WINNEBAGO COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) – The results are in for the two individuals moving forward in the race to become Winnebago County Executive.
Former Wisconsin Representative Gordon Hintz and incumbent Jon Doemel both secured enough votes to move toward becoming the Winnebago County Executive. Despite over 3,000 votes, John Matz was the lone candidate to be eliminated in the primary.
“People want good government, they don’t really care if it’s red or it’s blue, (they care if) it is truthful, is it responsive and helpful, does it meet people where they’re at,” said Doemel.
“Our message resonated with voters that they wanted to see better communication, better engagement with the public, and we’re happy they responded,” said Hintz.
Hintz served in the Wisconsin state assembly from 2007 until 2023 as a Democrat representing the Oshkosh area. He was minority leader from 2017 until 2021. He said his background in state government, especially his experience creating budgets, would serve him well in the county executive role.
In his first term as county executive, Doemel said he made efforts to run the county more efficiently. He implemented best practices used in other counties into Winnebago County, created a new pay plan for employees, and said he simplified meeting agendas so that the public could understand and follow.
He said one of the things that he’s most proud of was helping to secure a neighborhood investment grant that allowed the county to address affordable housing and homelessness.
Critics have said that Doemel hasn’t been communicative and transparent with the county board and has made decisions unilaterally without consulting them first.
“Change is hard and when somebody comes in and tells a board of 36 that you’ve been doing it wrong, you’re focused on operation and should be focused on policy and budget,” Doemel said when asked to address that criticism.
“People have asked me to step up because what is happening right now, the communication and transparency isn’t there, the accountability isn’t there,” Hintz countered.
Hintz and Doemel will now face off against each other on April 1, 2025, in the Spring Election.
In a statement to Local 5 News, Matz said that he was disappointed with the results, but that he wanted to thank his supporters. He said he’d continue to serve Winnebago County as sheriff.
