The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.

President Trump promised to lower prices, avoid endless wars of choice, stand up for rural and urban working people and take a broom to sweep away corruption. Instead, Americans got the opposite: runaway inflation (soaring gas prices), a costly, deadly Iran War, trade wars crushing consumers and farmers, tax cuts for the wealthy, millions losing healthcare coverage and the most corrupt White House in history. Moreover, our freedoms have been eroded.

A wave is developing to throw the Republicans out in the November midterm elections. Virginia voters reacting to Trump’s attempts to rig elections through any means, including gerrymandering, said enough. They voted to temporarily redraw congressional districts to match what state legislative Republicans did under Trump’s direct orders in Texas, Missouri and North Carolina (Ohio redrew by commission). As venerable Wisconsin Democratic Senator Gaylord Nelson once told me: “unilateral disarmament” in politics is a terrible idea. Some Republicans now realize that Trump’s interventions were counterproductive.

Former Wisconsin GOP state Senator Kathy Bernier “just lost a race in Chippewa County, Wisconsin to a Democrat, despite the county voting heavily for Trump in 2024” (Washington Post). Bernier advised Trump to “please stop saying some of the things you say.” She added: “Democrats are extremely motivated right now.” That tracks in Wisconsin and nationally. Chris Taylor’s blowout Wisconsin Supreme Court win is a good example: won 42 counties while flipping 29 counties carried by Trump in 2024. Nationally, Democrats have flipped 30 GOP-held state legislative seats and won gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia (a flip) both by double digits.

A Democratic-led U.S. House seems likely. The only question is the margin. Moreover, the GOP-led U.S. Senate now appears to be in play with Democratic candidates mounting surprisingly serious challenges in Alaska, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio and elsewhere. Right now Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District (CD) is in play. Democratic candidate Rebecca Cooke has built a broad impressive, formidable campaign. She grew up on a dairy farm and embraces her rural roots, running on bread-and-butter issues. Local and national winds are blowing at her back. I hope moderate pro-union Republicans, like well-respected former state Senator Dale Schultz, get behind Cooke. This could make the difference between a close election and a solid win.

Finally, there’s the key Wisconsin governor’s race and state legislative elections. Current Democratic Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez stands out: she has won statewide, visited all 72 state counties and started her political path by flipping a GOP-held state Assembly seat. Her campaign centers on bread-and-butter issues and a coalition of rural, suburban and urban voters. Rodriguez could be just what’s needed to help win 2 more state Senate seats and 5 additional state Assembly seats to flip the GOP-led state legislature. 

Voting brings change, not violence. I condemn wholeheartedly the attempted assassination of President Trump. Thankfully only one Secret Service officer was shot and is recovering. It’s long past time to stop gun violence. Enough is enough.

Electability and who you fight for are the critical questions for November.

Kaplan wrote a guest column from Washington, D.C., for the Wisconsin State Journal from 1995 – 2009