Josh Kaul and Eric Toney fight over Wisconsin crime data in AG rematch

Voters in Wisconsin will decide Tuesday who leads the state Department of Justice. The choice hinges on how candidates interpret the same crime statistics.

Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul faces Republican Eric Toney in a rematch. Both men use public safety numbers to argue for their record. Kaul cites FBI data showing violent crime dropped 17% across the state from 2019 to 2025. He points to 2025 as the year with the lowest violent crime count since 2011.

Toney counters with local figures from his home district of Fond du Lac County. In that county, violent crime increased 20% during the same period. Toney noted that his district recorded its second-highest violent crime total in decades last year.

The data reveals a mixed trend within the county. Violent crime fell in 2024 before spiking in 2025. Aggravated assaults drove much of that rise. Reported rapes and homicides remained low, creating a small sample size for those specific categories.

Toney argues that domestic violence drives the local numbers. He also pointed to homicide rates. Toney stated that murder is up more than 30% since Kaul took office. FBI data shows Wisconsin recorded 40% more murders last year than in 2019. Homicides peaked in 2021 and have declined every year since, though they have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Experts question how much influence the attorney general has on these figures. Marc Levin, chief policy counsel for the Council on Criminal Justice, told FOX6 that crime rates involve many factors. He said it is difficult to assign causation to a specific district attorney or attorney general.

Levin added that the attorney general role focuses more on civil law than criminal enforcement. He stated that any differences in performance would likely appear on the civil side rather than the criminal side.

One area where the attorney general has direct control is the state crime labs. A 2024 legislative audit found that turnaround times for evidence analysis rose nearly 50% from 2019 to 2023. During that same period, assignments dropped 13%.

Kaul said those figures are misleading because DNA analysis methods changed. He explained that new toxicology testing can identify drugs like fentanyl at lower quantities. Kaul argued the legislature has not provided the investment the lab needs.

Toney said increasing lab efficiency is a top priority. He plans to adopt formal performance metrics for lab analysts. Toney criticized Kaul for blaming the legislature while using the resources provided.

Beyond crime stats, Kaul cited changes to sexual assault kit laws and funding for the Office of School Safety. He also joined more than 60 lawsuits against the Trump administration while in office. Toney pointed to a 75% rise in felony filings in his county since 2012. He also highlighted support from more than 80% of the state's sheriffs.

Both candidates claim their records prove they can keep Wisconsinites safe. The Tuesday vote will determine which interpretation of the data wins the state's highest prosecutorial office.