November Legislative Update

2022 Election Results

United States Senate

Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (50.5 percent) won a third six-year term, defeating Democratic challenger Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (49.5 percent).

Governor

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers (51.2 percent) defeated Republican challenger Tim Michels (47.8 percent). Evers’ running-mate Rep. Sara Rodriguez (D-Brookfield) will serve as the state’s next lieutenant governor.

Attorney General

Incumbent Democrat Josh Kaul (50.7 percent) defeated the Republican challenger, Fond du Lac DA Eric Toney (49.3 percent), to win a second term.

Secretary of State

Incumbent Democrat Doug La Follette (48.3 percent) appears to have narrowly defeated Republican challenger Rep. Amy Loudenbeck (48.1 percent), Libertarian candidate Neil Harmon (2.1 percent), and Green Party candidate Sharyl McFarland (1.6 percent), winning a twelfth term as secretary of state by less than 7,000 votes.

State Treasurer

Republican candidate John Leiber (49.7 percent) defeated Democratic candidate Aaron Richardson (48.1 percent) and Constitution Party candidate Andrew Zuelke (2.2 percent) in an open race. Incumbent Treasurer Sarah Godlewski ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

State Senate

Before (2021-22 Session)
Republicans: 21
Democrats: 12

After (2023-24 Session)
Republicans: 22
Democrats: 11

Prior to the election, Republicans controlled the 33-member chamber with 21 members. The Senate’s 17 odd-numbered seats were up for election this cycle. Four Republicans and three Democrats did not seek reelection. Republicans won five open seats and retained all seven incumbents for a net gain of one seat, or 22 members. This constitutes a two-thirds majority that could be used to override a governor’s veto.

State Assembly

Before (2021-22 Session)
Republicans: 61
Democrats: 38

After (2023-24 Session)
Republicans: 64
Democrats: 35

Prior to the election, Republicans controlled the 99-member chamber with 61 members. All 99 seats were up for election this cycle, while 14 Republicans and 11 Democrats did not seek reelection. Republicans appear to have won a net gain of three seats and will not secure a two-thirds or “veto-proof” majority.

Next Steps

Winning candidates will be officially sworn in on Inauguration Day next year, Tuesday, January 3. The legislative caucuses will meet soon to elect their leadership for the 2023-24 session. Those leaders will distribute committee assignments among their members. Because Republicans control each house, they will select committee chairs and will have a majority of the members on each committee.

Legislative Leaders Selected

On Thursday following last week’s elections, Republican legislators from the Senate and Assembly met to elect their leaders for the 2023-24 session. Senate Democrats met Tuesday for leadership elections, and Assembly Democrats met on Thursday.

Senate leadership from both parties will mostly remain the same, save for one new Republican member in Sen. Joan Ballweg and a new Democratic member in Senator-elect Dianne Hesselbein, both as their respective party’s caucus vice-chair.

Assembly Republicans re-elected Rep. Robin Vos as Speaker. Speaker Pro Tempore Tyler August, who has also served as Majority Leader since Rep. Jim Steineke left office, will continue on in that role while Assistant Majority Leader Kevin Petersen will become Speaker Pro Tempore. Assembly Republican leadership will have three new members in Reps. Plumer, Summerfield, and Pronschinske.

Senate Republicans

  • Senate President – Chris Kapenga
  • Senate President Pro Tempore – Patrick Testin
  • Majority Leader – Devin LeMahieu
  • Assistant Majority Leader – Dan Feyen
  • Caucus Chair – Van Wanggaard
  • Caucus Vice-Chair – Joan Ballweg (new to leadership)

Senate Democrats

  • Senate Minority Leader – Melissa Agard
  • Senate Minority Assistant Leader – Jeff Smith
  • Senate Minority Caucus Chair – Chris Larson
  • Senate Minority Caucus Vice-Chair – Dianne Hesselbein

Assembly Republicans

  • Assembly Speaker – Robin Vos
  • Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore – Kevin Petersen (new position – formerly Assistant Majority Leader)
  • Majority Leader – Tyler August (new position – formerly Speaker Pro Tem)
  • Assistant Majority Leader – Jon Plumer (new to leadership)
  • Caucus Chair – Rob Summerfield (new to leadership)
  • Caucus Vice-Chair – Cindi Duchow
  • Caucus Sergeant at Arms – Treig Pronschinske (new to leadership)

Assembly Democrats

  • Assembly Minority Leader – Greta Neubauer
  • Assembly Minority Assistant Leader – Kalan Haywood
  • Assembly Minority Caucus Chair – Lisa Subeck
  • Assembly Minority Caucus Vice-Chair – Jill Billings
  • Assembly Minority Secretary – Kristina Shelton
  • Assembly Minority Sergeant at Arms – Lee Snodgrass