Republicans emerged from Tuesday’s elections still in complete control of the Wisconsin Legislature, overcoming new district boundaries that Democrats had hoped would give them a chance at finally making major inroads in both chambers.
As of early Wednesday morning, the GOP had held six of 10 Republican Senate districts up this cycle, ensuring themselves of at least an 18-seat majority. Democrats managed to flip one district, ending the GOP’s 22-seat supermajority and preventing Republicans from overriding any vetoes from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
Democrats had better luck in the Assembly, flipping a handful of districts, but it wasn’t enough. As of early Wednesday morning Republicans had still amassed at least 50 seats, guaranteeing them control.
The GOP has controlled both chambers for most of the last 13 years. They’ve used their majorities to neuter public employee unions, legalize concealed weapons, scale back diversity initiatives and tighten voting rules.
Democrats had hoped this election cycle would be different after liberal justices took control of the state Supreme Court in 2023, clearing the way for Evers to draw new district boundaries that spread out Republican voters.