GOP regains control of Legislature in Wisconsin following Tuesday's election
MADISON -- Wisconsin Republicans regained control of the state Senate after elections on Tuesday, November 6th. The GOP lost control of the Senate during recalls last summer.
One of the seats Republicans may have picked up was in the Fond du Lac area, where results show Republican Rick Gudex defeated incumbent Jessica King (D - Oshkosh).
King is not conceding the race until county clerks complete their voter canvass.
In northern Wisconsin, Tom Tiffany (R - Hazelhurst) won election to the seat currently held by Jim Holperin (D - Conover), who decided not to seek re-election.
Those two wins give Republicans a 17 to 15 majority in the state Senate, with one open seat in Waukesha County to be filled during a special election next month.
Republicans also maintained their majority in the state Assembly, so the GOP once again controls the state Legislative and Executive branches -- a major victory for Wisconsin in the midst of huge Democratic wins Tuesday on the national front.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker discussed the upcoming agenda for the Wisconsin Legislature following Tuesday's elections -- and the GOP regaining control.
"We talk about jobs, we talk about skilled trades, we talk about other reforms we can do to get people working in this state, to put more capital out there. Those are things I hope Republicans and Democrats can work together on. We're going to put an agenda out there to reach out to lawmakers in both political parties," Gov. Walker said.
Senator Chris Larson (D - Milwaukee) has been at the state Capitol through recent times of contention between Republicans and Democrats. He was one of the lawmakers who fled the state to stop a vote that would strip collective bargaining provisions from union workers.
Sen. Larson says Republicans redrew district maps when they were in power last time so that they'd be able to regain power.
"Scott Walker has never tried to compromise with us yet. If he decided to try, I'd be surprised, but I'd welcome it. Even though we had a good margin for President Obama and a solid margin for Tammy Baldwin, it still wasn't enough with the way the Republicans drew the lines. They were able to maintain the houses," Sen. Larson said.
Whether Republican lawmakers look for compromise on legislation in the upcoming session, the numbers suggest to get their agenda passed, they don't have to.
Rep. Robin Vos (R - Burlington) is hoping to serve as Assembly Majority Leader following a vote on Tuesday. Vos says to watch for passage of a strong mining bill, an easing of regulations on businesses and income tax cuts.
'Wisconsin is again going to be a laboratory for conservative reform. We have seen other states across the country that have seen a different path. They have raised taxes.They continued what I see as a path of fiscal insolvancy. We can head in a different direction," Rep. Vos said.
While both sides talk about compromises, there are still fighting words flying. Both sides basically still say they'd love to work together, if the other side sees it their way.
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