Parker Wallis

With many sources predicting a Red Wave, Democrats in states like Wisconsin shocked pollsters by maintaining most of their offices, giving little to their Republican opponents.

Gov. Tony Evers (D) won his election against Republican challenger Tim Michels, receiving 51.2 percent of the vote versus Michel’s 47.8 percent, according to the Associated Press. National political reporter Adam Wren notes that Evers made history as “the first Democratic governor since 1962 to win in Wisconsin in a midterm election with a Democratic president.”

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul (D) held his office with a narrow victory against Republican Eric Toney, garnering 50.7 percent of the vote, and Secretary of State Doug La Foulette (D) won by an even slimmer margin of 0.3 percent (or 7,442 votes) against his opponent Amy Loudenbeck (R), who conceded the race after canvassing ended the morning of November 21st. 

 GOP candidates won 6 out of 8 seats representing Wisconsin in the US House of Representatives, holding onto five districts and flipping one. The exceptions were Wisconsin’s 2nd and 4th Districts, where Democrats held over 71 percent of the vote in both areas.

Incumbent Ron Johnson (R) maintained hold of his US Senate seat, winning out against Democrat Mandela Barnes by 1 percent, or 26,255 votes.

From State Assembly Districts 1 to 4, Republican incumbents in the Wisconsin House won their respective elections, maintaining the legislature’s Republican majority with 35 Dems to 64 GOP. 

Democrats fared better in the State Senate elections where incumbents Tim Carpenter (D-District 3) and Chris Larson (D-District 7) swept by large margins. Carpenter earned 69.05 percent against Angel Sanchez’s (R) 30.95 percent, and Larson won 67.31 percent of the vote in his race against GOP candidate Peter Gilbert (32.69 percent). 

In State Senate Districts 1 and 5, Republicans won their respective races with incumbent Andre Jacque (R-District 1) gaining 59.64 percent of the vote against Democratic challenger Andrea Gage Micheals and Rob Hutton (R) clinching the District 5 race with 53.30 percent of the vote, leaving Jessica Katzenmeyer (D) with only 46.70 percent. The seat count in the State Senate now sits at 5 Dems to 12 GOP. 

As it stands, the Republicans hold a majority in both the Wisconsin House and State Senate with steadfast Democrats maintaining their seats in statewide offices, i.e. Governor, Attorney General, and Secretary of State.

Gov. Evers acknowledged the record turnout of young voters as the motivating force behind Democrats this election. “You showed up for each other, you showed up for reproductive rights and the freedom for you and your neighbors to make their own healthcare decisions without having to ask me or any other elected official,” he said.