Wisconsin Democrats achieved a major political milestone this election cycle, flipping 14 legislative seats—10 in the Assembly and 4 in the Senate. The gains reflect the impact of Governor Tony Evers’ redistricting plan and the influence of the State Supreme Court’s new progressive majority, which reshaped the electoral playing field.
After years of Republican-drawn maps favoring GOP candidates, the newly implemented maps, approved earlier this year, created more Democratic districts. The changes followed a closely watched legal battle, with the State Supreme Court’s progressive majority playing a pivotal role in approving maps that allow Democrats to change the political landscape leading to the gains on election day.
In the Assembly, Democrats successfully flipped 10 seats.
The Senate saw similar shifts, with Democrats flipping four seats. These gains were concentrated in districts where redistricting weakened Republican incumbents. Republican Sen. Duey Stroebel was drawn into a district that was 80% new and was added into the highly democratic North-Shore suburbs in Milwaukee. The four seats Senate Democrats gained:
14th Senate District: Sarah Keyeski Defeats Joan Ballweg
30th Senate District: Jamie Wall Defeats Jim Rafter
8th Senate District: Jodi Habush Sinykin Defeats Duey Stroebel
18th Senate District: Kristin Alfheim Defeats Anthony Wayne Phillips
These legislative gains position Democrats to challenge Republican dominance in the state legislature, although the GOP still holds a slim majority. With the changes in legislative composition, Democrats are expected to push for policy priorities such as expanding Medicaid, increasing funding for public education and UW-System. Speaker Robin Vos has said Democrats ambitious to raise taxes, increase welfare spending, and major increases in education spending is dead-on-arrival. It remains to be seen if he is bolstering or will fight Evers and use his majority to block Assembly Democrats and Evers agenda.
Governor Evers and Democratic leaders praised the election results as a win for democracy and highlighted that Republicans can no longer ignore Democrats power as a result of
