Conservative Losses in School Board Races Raise Concerns for GOP Ahead of Midterms

Democratic-backed candidates flip seats in red-leaning states, signaling potential shift in education politics.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 6:04pm

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A serene, cinematic painting of an empty school hallway, with warm sunlight streaming in through the windows and deep shadows casting a contemplative mood, conceptually representing the evolving political landscape surrounding education issues.As education-focused culture wars increasingly shape local and national politics, the results of recent school board elections may offer an early glimpse into broader political shifts ahead of the midterm elections.Today in Tulsa

Democratic-backed candidates have won several high-profile school board races in conservative-leaning areas across Missouri, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma, raising concerns among Republican strategists that the party may be losing ground on education issues heading into the November midterm elections. Experts say the results could signal a broader backlash against GOP-aligned education platforms focused on book bans and anti-LGBTQ policies.

Why it matters

School board elections have increasingly become proxies for national political battles, with party-aligned groups openly backing competing slates. The recent Democratic victories in these races, even in traditionally Republican strongholds, suggest voters may be growing fatigued with education-related culture wars and that GOP messaging on these issues may be losing its appeal.

The details

In Missouri's Francis Howell School District, three Democratic-backed candidates swept school board races, removing the board's last conservative member following a campaign centered on book bans and LGBTQ-inclusive policies. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a conservative incumbent lost to a Democratic-backed challenger following controversy over anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQ remarks. Similar dynamics played out in suburban Wisconsin districts, including parts of Waukesha County, long considered a Republican stronghold.

  • On April 7, voters in Missouri, Wisconsin and Oklahoma went to the polls for local school district elections.
  • In Wisconsin on Tuesday, a liberal candidate flipped a seat on the state Supreme Court, replacing a conservative justice, while a Democrat also won the mayoral race in Waukesha, a traditionally Republican-leaning suburb.

The players

Jonathan Collins

Co-director of the Politics and Education Program at Columbia University.

Jon Valant

Director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution.

Jeffrey Henig

Professor of political science and education at Columbia University.

Brittany Martinez

GOP strategist and executive director of the grassroots conservative group Principles First.

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What they’re saying

“Nothing better represents America's aspirations for tomorrow than schools.”

— Jonathan Collins, Co-director of the Politics and Education Program at Columbia University

“As Democrats are more motivated to vote, there is a lot of pushback against forces and candidates that are aligned with the Trump administration, and education is no exception.”

— Jon Valant, Director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution

“This is especially true if Democrats are consolidating support in places where they've struggled, which can point to broader shifts in tone and messaging heading into the midterms.”

— Brittany Martinez, GOP strategist and executive director of the grassroots conservative group Principles First

What’s next

Republican strategists will be closely watching the results of the November midterm elections to see if the trends observed in the recent school board races continue to play out on a larger scale.

The takeaway

The Democratic victories in these school board races, even in traditionally Republican areas, suggest that voters may be growing weary of the education-focused culture wars that have become a central part of the GOP's messaging. This could signal a broader shift in the political landscape heading into the crucial midterm elections.