Tuesday’s election proved to be a banner day for Republicans in the Wisconsin state legislature.
The GOP picked up a net gain of one seat each in the state Assembly and state Senate, strengthening their already-solid grasp on the state’s two legislative chambers. Republicans now control 60 of the 99 Assembly seats and 19 of the 33 Senate seats.
Republicans and Democrats traded seats in the fifth and 29th Assembly districts, with Democrat Tom Nelson and Republican Andy Lamb defeating Republican Becky Weber and Democrat Joe Plouff, respectively. Republican Terry Moulton beat Democrat Joe Bee Xiong in the open 68th Assembly District.
The election marked the seventh consecutive cycle in which Republicans picked up seats in the Assembly. The GOP’s majority in the lower chamber is at its highest level since the 1950s.
“Today I am extremely proud of our Assembly Republican team,” Assembly Speaker John Gard, R-Peshtigo, said in a statement. “It is clear that the voters of this state support our agenda of reducing taxes, creating jobs and reforming health care.”
In the Senate, Republican Dan Kapanke bested Democrat Brad Pfaff in the 32nd District, an open seat previously occupied by Democrat Mark Meyer. Rep. Mark Miller, D-Monona, also claimed victory in the senate seat currently occupied by Sen. Chuck Chvala, D-Madison, who did not seek re-election.
Republicans came close to claiming another seat, but Sen. Bob Wirch , D-Pleasant Prairie, hung on in a close race against Republican Reince Priebus.
Many legislative Democrats have accused Republicans of dominating the last session with a radically conservative social agenda. With the GOP’s numbers even stronger now, Miller said it is questionable whether the legislature will be willing to address other pressing needs, like health care and the environment.
“I’m not confident but we’ll have to see how it shakes out,” Miller said.
But Mike Prentiss, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said the legislature will address a wide range of issues affecting Wisconsin citizens.
“We’re going to talk about property taxes, job creation, health care reform, and we’re going to do something about the tax [situation] we’re in — Wisconsin should not be in the top five or 10 states in terms of taxes,” Prentiss said. “We’re in a great mood, we came back with bigger majorities and the voters showed they want us to address those issues.”
Prentiss said the legislature would first and foremost seek to enact a property-tax freeze, with the Taxpayer Bill of Rights on its heels.
Senate Democrats, meanwhile, received a jolt Wednesday upon Sen. Jon Erpenbach’s, D-Middleton, decision to step down as Senate Minority Leader. Erpenbach, the Minority Leader since last year, will not seek re-election to the post when the Senate reconvenes in January.
“I have enjoyed being Leader and it was a challenge I am glad I took on — now it is someone else’s turn,” Erpenbach said in a statement announcing his decision.
Prentiss said Fitzgerald, who assumed the role of Senate Majority Leader from Sen. Mary Panzer, R-West Bend, in September, is expected to retain his spot as the top Senate Republican in a caucus vote next week.
