MADISON, WI – Articles in the Wisconsin Independent,  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and NBC News highlighted the epidemic of Republican retirements as legislators can no longer deny the coming Democratic wins across Wisconsin. Senators LeMahieu, Nass, Hutton, and Wanggaard have all announced their retirements rather than allowing the voters to hold them accountable for their failed leadership. 

Read more on the string of Wisconsin Republicans retiring from the State Legislature: 

NBC News: In battleground Wisconsin, the 2026 elections are poised to bring a ‘changing of the guard’

  • “In the last three months, seven state Republican lawmakers have announced their retirements — including the party leaders in the Assembly and the Senate — providing a boost to Democrats’ hopes they could win control of at least one legislative chamber for the first time in 16 years.”
  • “Democrats and Democratic-backed candidates have won 18 of the last 23 statewide races in Wisconsin. But that hasn’t affected its swing state status.”
  • “‘These retirements have largely confirmed what we had already thought, which is that we have an extraordinary opportunity this year in Wisconsin,’ Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Devin Remiker said in an interview, referring to the GOP lawmakers who declined to run for re-election.”
  • “Recent polling underscores that the political winds are currently blowing in Democrats’ direction. A Marquette University Law School poll conducted in mid-March found that about half of Wisconsin Democrats said they were very enthusiastic about voting in the technically nonpartisan Supreme Court election in April, compared to a third of Republicans.” 
  • “And the survey showed that 56% of registered voters disapproved of Trump’s job performance. That’s the highest share from any of Marquette’s Wisconsin polls during the president’s two terms in office, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted.”
  • “Democrats then made substantial gains in both legislative chambers in the 2024 elections. This year, they would need to net two seats to control the state Senate and five seats to have a majority in the Assembly.”

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Are Republican departures a ‘canary in the coal mine’ in Wisconsin?

  • “But the party’s control of the state Legislature is increasingly at risk now that a series of key Republican lawmakers have announced they won’t seek reelection, leaving a leadership vacuum and key competitive seats without an incumbent candidate at a time when the leader of their party faces his lowest approval rating on record in Wisconsin.”
  • “’Retirements of legislators are sort of a canary in the coal mine, giving a signal as to how elections are going to go in the fall,’ said Barry Burden, executive director of University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Elections Research Center.”
  • “‘In Wisconsin, it’s more Republicans stepping aside than Democrats. I think that’s an indicator that Republicans see their majorities, at least the sizes of them, in some jeopardy. The fact that its leaders and members from swing areas is a real indicator that things are not going well for the party.’”
  • “The news of the retirements gives Senate Republicans a much tougher fight to keep their slim control of the chamber without incumbents in the key races.”
  • “SSDC spokesman Will Karcz said the recent string of retirement announcements doesn’t change the campaign committee’s strategy, noting that the party has had candidates in place for months, but said the party believes it helps their chances by taking away the advantage of incumbency.”
  • “In a statement, Hesselbein accused the Republican-led Legislature of ‘refusing to address the affordability crisis’ while in the majority.”
  • “’Now, instead of running in fair districts for the first time and being held accountable to their constituents, Senators LeMahieu, Hutton, Wanggaard, and Nass are calling it quits before they are beaten at the ballot box. We’re eager to flip their seats, win a Democratic majority, and deliver real results for working families in Wisconsin,’ Hesselbein said.”
  • “Democrats then made substantial gains in both legislative chambers in the 2024 elections. This year, they would need to net two seats to control the state Senate and five seats to have a majority in the Assembly.”

The Wisconsin Independent: Wisconsin state government will look vastly different after wave of retirements

  • “Wisconsin will have new leaders throughout state government next year after a wave of retirements, which, along with new legislative maps, could give Democrats a chance at controlling the state Senate or Assembly for the first time in 15 years.”
  • “He’s one of several Republican state senators who are not running for reelection. Others are Sens. Van Wanggaard, Rob Hutton and Steve Nass. Hutton and Wanggaard’s districts were two of the four battleground Senate districts included in a Marquette University Law School researcher’s analysis of the 2026 state elections.”
  • “After LeMahieu’s announcement, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Devin Remiker said in a statement that other Republicans should follow LeMahieu’s lead and retire.” 
  • “All potential Republican candidates should take note: Both of your leaders have abandoned you. Your policies are causing working people to turn against you in droves as the Trump administration crashes and burns,” Remiker said. 
  • “Now, Democrats have an excellent chance at winning the majority in the Senate, he said…”