Republicans Grapple with Democratic Gains Ahead of Midterms

GOP candidates in Wisconsin and Georgia face surprising losses, raising concerns about party's momentum heading into 2026 elections.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 4:07pm

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A dynamic, fractured painting composed of overlapping geometric shapes and bold, contrasting colors like deep blue, bright red, and vivid yellow, representing the turbulent political landscape ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.The Democratic Party's surprising gains in recent special elections and local races have set off alarm bells among some Republicans, who are now reckoning with the prospect of losing ground in the 2026 midterm elections.Madison Today

Republican leaders in Wisconsin and Georgia are reckoning with a series of Democratic victories in recent special elections and local races, raising concerns about the party's momentum heading into the 2026 midterm elections. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican running for governor in Wisconsin, bluntly acknowledged that the GOP had its 'butts kicked' in recent contests. Democrats have overperformed in a range of urban, rural, red, and blue districts, fueling worries among some Republicans about their ability to maintain control of Congress and state governments.

Why it matters

The Democratic gains, including flipping a Texas state Senate district and winning a Florida state House seat in a Trump-friendly district, suggest the party may be building momentum ahead of the high-stakes 2026 midterms. Republicans will be defending their narrow majorities in the House and Senate, as well as numerous state-level offices, making these recent losses a potential warning sign for the party.

The details

In Wisconsin, Democrats expanded their majority on the state Supreme Court with a 20-percentage-point victory, while also winning the mayor's race in the conservative suburb of Waukesha. In Georgia, the Republican candidate to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress won by a much slimmer margin than the party has enjoyed in the past. Some Republicans, like U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, acknowledged the party's struggles, while others insisted there was no need to panic. However, GOP strategists said the party is running behind where it has been in the past and needs to carefully analyze the results.

  • On Tuesday, Democrats flipped a Texas state Senate district and won a Florida state House seat in a district that includes President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.
  • In a special election in Georgia to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican candidate won by 12 percentage points, a significant drop from Greene's 29-point victory two years ago and Trump's 37-point margin in the district.

The players

Tom Tiffany

A U.S. Representative from Wisconsin who is running for governor and acknowledged that the Republican Party had its 'butts kicked' in recent elections.

Jared Leopold

A Democratic consultant whose clients include Keisha Lance Bottoms, a candidate for Georgia governor.

Stephen Lawson

A Republican strategist in Georgia who said the 'sky is not falling' but acknowledged that the party is running behind where it has been in the past.

Mandela Barnes

A Democratic former lieutenant governor of Wisconsin who is running for governor and said it's 'time for us to put this thing in overdrive.'

David Crowley

The Democratic Milwaukee County Executive who is also running for governor of Wisconsin and said it's clear that 'people are really upset with the Republican Party and their brand right now.'

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What they’re saying

“'We got our butts kicked'”

— Tom Tiffany, U.S. Representative

“'In rural, urban, red, blue, Democrats have overperformed everywhere. That is a significant canary in the coal mine about what November of '26 is going to look like.'”

— Jared Leopold, Democratic consultant

“'Marjorie Taylor Greene was like a freight train that you couldn't stop, and when she pulled out, it gave Democrats hope and it gave them a shot at winning something they believed was unwinnable.'”

— Jackie Harling, Republican district chairwoman

“'It's time for us to put this thing in overdrive.'”

— Mandela Barnes, Democratic candidate for Wisconsin governor

“'But that doesn't mean that they're automatically going to come over to the Democrats. And that's why we have to continue to focus on the issues and speak to the values of all the voters here in the state of Wisconsin.'”

— David Crowley, Democratic candidate for Wisconsin governor

What’s next

Georgia has key races this year, including an open contest for the governor's office. Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, is trying to defend his seat as well. Wisconsin also has an open race for governor in 2026, and Democrats are hoping to take control of the state Legislature and oust Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden.

The takeaway

The Democratic gains in recent special elections and local races, including flipping traditionally Republican districts, suggest the party may be building momentum heading into the 2026 midterm elections. While some Republicans insist there is no need to panic, the results have raised concerns within the party about its ability to maintain control of Congress and state governments.