Democrat Patty Schachtner handily defeated Republican State Rep. Adam Jarchow in a special election to replace Sheila Harsdorf in representing parts of five Northwestern Wisconsin counties in the State Senate. Governor Scott Walker appointed Harsdorf as appointed Secretary of Agriculture.
The ten-point win represents a significant partisan shift, as all five counties voted for president Donald Trump last year. Harsdorf, a Republican, held the seat for 16 years.
Democrats across the country have managed to harness anti-Trump sentiment, with surprising wins in Virginia, Alabama and elsewhere.
Schachter’s win does not change the balance of power in state government, as the GOP still holds an 18-14 majority with one vacancy in the Senate. It might, however, signal that Republicans may have a tough year ahead of them in Wisconsin.
