The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.
Politics, for all its complexities, has a stark simplicity: there are winners and there are losers. While some may find solace in so-called “moral victories,” the reality remains—whoever gets the most votes wins. And in Wisconsin, the message from voters was loud and clear: the liberal candidate won, and the conservative candidate lost.
Susan Crawford defeated Brad Schimel, and it wasn’t even close. In a state known for razor-thin margins, a nearly 10% loss, a gap of around 240,000 votes, is a political earthquake. For Republicans, this isn’t just a loss; it’s a wake-up call. If we fail to learn from this result, the midterms next year could be even worse.
Here are four key initial lessons we must take from this election:
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1. Trump’s Endorsement Alone Won’t Win Elections
President Trump’s endorsement remains the most powerful in Republican politics, especially in primaries. However, in competitive general elections, it is not enough to carry a candidate. Look no further than last week in Wisconsin—Trump won Wisconsin twice in presidential elections, yet Brad Schimel lost, and it wasn’t very close. While his backing is a massive asset, it is not a golden ticket. Candidates need to connect with voters beyond President Trump’s base.
2. Candidate Quality Matters
This is not to say that Brad Schimel is a poor candidate—he’s a solid Republican figure with a strong résumé. However, in a race officially labeled as “non-partisan,” he appeared too much like a party-line Republican. Independent voters, who ultimately decide elections, looked at Susan Crawford as more independent, even though she is clearly a Democrat. The lesson here is simple: candidates need to resonate with voters beyond their own party. Republicans must recruit and nominate candidates who can appeal to a broader audience, especially in statewide elections.
3. All Politics is Still Local
Nationalizing elections has become the go-to strategy for both parties, but history shows that the side that makes the national issues local will usually win. At their core, most voters are kind of selfish. They, rightfully, care first about their daily lives—their jobs, their families, their communities. While national and global issues matter, they take a backseat to personal concerns. This is why the first number political analysts check on election night is the “Who cares more about people like me?” metric. More often than not, the candidate who wins that perception battle wins the election.
Even in last year’s presidential race, Trump’s “Kamala is for they/them, I am for you” messaging was so effective because it made a core national subject personal for voters. I you want to win, make the campaign about the people, not just the party.
4. Voters Need a Reason to Vote For You
Too often, campaigns focus on what’s wrong with the opponent rather than what’s right about their own candidate. In Wisconsin, the ads by the conservative side were almost copy and paste what I would see in a general election anywhere else in the country. Don’t get me wrong, negative ads work, but they are not enough. Most voters aren’t motivated by fear alone; they need a positive reason to support a candidate. This is why, despite a tough night for conservatives, the Voter ID amendment passed, it was clear, specific, and gave voters something tangible to support. In contrast, Schimel failed to articulate a compelling reason for independents to vote for him.
One of the very first questions I ask any candidate I am advising, “What is your why?” I need to know why they are running, that vision is what you need to sell to the voters. Candidates must offer a vision, a purpose, and a concrete reason to vote for them. If they fail to do so, they will almost always lose.
Looking Ahead
As a conservative who has lived in Wisconsin and cares deeply about the state, this election was painful to watch. But ignoring the lessons from this loss would be even more painful in the long run. If Republicans fail to learn, next year could be far more devastating for not only the party, but the country.
Blake Gober is a public relations and political consultant. Over the last 14 years, Blake has been involved in dozens of races across Wisconsin and the rest of the country.
