Vos Lowers Expectations for a Veto-Proof GOP Majority in Legislature

Republicans would have total control of state government if they flip a handful of Assembly and Senate seats.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said Wednesday he does not think the odds are in Republicans’ favor to win a supermajority in the Legislature that would allow them to override Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ vetoes.

What once seemed a very real possibility now appears to be out of reach for Republicans, with Vos giving his party just a one-in-three chance of flipping enough seats to effectively give the Legislature complete control of state government.

“I don’t think it’s likely, only because of the environment we are in,” Vos said, perhaps referencing President Trump’s continued low popularity, but also noting the Democratic Party of Wisconsin has experienced historic fundraising levels so far this election cycle. 

Vos expressed his doubts at attaining the supermajority during a Wednesday afternoon virtual event hosted by WisPolitics.com. He appeared alongside Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh), who is confident Democrats will flip a few seats in the Nov. 3 election.

Republicans currently hold 63 of 99 Assembly seats and 18 of 33 Senate seats, meaning they would need to flip three Assembly and five Senate districts to reach the supermajority. 

Hintz said Democrats, who are anticipated to perform well in suburbs due to President Donald Trump’s divisive rhetoric, have a decent chance of beating incumbent Republican Reps. Jessie Rodriguez and Ken Skowronski, who represent southern Milwaukee suburbs. 

Rodrigiuez, who represents the moderate cities of Oak Creek and South Milwaukee, is running against three-term South Milwaukee Mayor Erik Brooks. Skowronski, who represents Franklin and Greendale, is running against political newcomer 22-year-old Jacob Malinowski.

Meanwhile, Vos said he believes Republican challengers could unseat Democratic Reps. Robyn Vining, Nick Milroy, and Steve Doyle. Vining’s district is suburban, while the others have semi-rural districts.

Vos is confident Vining, a freshman who represents a politically mixed district comprising parts of Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, and Brookfield, will lose to Republican Bonnie Lee, a community development organizer.

Milroy, now in his sixth term in the Assembly, represents far northwestern Wisconsin including Superior and Spooner. He is being challenged by Keith Kern, a Superior alderman. 

Doyle, who’s running for a 5th full term in a district that surrounds La Crosse and includes Onalaska and Holmen, is challenged by farmer and La Crosse County Supervisor Kevin Hoyer.