Attorney General of Wisconsin · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Wisconsin attorney general race?
Josh Kaul has the strongest record in the Wisconsin attorney general race. Josh Kaul scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Eric Toney at 63, as of October 9, 2026. Josh Kaul's highest marks are relevant experience and fidelity to the oath. Eric Toney's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Josh Kaul
67 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 58
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 75
Republican
Eric Toney
63 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 63
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Josh Kaul
- Mark against2024-06
A Legislative Audit Bureau audit of the state crime labs his department runs found median turnaround rose from 39 to 58 days from fiscal 2019-20 to 2022-23 and made 16 recommendations; he called them minor.
Sources: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Yahoo), July 1, 2024, WPR, July 1, 2024
- On the record2026-07
The Wisconsin Ethics Commission dismissed a Republican legislators' complaint over the Justice Department's use of outside-funded legal fellows.
- On the record2026-09
A U.S. Justice Department Inspector General audit questioned $46,439 in costs by Freedom, Inc., a crime victim services grantee his department reimbursed, and recommended closer state oversight of grantees.
- On the record2024-06-04
Filed felony forgery charges against Kenneth Chesebro, James Troupis and Michael Roman over the 2020 false electors plan in Wisconsin.
Sources: WBAY, June 4, 2024, WISN 12, June 4, 2024
- Credit2026-07-10
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that he complied with state law in placing settlement funds in the general fund, in a dispute with the Legislature.
Source: WBAY, July 10, 2026
- Credit2026-09-27
Agreed to debate Eric Toney on WISN's UPFRONT on Oct. 11, 2026.
Source: WISN 12, Sept. 27, 2026
- Credit2020-12-08
Led the Wisconsin Department of Justice's defense of the state's certified 2020 presidential results, including against Texas's suit in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Source: WBAY, Dec. 8, 2020
Eric Toney
- On the record2022-02-10
Charged five Fond du Lac County residents with felony election fraud for registering to vote at a UPS Store address; he said the cases had no effect on election results. Case outcomes were not found.
Sources: Spectrum News 1 (Associated Press), Feb. 10, 2022, WPR (Wisconsin Watch), July 9, 2022
- On the record2021-09-16
PolitiFact Wisconsin rated False his claim that he was the only candidate in the 2022 attorney general race with experience as a prosecutor.
Source: PolitiFact, Sept. 16, 2021
- Credit2026-09-27
Agreed to debate Josh Kaul on WISN's UPFRONT on Oct. 11, 2026.
Source: WISN 12, Sept. 27, 2026
- Credit2025-06
The Wisconsin District Attorneys Association named him 2024 District Attorney of the Year, citing homicide prosecutions and his advocacy for added prosecutor positions as association president.
Source: Civic Media, June 29, 2025
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Josh Kaul. No public record found.
Eric Toney. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Josh Kaul. No public record found.
Eric Toney. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Josh Kaul. Agreed to debate Eric Toney on WISN's UPFRONT on Oct. 11, 2026, the only joint appearance announced as of late September.
Source: WISN 12, Sept. 27, 2026
Eric Toney. Agreed to debate Josh Kaul on WISN's UPFRONT on Oct. 11, 2026, the only joint appearance announced as of late September.
Source: WISN 12, Sept. 27, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Josh Kaul. Attorney general since January 2019 after four years as a federal prosecutor. The Wisconsin Ethics Commission dismissed a 2026 Republican complaint over Justice Department legal fellows; no conduct finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Josh Kaul, Wisconsin Examiner (via Yahoo), July 13, 2026
Eric Toney. Fond du Lac County district attorney since 2013 and past president of the Wisconsin District Attorneys Association. No formal conduct finding found.
Sources: Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Eric Toney, Civic Media, June 29, 2025
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Josh Kaul. As attorney general, led the state's defense of Wisconsin's certified 2020 presidential results, including against Texas's Supreme Court suit. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Sources: WBAY, Dec. 8, 2020, Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Josh Kaul
Eric Toney. Has held the sworn office of district attorney since 2013. No official finding of misuse of office found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Josh Kaul. Wisconsin attorney general since January 2019, now seeking a third term, after serving as an assistant U.S. attorney in Baltimore from 2010 to 2014.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Josh Kaul, WPR, April 10, 2017
Eric Toney. Elected Fond du Lac County district attorney in 2012 and reelected since, after private practice at O'Rourke Law Offices.
Sources: Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Eric Toney, Ballotpedia, Eric Toney
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Josh Kaul. Heads the Department of Justice and publishes specific priorities, such as sexual assault kit tracking and expanded background checks for firearm transfers.
Eric Toney. Publishes specific plans within the attorney general's powers, such as filling crime lab vacancies, ending remote work for lab analysts and restoring northern Wisconsin narcotics agents.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Josh Kaul. Answered the Wisconsin Watch 2026 questionnaire and agreed to a televised debate. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Josh Kaul, WISN 12, Sept. 27, 2026, Ballotpedia, Josh Kaul
Eric Toney. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey and the Wisconsin Watch questionnaire, publishes a campaign site and agreed to a televised debate.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Eric Toney, Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Eric Toney, WISN 12, Sept. 27, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Josh Kaul. Grew up in Oshkosh and Fond du Lac and lives in Madison. In-state donor share not available from state filings.
Sources: WPR, April 10, 2017, Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Josh Kaul
Eric Toney. Born and raised in Fond du Lac County, where he lives and has served as district attorney since 2013. In-state donor share not available from state filings.
Sources: Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Eric Toney, Ballotpedia, Eric Toney
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Josh Kaul. A June 2024 Legislative Audit Bureau review of the state crime labs his department runs found median turnaround rose from 39 to 58 days and analyst vacancies rose from 2.6 to 9.5 percent, with 16 recommendations.
Sources: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Yahoo), July 1, 2024, WPR, July 1, 2024
Eric Toney. Has run the Fond du Lac County district attorney's office since 2013. Office size not found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Josh Kaul. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 5-2 in July 2026 that he complied with the law in handling settlement funds, in a dispute with the Legislature.
Source: WBAY, July 10, 2026
Eric Toney. Named the 2024 District Attorney of the Year by the Wisconsin District Attorneys Association, which credited his homicide prosecutions and his advocacy that won added prosecutor positions.
Source: Civic Media, June 29, 2025
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Josh Kaul. No public record found.
Eric Toney. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Josh Kaul. No public record found.
Eric Toney. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Josh Kaul. No public record found.
Eric Toney. As president of the prosecutors' association, he says he worked with the Republican Legislature and Democratic Governor Evers to add prosecutor and crime lab positions; the association credits the added prosecutor positions to his advocacy.
Sources: Wisconsin Watch 2026 voter guide, Eric Toney, Civic Media, June 29, 2025
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Josh Kaul. No public record found.
Eric Toney. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in the Wisconsin attorney general race?
Josh Kaul has the strongest record in the Wisconsin attorney general race. Josh Kaul scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Eric Toney at 63, as of October 9, 2026. Josh Kaul's highest marks are relevant experience and fidelity to the oath. Eric Toney's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Wisconsin attorney general race in 2026?
Josh Kaul (Democratic, incumbent), Eric Toney (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Josh Kaul a good candidate for Attorney General?
Josh Kaul scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 58 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Eric Toney a good candidate for Attorney General?
Eric Toney scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 63 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Wisconsin race scored, and the Wisconsin 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.