Wisconsin’s 2026 midterm elections delivered a dramatic reshaping of state government, with Democrats winning full control of both legislative chambers and every major statewide office. The results not only reversed years of Republican dominance in the state but also reflected a broader national pattern of Democratic gains.
When the votes were counted, Democrats had secured an 18-15 majority in the Wisconsin Senate and a 53-46 majority in the State Assembly — giving the party a trifecta that includes the governor’s office and all other statewide executive positions. Democrats now control Wisconsin government with a substantial list of policy priorities waiting in the wings.
At the top of the ticket, Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Crowley defeated Republican Tom Tiffany by 8 percentage points — a significantly wider margin than the wins posted by outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who won by 3.4 points in 2022 and just 1.1 points in 2018. Crowley outlined his priorities in his first public remarks as governor-elect. In a historic milestone, Wisconsin elected its first Black governor and its first Latino and Hmong statewide officers.
How the Map Shifted
Crowley’s performance was notably stronger than Evers’ in Wisconsin’s eastern counties. In Milwaukee County, Crowley expanded the Democratic margin by 9.2 percentage points and received nearly three times as many votes as Tiffany.
Tiffany did outperform his party’s 2022 gubernatorial nominee, Tim Michels, in parts of western and central Wisconsin. In Lafayette County, for example, Tiffany captured 56.4% of the vote — a 5.4-point improvement over the 2022 Republican showing in that county.
The longer-term trend, however, favors Democrats in Wisconsin’s more populous suburban counties. Since 2018, Democrats have steadily improved their margins in counties like Waukesha, Milwaukee, and Dane. Ozaukee County shifted from a 25-point Republican advantage in 2018 to only a 5-point Republican lead this year — a 20-point swing over three election cycles.
Rural areas told a different story. In Ashland County in far northern Wisconsin, the Democratic candidate’s lead narrowed by 8.5 points compared to previous elections. Democrats have also lost ground in rural counties including Lafayette, Marquette, and Pepin over the past three election cycles.
Congressional Races Complete the Picture
Democrats flipped Wisconsin’s 1st and 3rd congressional districts, splitting the state’s eight-seat U.S. House delegation evenly at 4-4. Even in districts that Republicans ultimately held, Democratic candidates narrowed the margins compared to prior cycles.
Statewide, Democrat Josh Kaul won a third term as Wisconsin attorney general, adding to the Democrats’ sweep of executive offices.
Four key takeaways emerged from Tuesday’s results that may shape how both parties approach Wisconsin politics heading into the next election cycle. Data and reporting for this story were provided by Wisconsin Watch, a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. You can subscribe to their newsletters for original stories and weekly news roundups. Republication of their work is permitted under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License; visit wisconsinwatch.org for details.