenger who had been praised by Donald Trump.

Ryan beat businessman Paul Nehlen in Tuesday's Wisconsin primary. Nehlen had been courting Trump supporters and won praise from the Republican presidential nominee last week. But Trump endorsed Ryan days later.


"I'm humbled and honored that Wisconsinites in the 1st Congressional District support my efforts to keep fighting on their behalf," Ryan said in a statement to the Associated Press. Ryan said he and his wife, Janna, were grateful and thankful for the support.

Ryan had largely ignored Nehlen in what had been a sleepy primary before Trump thanked Nehlen on Twitter for his comments defending Trump. Nehlen won the backing of some prominent conservative figures, including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, but it wasn't enough to overcome Ryan's popularity in his southeastern Wisconsin district.

Ryan had other advantages, including widespread popularity in the district where he was first elected in 1998. Ryan had also worked hard to maintain those home ties, traveling back to Janesville as much as possible to be with his wife and three children.

Nehlen, an executive at a water filtration company, first made a splash with a web video of him riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, showing his tattooed arms. He challenged Ryan to an arm-wrestling match if he wouldn't debate him.

He ran well to Ryan's right, accusing Ryan of betraying Trump and favoring a "globalist agenda" of disastrous trade deals and porous borders. Nehlen attracted support from Sarah Palin and conservative provocateur Ann Coulter, with the latter appearing alongside Nehlen in the district the weekend before the election.

In 2014, Paul Ryan got 94.27% of total vote in his party primary w/40,813 votes.

Highlights: 

10:33 – Politico calls it for Jason Lewis in MN-02. Probably a good call; Miller’s over 1200 votes behind with 41% of precincts reporting in a low-turnout primary.

10:24 – With 36% of precincts reporting in MN-02, Lewis’ lead has narrowed just a bit to 47/29 over Miller. It’s not quite over yet.

10:12 – The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has called WI-08 for Gallagher. He’s up with 73% of the vote and 29% of precincts reporting.

10:05 – Meanwhile in MN-02, former radio host Jason Lewis is vying to win the nomination to succeed the retiring John Kline. Lewis appears to be running away with it with a 50/29 leadover Darlene Miller and 28% of precincts reporting.

10:00 – With 18% reporting in WI-08, Gallagher’s up with 75,4% of the vote. A bit too early to call, and the rural areas will be slow in reporting, but this looks pretty solid for now.

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