Year-end reports show Republicans stockpiling for Assembly control while Democrats pour resources into a two-seat State Senate path—with an open Hutton seat raising the stakes.
With Wisconsin’s next round of elections set for Nov. 3, 2026, early fundraising is displaying how each party thinks power will be won, and how it will be used once it’s won.
A Wisconsin Public Radio analysis of the year-end campaign finance reports shows Republicans building a financial firewall around the State Assembly, while Democrats are trying to buy a path to a State Senate majority under the state’s newer, more competitive maps.
In the last half of 2025, the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee raised about $4.5 million, about four times what the Democratic Assembly committee brought in. The GOP fund is roughly $5.2 million cash on hand heading into 2026 campaigning, but raised under two hundred thousand in 2026.
Democrats reported just over $1.1 million raised for their Assembly committee and ended the period with around $241,000 in the bank. Their donor list also included big-dollar names such as LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman gave $175,000. The overall picture is that Republicans are prioritizing holding the chamber they already control with a cash supply that can help decide races early.
If Democrats are going to run a wish list through one chamber, the Assembly is the best place for Republicans to stop tax hikes, block regulatory expansions, and force compromise. This also allows for both parties to work on their respective chambers and focus the rest on the open Governors seat.
On the Senate side, the State Senate Democratic Committee raised about $772,000, while the main GOP Senate committee raised around $307,000. The Senate is now 18–15 Republican, and Democrats need to flip two seats, in addition to holding all current seats, to take control.
Sen. Rob Hutton (R–Brookfield) announced he will not seek reelection, immediately turning a key seat into a battle.
This is the second election cycle under the new district lines adopted after court and political pressure to redraw maps in Democrats favor. The Democrats made notable legislative gains in 2024 under the new boundaries, setting up 2026 as a fight majorities.
