MADISON, WI – Today, an article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel underscored the significance of State Senator Rob Hutton’s decision to drop out of the race for the 5th State Senate District against State Representative Robyn Vining. Senator Hutton’s retirement comes after the release of 2025 campaign finance filings, which placed Representative Vining in a commanding financial advantage. Rep. Vining has raised more than $100,000, while Hutton reported just $29,000 in donations and a $20,000 contribution to his own campaign.
The combination of Representative Vining’s strong fundraising and the retirement of her incumbent opponent presents her with a strong path to flipping one of the two required seats for Democrats to take the majority in the Senate for the first time in over a decade.
Read more on the retirement of Senator Rob Hutton and Representative Robyn Vining’s fundraising success:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Republican Rob Hutton won’t seek re-election to key Senate district
- “Republican state Sen. Rob Hutton has announced he will not seek reelection to a state Senate district thought by Democrats to be “the most flippable” seat in the state for their party.”
- “Hutton’s decision not to seek reelection ‘doesn’t change anything’ for Vining’s approach to the campaign, she told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.”
- “‘I’ve never run against people; I’ve always run for people,’ she said. ‘We’re going to care about the same things we always care about and we’re going to run a campaign the same way we’ve always run a campaign, which is very people-focused, very focused on the issues and very positive and energized.’”
- “Vining’s campaign reported raising a little more than $100,000 last year, and had more than $114,000 in her account in her latest filing this month.”
- “‘Senator Hutton recognizes what Wisconsin Republicans have been trying so hard to ignore; 2026 is the year Democrats are going to win a majority in the State Senate,’ said State Senate Democratic Committee spokesman Will Karcz in a statement.”
- “For the first time in more than a decade, Wisconsin Democrats have an opportunity to win a majority in at least one chamber of the Legislature. They would need to pick up two seats to take the majority in the Senate, and five to earn a majority in the Assembly.”
