Wisconsin GOP Clings To State Senate 'Supermajority'

Far less noticed than the well-funded contest that gave Democrats a 4 -3 edge on Wisconsin's Supreme Court was the special election Tuesday that saved the supermajority (two-thirds of its seats) in the state senate for Republicans.

Conservative GOP State Rep. Dan Knodl won the 8^th District senate seat by less than 1% of the vote. Knodl eked out a win over attorney and liberal Democrat Jodi Habush Sinykin by running on a platform of tax reform, law and order, and parental rights.

In contrast, first-time candidate Sinykin championed "women's right to choose and health care needs, relief for working families, and the safety of our local communities, which includes the funding of those vital services."

With 22 senate seats in their hands, Republicans now have the two-thirds majority in the Badger State legislature's "upper House" needed to override the vetoes of Democrat Gov. Tony Evers.

In the state Assembly, however, Republicans hold 64 seats — two shy of the two-thirds required for overrides.

Evers has vetoed 126 bills this year, most of them dealing with gun control, and other "red meat" conservative issues.

"It might be possible to pick up those two seats in 2024," former Republican Gov. Scott Walker told Newsmax, "But either way, the Republicans are in charge of both houses of the state legislature."

But what frustrates Republicans, Walker added, is that a supreme court controlled 4-3 by liberal Democrat activists "could throw many of our reforms. These include school choice, a photo ID requirement to vote, and Act 10 — the historic 2012 measure then-Gov. Walker guided to enactment that ended collective bargaining and required most state employees to pay for part of their health care and pensions.

Walker also warned that the new Supreme Court could overturn the present U.S. House district lines and oversee a new map that could tip the slim Republican majority in the House to the Democrats.

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.