Josh Kaul Wins Third Term as Wisconsin Attorney General

Overview

• Incumbent Josh Kaul defeated Republican Eric Toney and Toney conceded the race, though the outcome remains unofficial until state canvassers certify results in the coming weeks.
• Kaul said he will prioritize expanded background checks, a red-flag law, increased funding for school safety and more services for crime victims as part of his public-safety agenda.
• Kaul’s Department of Justice has filed or joined more than 70 multi-state lawsuits against the presidential administration and has negotiated major settlements with companies such as Meta and opioid manufacturers, work he says he will continue.
• Toney ran as a law-enforcement ally and focused on delays at the state crime lab that he says slow prosecutions, a criticism Kaul responded to by blaming the Legislature for not funding more DNA analysts.
• Kaul’s re-election preserves the office’s role in state court fights over abortion rules — including Planned Parenthood’s pending challenge to remaining restrictions — and keeps the DOJ central to policy disputes that affect Wisconsinites’ access to services.