Voters head to the polls Tuesday for a state Supreme Courtroom race in Wisconsin and two congressional particular elections in Florida, in what would be the first actual take a look at of the brewing backlash to President Donald Trump and co-President Elon Musk’s damaging agenda.
A handful of particular elections in state legislative races have already proven that operating towards the chaos and cruelty that Trump and Musk have inflicted upon the nation might be a successful message for Democrats within the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats flipped two Republican-held state Senate seats in Pennsylvania and Iowa, and have overperformed in different state legislative contests—outcomes that portend good issues for Democrats subsequent November.
However the three elections on Tuesday are probably the most significant races to happen since Trump took workplace and gave Musk a nebulous and highly effective position, through which he is ignored funding payments handed by Congress to shut down federal companies, indiscriminately fired 1000’s of federal staff, and damaged important authorities companies like Social Safety—none of that are common with voters. The truth is, Republican lawmakers courageous sufficient to carry city halls are being met with indignant constituents who’re demanding that the GOP stands as much as Musk’s cuts.
The result of Wisconsin’s state Supreme Courtroom election could be the largest indicator of how Musk’s position might influence Republicans within the 2026 midterms.
Musk made himself a significant subject in that race by spending hundreds of thousands of his huge wealth to attempt to purchase the race for conservative nominee Brad Schimel, who’s attempting to defeat liberal nominee Susan Crawford and flip the courtroom’s steadiness again to Republicans. If Schimel wins, Wisconsinites might shortly lose their proper to abortion and see their voting rights restricted. It could additionally enable Republicans to get again their gerrymandered legislative maps that beforehand made it unimaginable for Democrats to win management regardless of the state’s aggressive bent.
Musk held a rally within the state on Sunday, through which he handed out two $1 million prizes to voters in a shady scheme that Democrats alleged violates the legislation.
Democrats, in the meantime, have run advertisements tying Schimel to Musk and even flew a airplane over Milwaukee on Thursday that mentioned, “Go Home Elon. Vote Susan.”
Crawford is the favourite heading into Tuesday’s election, in keeping with the election handicapping outlet Cut up Ticket, which discovered that Republicans are having a turnout downside within the state.
Musk might additionally sway two particular elections in Florida.
The largest concern for Republicans is Florida’s sixth Congressional District. Although Trump gained the district by greater than 30 share factors in 2024, Republican nominee Randy Nice is struggling. The seat is vacant as a result of Trump plucked former Rep. Mike Waltz to function his nationwide safety adviser, the place he is created a large scandal for the Trump administration by sharing categorized info over an unsecured messaging app.
Two current polls present a really tight race. One confirmed Nice main Democratic nominee Josh Weil by simply 4 factors, whereas one other had Nice down 3 factors.
Weil has run advertisements attacking Nice for calling Social Safety a “Ponzi scheme”—the identical language Musk has used to attempt to justify making cuts to the favored and very important social security internet program.
Election forecasters within the state say that whereas Nice is a favourite, he’s prone to critically underperform—which might flash a warning mild for the GOP.
If Republicans can barely win a seat Trump gained by 30 factors, then dozens of different districts that Trump gained by a lot smaller margins would possible be in play within the 2026 midterms.
There may be additionally a particular election in Florida’s 1st District, which is vacant as a result of former Rep. Matt Gaetz declined to take his seat after his nomination to be Trump’s lawyer basic went up in flames. However that race is just not anticipated to be as shut. Trump gained the district by 37 factors in November.
Polls shut at 7 PM ET in Florida’s sixth District and at 8 PM ET within the 1st District. In Wisconsin, polls shut at 9 PM ET
You’ll be able to observe stay outcomes right here.
