2 WI Congressmen Ousted And Other Takeaways From Blue Wave Election

MILWAUKEE, WI — Two Republican members of Congress from Wisconsin lost their seats Tuesday, as Democrats also won the governor's office and took both chambers of the Legislature, ending a Republican hold on the Capitol's two houses that dates to 2011.

Democrat Mitchell Berman, an emergency room nurse, beat Rep. Bryan Steil in the 1st Congressional District, a seat Republicans had held for more than 30 years, and Steil conceded, FOX6 reported.

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Democrat Rebecca Cooke beat Rep. Derrick Van Orden in the 3rd District, avenging her narrow loss to him in 2024.

The results leave Wisconsin's U.S. House delegation split 4-4, down from a 6-2 Republican edge. Republicans Scott Fitzgerald, Glenn Grothman and Tony Wied won reelection, and Michael Alfonso kept the open 7th District seat in GOP hands. Democrats Gwen Moore and Mark Pocan were also reelected.

Here's how the rest of the election played out. All results remain unofficial.

Crowley's Win Makes History Twice

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley defeated Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and will be Wisconsin's first Black governor, Wisconsin Watch reported. Democrats have also never held the office for more than eight straight years in the state's 178-year history, according to the Associated Press, a streak Crowley will now extend past retiring Gov. Tony Evers' two terms.

With more than 95% of votes counted, Crowley led by about 53% to 47%, a gap of about 172,000 votes out of nearly 2.6 million, UpNorthNews reported. The outlet said a Democratic session could steer an estimated $3 billion surplus toward school funding and property tax relief.

Democrats Flipped The Legislature

Democrats won an 18-15 Senate majority and a 53-46 Assembly majority, flipping three Senate seats and eight Assembly seats, according to unofficial results reported by WPR. Republicans had held 18-15 and 54-45 advantages. WPR said it will be the first Democratic trifecta since Jim Doyle was governor, and credited a national Democratic wave and competitive districts drawn in 2024.

Rep. Jenna Jacobson beat Sen. Howard Marklein, a co-chair of the Legislature's budget committee, in a southwestern Wisconsin race that had drawn $10.3 million in spending, WisPolitics reported.

Milwaukee-Area Seats Helped Decide It

Two of the Senate flips came in southeast Wisconsin, in seats where Republican incumbents did not run. Rep. Robyn Vining won the 5th District, which includes Brookfield, Wauwatosa and West Allis, and Trevor Jung won the 21st, which includes Greenfield, Hales Corners, Greendale, Franklin and Racine, FOX6 reported.

In the Assembly, WPR reported that Democrat Daniel Bukiewicz beat Republican Dylan Pfaffenbach in the 21st District, the open seat left by Rep. Jessie Rodriguez, R-Oak Creek. Democrat Ben Brist of Greendale defeated Rep. Bob Donovan, R-Greenfield, in the 61st District.

Democrats Won The Other Statewide Offices

Attorney General Josh Kaul won a third term, beating Eric Toney about 54% to 46%. JoCasta Zamarripa won the secretary of state's race with 50.7% of the vote over Republican Jay Schroeder, and Yee Leng Xiong beat Republican Treasurer John Leiber about 52% to 48%, UpNorthNews reported. Wisconsin Watch said Zamarripa and Xiong will be the state's first Latino and Hmong statewide elected officials.

Voters Split On Constitutional Amendments

Voters approved an amendment that bars governments and public schools and universities from discriminating or giving preferential treatment based on race, sex, ethnicity or national origin, WPR reported. It is expected to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs in those institutions.

They rejected a measure that would have stopped officials from closing places of worship during emergencies, with about 52% voting no, the Wisconsin Examiner reported. The Examiner also reported that a third measure, barring governors from using the partial veto to create or raise taxes or fees, passed narrowly with about 51%.