spectrumnews1.com · September 8, 2026
Control of State Senate up for grabs this November
State Senate chambers (Spectrum News 1/Alex Loroff)
# Control of State Senate up for grabs this November
BY Alex Loroff Wisconsin
PUBLISHED 5:00 PM ET Sep. 08, 2026 PUBLISHED 5:00 PM EDT Sep. 08, 2026
MADISON, Wis. — Control of the Wisconsin State Senate is narrowly divided heading into the November midterm elections, with Republicans holding an 18-15 majority and Democrats needing to gain two seats to take control of the chamber.
The Senate is a key part of both parties’ efforts to control state government. The last time Wisconsin had a political trifecta, with one party controlling every branch of government, was after Republicans swept the 2010 election.
Andrew Whitley with the State Senate Democratic Committee said Democrats are focused on direct voter outreach in the final stretch before Election Day.
“Our candidates have knocked thousands of doors, they’re taking their message directly to voters and talking to them face-to-face,” Whitley said. “We’re also doing a really good job of hitting people at the mailbox, the TV.”
Whitley said Democrats believe their message is connecting with voters on issues including health care, child care and utility prices.
“They’re getting squeezed in a lot of places, so we’re offering real results to those things,” Whitley said.
State Sen. Patrick Testin, R-Stevens Point, said Wisconsin families are facing challenges but argued Republicans are better positioned to address them. He said he is pushing for a GOP trifecta in 2027.
“The sky is the limit,” Testin said. “We have the opportunity to enact significant tax reform, hopefully get that surplus that the state is currently sitting on, get that back to the taxpayers.”
Testin said Republican Senate candidates could benefit from strong turnout in November and pointed to the coalition that helped Donald Trump win Wisconsin in 2024.
“This is going to be our opportunity to ensure that coalition that helped elect Donald Trump and gave him the state of Wisconsin in 2024 can help out Tom Tiffany become the next governor,” Testin said.
Whitley said Democrats feel confident after David Crowley’s primary win, saying Republicans had to adjust afterward.
“I think they were expecting something different that happened a few weeks ago,” Whitley said. “It took them a little bit to adjust and I don’t think they’ve recovered, so we feel good, we’ve got a good ticket, we’ve got a united ticket.”
Both parties are watching several Senate races that could determine control of the chamber.
Those include the 5th and 21st districts in southeastern Wisconsin, both open races after the Republican incumbents opted not to seek re-election. In southwest Wisconsin, Republican Howard Marklein is being challenged by Democratic Assembly Rep. Jenna Jacobson. In the Chippewa Valley, Democratic incumbent Jeff Smith is trying to retain his seat against Republican Michele Skinner.
Whitley said Democrats see a favorable environment for a potential trifecta, while Testin said Republicans believe their candidates are running strong campaigns.
“We feel very confident that our candidates are in a very good position and they are running very strong campaigns going door-to-door in their respective communities,” Testin said.