Republicans will control the Wisconsin state Senate in its next session after Tuesday night’s elections, but proposed recounts by state Democrats may cut into their overall advantage.
As of Thursday, the District 18 race between incumbent state Sen. Jessica King, D-Oshkosh, and her Republican challenger Rick Gudex remains undecided, but unofficial results from Tuesday night show Gudex 590 votes ahead of King. If King continues to trail after a canvass—a further examination of the ballots—she can ask for a recount of the approximately 85,000 votes.
King said she would not concede her race until “every vote is counted and verified” in a statement released Wednesday.
Republicans won control of the state Senate Tuesday night after state Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, defeated his challenger, Democrat Susan Sommer, in the race for state Sen. Jim Holperin’s, D-Conover, vacated District 12 seat.
After Tiffany’s victory, Republicans will hold a 17-15 advantage in the state Senate without the results of the District 18 race. If Gudex wins the race, Republicans will have an 18-15 advantage.
