Editor’s Note: This story will be updated frequently as races are decided.
Wisconsin’s midterm election voters could be making history Tuesday as they decide on a new governor, the balance of power in the state Legislature, congressional contests, and state offices. In all cases, a “blue wave” of Democratic wins is possible because of record-high dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump, a Republican-controlled Congress, and 16 years of the GOP calling the shots in the Assembly and Senate.
Polls closed in Wisconsin at 8 p.m., but votes in some of the most competitive races may not come in until after midnight, if turnout matches the enthusiasm of voters looking to send a message and make some changes in Madison and Washington, DC.
Governor’s race
With Gov. Tony Evers retiring after two terms, the race to succeed him is between Democratic Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Republican US Rep. Tom Tiffany.
Tiffany, benefitting from massive spending by a handful of billionaires, used most of the campaign on negative ads against Crowley, summoning the usual “tax and spend” arguments Republicans make about Democrats. Crowley’s message centered on Tiffany having nothing that separates him from Trump, who’s low popularity also includes polling in Wisconsin.
Crowley is scheduled to appear at what supporters hope will be a victory party in downtown Milwaukee — joined by his lieutenant governor running mate, Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski. Tiffany will be watching results come in at a party in Wausau. His running mate is Lancaster Mayor David Varnam.
Beyond governor and lieutenant governor, there are three other state offices being decided today by voters.
Attorney General and other state offices
Attorney General Josh Kaul is running for a third term as the state’s top law enforcement official. The race is a rematch with Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney.
Kaul has emphasized his record in protecting consumers in court cases and his dozens of lawsuits seeking to prevent federal overreach by the Trump administration. Toney has criticized Kaul for a slowdown in processing cases at the state crime lab, Kaul counters that he’s doing what he can with what a Republican-controlled Legislature is providing.
With current Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski running for lieutenant governor, Wisconsin voters are being asked to choose a new occupant for a constitutional office that has few duties. Milwaukee Alder JoCasta Zamarripa is facing off with Republican Jay Schroeder.
Republicans stripped away duties from the secretary of state and treasurer years ago when the offices were consistently held by Democrats, even with GOP majorities in the Assembly and Senate. But Schroeder has embraced a plan by Trump backers to put election oversight into the secretary’s office if a Republican were to win — and also disband the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
Republicans hold one statewide office and Treasurer John Leiber is running for a second term, facing a challenge from Marathon County Board member Yee Leng Xiong.
Congressional races
Republicans are facing the prospect of losing their narrow 218-214 majority in the US House of Representatives, a common result for the party that controls the White House during midterm elections. Western Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District may be emblematic of that shift.
US Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien) is bucking conventional wisdom by running tightly in line with Trump and hoping the president still has enough support in a large farming district to keep him in office. But farmer dissatisfaction with tariffs is working against him, and the district also has two large population centers — Eau Claire and La Crosse — and smaller college communities where Democratic turnout is expected to be heavy.
In the 1st District, US Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Janesville) faces a challenge by Democratic emergency nurse Mitchell Berman. The district is perpetually touted as a pickup opportunity for Democrats, but they have been unable to topple Steil or his predecessors, including former House Speaker Paul Ryan, since 1995.
Wisconsin’s remaining US House races are less competitive because the current district boundaries were originally written by Republicans to keep them with a 6-2 advantage in an otherwise 50-50 state.
The 2nd and 4th districts are heavily Democratic. Incumbent US Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Black Earth) and Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) are expected to easily win new terms.
In the 5th District, US Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) faces a challenge from Democrat Andrew Beck.
In the 6th District, US Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah) faces an easier path to reelection because the opposition vote is split by multiple challengers: Democrat Brad Smith, independents Mike Thurow and Elizabeth Fitzgibbon, and Matthew Arndt of the Green Party.
In the 7th District, where Tiffany released the seat to run for governor, the new congressman could turn out to be Republican Michael Alfonso, son-in-law of US Transportation Secretary and former 7th District US Rep. Sean Duffy. But a large enough wave could also sweep Democratic former state Rep. Fred Clark into the seat.
In the 8th District, US Rep. Tony Wied (R-Green Bay) is seeking a second term in office and faces a challenge from retired US Army lieutenant colonel Rick Crosson.
Legislative races: Senate
In the Senate, Republicans’ 18-15 majority is in danger after an exodus of GOP incumbents, knowing Democrats only needed to pick up two seats to wrest control.
The most closely watched race is in southwest Wisconsin’s 17th District, where Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green), co-chair of the Legislature’s powerful Joint Finance Committee, is being challenged by Rep. Jenna Jacobson (D-Oregon).
Democrats also hope to pick up a seat in the suburban Milwaukee 5th District, where Sen. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) chose not to run and state Rep. Robyn Vining (D-Wauwatosa) faces Republican business owner Mike Roberts.
There is a pickup opportunity for Democrats in southeast Wisconsin’s 21st District. With Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) not running, Democrat Trevor Jung, a former Racine alder and the city’s transit director, faces Republican Jim Croft.
Another pickup opportunity is in northwest Wisconsin’s 25th District, an open seat because new boundary maps put incumbent Sen. Romaine Quinn (R-Rice Lake) in the 23rd District. Democrat Charly Ray will face Republican former state Rep. Erik Severson in the new 25th.
And in northeast Wisconsin’s 1st District, where Sen. André Jacque (R-New Franken) also retired, his former staffer, Nic Cravillion of New Franken, faces independent Mark Becker, who stepped down as chair of the Brown County Republican Party after Trump’s 2016 election and backed Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
Legislative races: Assembly
Republicans hold a 54-45 majority in the Assembly, meaning Democrats have to flip five seats and hold all of their own in order to take control for the first time since 2010.
Here are some of the most-anticipated races to decide which party wins the majority.
District 21 – Rep. Jessie Rodriguez (R-Oak Creek) is not running. Republican Dylan Pfaffenbach faces Democrat Dan Bukiewicz.
District 30 – Rep. Shannon Zimmerman (R-River Falls) is being challenged by Hudson educator Kevin Knoke.
District 51 – Rep. Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville) faces Democrat Ben Gruber.
District 53 – Rep. Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah) is not running. The candidates are Democrat Becky Nichols, Republican David Daniels, and independent Rachael Dowling.
District 61 – Rep. Bob Donovan (R-Greenfield) faces Democratic challenger Ben Brist.
District 85 – Rep. Patrick Snyder (R-Weston) faces Marathon County Board member John Kroll.
District 88 – Rep. Benjamin Franklin (R-De Pere) is running for a second term and is being challenged by Democrat Brandy Tollefson.
District 92 – Rep. Clint Moses (R-Menomonie) faces Democratic challenger and former teacher Jeremiah Fredrickson.
District 94 – Veteran Democratic Rep. Steve Doyle (D-Onalaska) is being challenged by Republican Keith Purnell.
