MADISON, Wis. — New reporting yesterday from The Recombobulation Area details how Republicans are fleeing from the state legislature to avoid their costly agenda and a major Democratic defeat in November. The report outlines Republicans’ most vulnerable Assembly seats, including Shannon Zimmerman in the 30th, Todd Novak in the 51st, Bob Donoovan in the 61st, and Patrick Snyder in the 85th. Each of these Republican incumbents face an uphill battle as they try to explain to constituents their extreme anti-abortion positions and laws they’ve tried to force through the legislature, and defend the cost crisis they’ve helped create for Wisconsinites.
The Recombobulation Area: Key Retirements and Poor Polling for Republicans Suggest Assembly Majority is in Play for Democrats
By: Dan Shafer | 5/12/26
- Last week, a key state representative in a swing district announced she would be retiring from the Assembly. This is a big deal — and it’s a signal of what could be happening downballot for Republicans in 2026.
- Republican Jessie Rodriguez has represented the 21st Assembly District since winning a special election in 2013. Though the lines have changed a few times while she’s been in office, this district has largely included the southeastern portion of Milwaukee County, including the city of Oak Creek.
- The impact of Rodriguez’s decision not to run for re-election will reverberate far beyond the 21st. This, along with other retirements and a political environment looking increasingly challenging for Republicans heading into the midterms, is a significant blow to the GOP’s chances of keeping the Assembly in their control after the fall election.
- But after this announcement from Rodriguez, the Assembly is looking like much more of a toss-up. Democrats winning control of the Senate has already been looking like an increasingly likely scenario — given some recent retirement announcements from Rob Hutton, Van Wanggaard and Jesse James — and now the first Democratic trifecta in more than 15 years is legitimately in play.
