Republicans Win Important Victory— Gain Ability to Impeach Democrats In Wisconsin

While the news last night focused on the loss of former justice Daniel Kelly, the Republican-affiliated candidate, to recapture his former post, there was a major Republican victory that garnered less attention. Larry Schweikart, an American historian, spoke for many when he tweeted “Wait, no one noticed this? WI flipped the statehouse to a supermajority with a win.”

Wait, no one noticed this? WI flipped the statehouse to a supermajority with a win.https://t.co/yvKsERrJMi

— Larry Schweikart (@LarrySchweikart) April 5, 2023

While the seat was a hold rather than a flip, this is still major news all the same. The statehouse with the Republican supermajority was the state Senate and the candidate who won was Dan Knodl, according to US News. As the news outlet noted this supermajority “could be used to impeach Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and other office holders.” The state lower house, the Wisconsin State Assembly, has, as of the 2022 election, 64 Republican members to 35 Democratic. The 2022 election for the lower house had Republicans flip three seats to their column.

The same 2022 election while re-electing Trump supporting Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) to the United States Senate failed to make Tony Evers (D-WI) a one-term governor. Evers’s opponent Tim Michels not only failed to oust Mr. Evers but Evers managed to secure an outright majority of the vote. This is the first for a Democrat since 2006.

GOP VICTORY!: Democrat Lawmaker Expected to Flip Parties Giving Supermajority

The Wisconsin state senate seat that was open in 2023 was due to a special election with the retirement of Alberta Darling (R) of her northern Milwaukee suburb. Knodl, the victorious Republican candidate, released a statement that read “[t]his campaign has always been about focusing on the issues, like rising prices, crime, and education, and I am incredibly grateful to the voters of the 8th Senate District for placing their trust in me to represent them in the Wisconsin State Senate.”

He added that “Whether you voted for me or my opponent, I intend to resolutely and faithfully represent all of my constituents.”

Now the Republicans have secured 22 seats of the 33-seat chamber. Interestingly enough US News noted that the win “gives Senate Republicans enough votes to convict a civil officer, including the governor, other constitutional officers such as the attorney general and judges in impeachment trials.”

The news outlet noted however that “Knodl has said he probably would not support an attempt to impeach Evers.”

Yet, according to US Today Knodl has spoken about impeaching Milwaukee judges for “being too lenient on criminal defendants” and the news outlet reported that Mr. Knodl speculated that the list of impeachable judges could include Janet Protasiewicz, who won the race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Knodl also spoke about impeaching Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm for being too soft on crime.