The race for attorney general took center stage Sunday as Republican Eric Toney and Democratic incumbent Josh Kaul clashed over drug investigations, crime lab delays and the proper role of the state’s top law enforcement official.
One of the more heated exchanges involved staffing for drug investigations in northern Wisconsin. Toney cited concerns raised by Red Cliff Tribal Chairwoman Nicole Boyd during her February State of the Tribes address. Boyd said the number of narcotics investigators operating from the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Eau Claire field office had fallen from four in 2013 to none in 2025, creating delays in drug cases. (RELATED: DOJ Charges Illegal Alien With Illegally Voting in Wisconsin Election)
Kaul responded that the DOJ’s Division of Criminal Investigation works on trafficking cases throughout Wisconsin, regardless of where agents are stationed. He pointed to declining opioid overdose deaths as evidence of progress. State budget figures show nine special-agent positions assigned to Eau Claire, although those figures do not identify how many specialize in narcotics.
Toney criticized longer testing times for evidence used in criminal prosecutions, arguing that management and unfilled positions deserve more scrutiny. A state audit found that evidence-analysis turnaround times rose from 39 to 58 days between the 2019–20 and 2022–23 fiscal years. It was also reported that DNA-testing turnaround times remained elevated in 2024.
On election security, the candidates addressed the federal government’s lawsuit seeking Wisconsin voter information. Toney said he would defend Wisconsin law, while Kaul dissented, talking about broad government collection of personal data.
Kaul also mentioned he was in favor of abortion, and highlighted his role in overturning the older law. The Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the 1849 abortion ban in 2025, leaving a 20-week limit in place. Toney says he is not campaigning to change the current restriction and favors leaving future changes to voters. (RELATED: Wisconsin Dairy Farmer Battles State Over Raw Milk License Suspension)
Kaul is seeking a third term, while Toney, Fond du Lac County’s district attorney, hopes to reverse his narrow 2022 defeat. Kaul won that contest by approximately 35,000 votes.
