MADISON, WI - In a significant development in Wisconsin politics, two notable figures known for promoting election conspiracy theories have suffered defeats in primary elections held on Tuesday.

Senator Dan Feyen, a Republican from Fond du Lac, emerged victorious in the Republican primary for the 20th Senate District against Tim Ramthun, a former Assembly member from Campbellsport who served from 2019 to 2023 and ran in the 2022 GOP gubernatorial primary. Feyen secured nearly 65% of the votes in his district.

Meanwhile, in the 24th Assembly District, Senator Dan Knodl, a Republican from Germantown, defeated state Representative Janel Brandtjen, also a Republican from Menomonee Falls. Knodl received approximately 65% of the votes in this closely contested race.

Brandtjen's defeat marks her second consecutive loss in a matchup against Knodl, who previously defeated her in the 2022 Republican primary for the state's 8th Senate District. Brandtjen has garnered national attention as one of the most vocal election conspiracy theorists in the Wisconsin Legislature, having once called for the reversal of the 2020 election results due to perceived tyranny.

Knodl, who was elected to the Senate in a special election and previously served in the Assembly, announced earlier this year that he would not seek reelection to his Senate seat due to being drawn into a district with Senator Duey Stroebel from Saukville under new legislative maps.

Following his victory, Senator Feyen expressed gratitude to his family and constituents in a statement: "I take pride in the positive campaign that I ran, talking to voters and discussing my accomplishments and my vision for the future. I understand that some of the citizens of the (district) didn't support me tonight but ask that we put our differences aside as we defeat my Democratic opponent in November. We need to unite and look forward as conservatives."

Tim Ramthun previously ran a gubernatorial campaign in 2022 that centered around an illegal and unfeasible attempt to revoke Wisconsin's electoral votes for Democratic President Joe Biden. He secured only 6% of the votes in the GOP primary. Since then, Ramthun has continued to propagate baseless theories about the 2020 election and supported efforts to target Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, briefly elevating him to a national platform among those who believe Trump won the state that year.

Senator Feyen currently serves as the Senate's assistant majority leader and leads the Economic Development and Technical Colleges Committee. He is also a board member of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball District Board. Knodl, after his victory, will face Democratic candidate William Walter in the upcoming general election. Similarly, Senator Feyen will face Democratic candidate Michael Rapp in November.

These primary elections serve as a significant turning point in Wisconsin politics, showcasing the electorate's rejection of conspiracy theories surrounding elections and emphasizing the importance of credible and evidence-based campaigning.