Wisconsin’s Democratic governor, Tony Evers, signed the legislation into law on Monday new maps it would shift the balance of power in the state Legislature, which has been dominated by Republicans for more than a decade.
The new maps followed a shift in the balance of the state Supreme Court from a 4-3 conservative majority to a 4-3 liberal edge after Janet Protasiewicz won the seat last year following the retirement of a conservative-leaning justice. in December, the court decided He said the state’s current maps, which experts described as the sketchiest in the country, were unconstitutional and ordered new lines drawn ahead of the 2024 election.
The current map gives Republicans a big advantage, controlling 64 of the 99 state Assembly seats and 22 of the 33 state Senate seats in a battleground that has seen razor-thin margins of victory in recent U.S. Senate and presidential races. According to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel analysis, the new maps have a roughly even split Democratic and Republican-leaning state Assembly districts will guarantee a wave of Democratic gains this fall.
“When I promised fair maps — not maps that were better for one side or the other — I meant it very well,” Evers said in a statement. “Wisconsin is not a red state or a blue state — we are a purple state, and I believe our maps should reflect that basic truth.”
State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, a Republican, said in a statement that Evers’ signature maps were “the most Republican-leaning of all the Democratic-controlled maps” the state high court reviewed.
“We sent him these maps not because they’re fair, but because the people of Wisconsin deserve certainty in their state government,” Vos said. “This fall, Republicans will prove that we can win any map because we have better policy ideas for Wisconsin.”
Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler described the new legislative maps as a “sea change.”
“Wisconsin’s end will unleash a new wave of energy from candidates, volunteers and voters that can impact not only the state legislature, but the U.S. House, Senate and presidential race,” he said.
With the introduction of new maps, the Democratic caucuses are already preparing to switch seats this fall.
“Wisconsin is a top priority for DLCC in 2024, and we are already hard at work building campaigns that will increase our legislative gains this fall,” said Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams. “The time for fair representation in Wisconsin is long overdue, and we’re building winning campaigns and sustainable infrastructure to build momentum and ultimately win back both majorities.”