Voters in Wisconsin and Georgia delivered wins for Democrats on Tuesday, continuing a trend of overperformance since the 2024 presidential election. Liberal Chris Taylor won a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, expanding the court's liberal majority to 5-2. In Georgia's 14th Congressional District, Republican Clay Fuller defeated Democrat Sean Harris in a special election runoff.
In Wisconsin, Chris Taylor defeated conservative Maria Lazar 60% to 40% in the race for a state Supreme Court seat. The victory expands the liberal-leaning majority to 5-2, surpassing margins in previous liberal wins in 2023 and 2025. Those nonpartisan races drew national attention and heavy outside spending, including from Elon Musk supporting conservatives. Trump carried Wisconsin by less than one percentage point in 2024. NPR reported the results late Tuesday as the polls closed in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, on April 8, 2026, using a file photo from the 2024 election as reference for voter activity. The win underscores Democratic gains beyond special elections, as seen in victories in New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races and various municipal contests nationwide. Trump's job approval stands at a record-low average of 39%, amid an unpopular war in Iran, rising gas prices, and sour economic views. The party in power typically loses ground in midterms, with polls favoring Democratic control of Congress and higher Democratic voter enthusiasm. In Georgia's 14th Congressional District, a conservative stronghold, Clay Fuller, a North Georgia district attorney and Trump-endorsed candidate, won the special election runoff with 56% against Sean Harris's 44%. Fuller will serve the remainder of former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's term after her resignation, which followed public disagreements with Trump over Jeffrey Epstein documents and the Iran war. Harris improved from under 36% against Greene in 2024, when Trump won the district by nearly 40 points and Greene took 64%. National figures like Pete Buttigieg campaigned for Harris, and heavy PAC spending flowed into the race. A rematch looms in November's general election, alongside an open governor's race and Sen. Jon Ossoff's reelection. Election analysis from The Downballot shows Democrats improving 2024 presidential margins by an average of 11% in 2026 special elections and 13% since early 2025.
