Rusk, Wisconsin — Presidential Election Results
Rusk, Wisconsin has voted Republican in 6 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). It most recently flipped to Republican in 2012. In 2024, it was 37.6 pts more Rep. than Wisconsin overall.
Jump to year: 2000 · 2004 · 2008 · 2012 · 2016 · 2020 · 2024
Full Election History, 2000–2024
| Year | Winner | Party | Votes | Vote Share | Margin | Total Votes Cast | Swing | Vs. Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | George W. Bush | Republican | 3,758 | 51.0% | 8.1 pts (597 votes) | 7,366 | — | 8.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2004 | George W. Bush | Republican | 3,985 | 50.3% | 2.1 pts (165 votes) | 7,927 | +6.5 pts | 2.5 pts more Rep. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 3,855 | 53.0% | 8.3 pts (602 votes) | 7,272 | +10.6 pts | 5.6 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney | Republican | 3,676 | 51.1% | 3.9 pts (279 votes) | 7,191 | -12.4 pts | 10.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Donald Trump | Republican | 4,564 | 64.4% | 33.8 pts (2,393 votes) | 7,087 | -31.6 pts | 34.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 5,257 | 66.7% | 34.7 pts (2,740 votes) | 7,886 | +0.3 pts | 35.9 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Donald J Trump | Republican | 5,660 | 68.4% | 38.0 pts (3,144 votes) | 8,270 | -3.2 pts | 37.6 pts more Rep. |
Population Context
Total Census Bureau population estimate for the county that year, and recorded votes as a share of that total population. This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
| Year | County Population | Votes Cast (% of Population) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15,356 | 48.0% of population |
| 2004 | 15,189 | 52.2% of population |
| 2008 | 14,884 | 48.9% of population |
| 2012 | 14,305 | 50.3% of population |
| 2016 | 14,101 | 50.3% of population |
| 2020 | 14,181 | 55.6% of population |
| 2024 | 14,168 | 58.4% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Rusk shifted 29.8 points toward the Republican candidate, based on recorded county returns. This reflects the vote totals in this dataset only; no claim is made here about the causes of that shift.
Margin Over Time
Democratic candidate's margin (percentage points, two-party vote share). Positive values favor the Democratic candidate; negative values favor the Republican candidate.
Bellwether Status
Rusk has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Wisconsin's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Wisconsin Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Rusk voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Rusk has voted Democratic in 1 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 6 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Rusk?
Rusk's closest recorded margin was in 2004, when George W. Bush (Republican) won by 2.1 points (165 votes) out of 7,927 total votes cast.
Has Rusk ever flipped between parties?
Yes. Rusk changed which party won the county in: 2008, 2012, based on the 2000-2024 record on this page.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Rusk?
The widest margin on record for Rusk was in 2024, when Donald J Trump (Republican) won by 38.5 points.
How many votes were cast in Rusk relative to its population?
In 2024, 8,270 votes were recorded in Rusk against a total population of 14,168 (58.4% of the total population). This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
Is Rusk a presidential bellwether county?
Rusk has matched the national popular winner in 5 of the last 7 presidential elections (71%), and Wisconsin's own statewide winner in 3 of 7 (43%).