Clarke and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett on CNN in early 2013
Unofficial ward totals released by Milwaukee County show Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke holding onto office by dint of strong showings in the southern reaches of the county, capturing the suburbs of Greendale, Hales Corners, Cudahy, Greenfield, Oak Creek, and St. Francis, all municipalities that went for Moews in 2010.
The Milwaukee Police detective has run two low-key campaigns against the conservative personality, labeled a DINO (Democrat in name only) by many. After four years of outspoken stands on gun rights, and even the role of citizens in responding to their own emergencies, Clarke appears to have weakened his position on the North Shore. The sheriff won Bayside 56-44 in 2010 but lost it to Moews by the same margin on Tuesday, according to the unofficial totals. Clarke also lost his grip on Glendale, and sank further in Shorewood, where Moews won almost 80 percent of the vote.
Here are charts comparing the Moews/Clarke match-up from 2010 and the unofficial (and incomplete) results from Tuesday’s election. The most up-to-date totals show Clarke winning 52-48, as compared to 53-47 in 2010. Perhaps most importantly, Clarke appears to have maintained his edge in the City of Milwaukee by a razor’s edge.
The sheriff has enjoyed strong support from conservative talk radio and cross-over votes during Wisconsin’s open primaries. Former Gov. Scott McCallum first appointed Clarke to the office of sheriff in 2002, launching his reign of incumbency. (Also see Kurt Chandler’s 2008 profile of Clarke.)
Anti-Clarke ads paid for by former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg’s political action committee ($150,000), and others rumored to have been bankrolled by County Executive Chris Abele, a wealthy Clarke opponent, failed to turn the tide in Moews’ favor.
| 2010 | Moews | Clarke | Moews | Clarke | |
| Bayside | Clarke | 140 | 179 | 43.9% | 56.1% |
| Brown Deer | Clarke | 344 | 603 | 36.3% | 63.7% |
| Fox Point | Moews | 292 | 239 | 55.0% | 45.0% |
| Greendale | Moews | 567 | 357 | 61.4% | 38.6% |
| Hales Corners | Moews | 174 | 153 | 53.2% | 46.8% |
| River Hills | Clarke | 44 | 51 | 46.3% | 53.7% |
| Shorewood | Moews | 852 | 405 | 67.8% | 32.2% |
| West Milwaukee | Clarke | 56 | 80 | 41.2% | 58.8% |
| Whitefish Bay | Moews | 557 | 437 | 56.0% | 44.0% |
| Cudahy | Moews | 807 | 687 | 54.0% | 46.0% |
| Franklin | Moews | 745 | 629 | 54.2% | 45.8% |
| Glendale | Clarke | 620 | 694 | 47.2% | 52.8% |
| Greenfield | Moews | 1,088 | 1,044 | 51.0% | 49.0% |
| Milwaukee | Clarke | 15,377 | 20,176 | 43.3% | 56.7% |
| Oak Creek | Moews | 856 | 739 | 53.7% | 46.3% |
| St. Francis | Moews | 414 | 365 | 53.1% | 46.9% |
| South Milwaukee | Clarke | 886 | 931 | 48.8% | 51.2% |
| Wauwatosa | Moews | 1,623 | 1,383 | 54.0% | 46.0% |
| West Allis | Clarke | 1,285 | 1,387 | 48.1% | 51.9% |
| TOTALS | Clarke | 26,727 | 30,539 | 46.7% | 53.3% |
| 2014 UNOFFICIAL | Moews | Clarke | Moews | Clarke | |
| Bayside | Moews | 513 | 407 | 55.8% | 44.2% |
| Brown Deer | Clarke | 921 | 1332 | 40.9% | 59.1% |
| Fox Point | Moews | 851 | 622 | 57.8% | 42.2% |
| Greendale | Clarke | 1,290 | 1575 | 45.0% | 55.0% |
| Hales Corners | Clarke | 458 | 810 | 36.1% | 63.9% |
| River Hills | Clarke | 164 | 219 | 42.8% | 57.2% |
| Shorewood | Moews | 2,477 | 654 | 79.1% | 20.9% |
| West Milwaukee | Clarke | 131 | 208 | 38.6% | 61.4% |
| Whitefish Bay | Moews | 1,678 | 1325 | 55.9% | 44.1% |
| Cudahy | Clarke | 1,172 | 1303 | 47.4% | 52.6% |
| Franklin | – | – | – | – | |
| Glendale | Moews | 1,589 | 1303 | 54.9% | 45.1% |
| Greenfield | Clarke | 960 | 1468 | 39.5% | 60.5% |
| Milwaukee | Clarke | 29,181 | 29805 | 49.5% | 50.5% |
| Oak Creek | Clarke | 1,426 | 2418 | 37.1% | 62.9% |
| St. Francis | Clarke | 678 | 713 | 48.7% | 51.3% |
| South Milwaukee | Clarke | 1,249 | 1667 | 42.8% | 57.2% |
| Wauwatosa | Moews | 2,659 | 2399 | 52.6% | 47.4% |
| West Allis | Clarke | 2,066 | 3262 | 38.8% | 61.2% |
Correction: An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated the state rules for name placement on ballots. Thanks to the diligent reader for catching the error.
