2020 Wisconsin State Senate election
# 2020 Wisconsin State Senate election

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vte :

The 2020 Wisconsin State Senate elections were taking place as part of the biennial 2020 United States elections. Wisconsin voters elected state senators in 16 of the state's 33 senate districts. State senators serve four-year terms in the Wisconsin State Senate, with roughly half of the seats up for election every two years. The primary elections on August 11, 2020, determined which candidates will appear on the November 3, 2020, general election ballot.

Following the previous election in 2018 and two announced vacancies (one from each party), Republicans had control of the Wisconsin State Senate with 18 seats against 13 held by Democrats. In the general election, Republicans picked up an open seat and defeated a Democratic incumbent to gain two seats in the chamber, leading to a 21-12 majority.

## Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| - | - | - |
| The Cook Political Report | Likely R | October 21, 2020 |

## Summary

| Seats | Seats | Party (majority caucus shading) | Party (majority caucus shading) | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Seats | Seats | Democratic | Republican | Total |
| Last election (2018) | Last election (2018) | 6 | 11 | 17 |
| Total after last election (2018) | Total after last election (2018) | 14 | 19 | 33 |
| Total before this election | Total before this election | 13 | 18 | 31 |
| Up for election | Up for election | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| of which: | Incumbent retiring | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| of which: | Vacated | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| of which: | Unopposed | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| This election | This election | 6 | 10 | 16 |
| Change from last election | Change from last election | | 1 | 1 |
| Total after this election | Total after this election | 12 | 21 | 33 |
| Change in total | Change in total | 2 | 2 | |

### Close races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

* State Senate district 32, 0.6%
* State Senate district 8, 8.54%
* State Senate district 30, 9.4% (gain)

## Candidates

| District | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | Incumbent | This race | This race | This race |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| District | Member | Party | First elected | Status | Primary candidates | Candidates | Results |
| 2 | Robert Cowles | Republican | 1987 | Running | Robert Cowles (Republican) | Y Robert Cowles (Republican) | Incumbent re-elected |
| 4 | Lena Taylor | Democratic | 2004 | Running | Lena Taylor (Democratic) | Y Lena Taylor (Democratic) | Incumbent re-elected |
| 6 | La Tonya Johnson | Democratic | 2016 | Running | Alciro Deacon (Republican) La Tonya Johnson (Democratic) Cordelia Michelle Bryant (Democratic) | Y La Tonya Johnson (Democratic) 88.83% Alciro Deacon (Republican) 11.17% | Incumbent re-elected |
| 8 | Alberta Darling | Republican | 1992 | Running | Alberta Darling (Republican) Neal Plotkin (Democratic) | Y Alberta Darling (Republican) 54.27% Neal Plotkin (Democratic) 45.73% | Incumbent re-elected |
| 10 | Patty Schachtner | Democratic | 2018 | Running | Patty Schachtner (Democratic) Rob Stafsholt (Republican) Cherie Link (Republican) | Y Rob Stafsholt (Republican) 59.92% Patty Schachtner (Democratic) 40.08% | Incumbent lost New member elected Republican gain |
| 12 | Tom Tiffany | Republican | 2012 | Vacant | Mary Felzkowski (Republican) Ed Vocke (Democratic) | Y Mary Felzkowski (Republican) 65.71% Ed Vocke (Democratic) 34.29% | Incumbent vacated office to run for U.S. Representative New member elected Republican hold |
| 14 | Luther Olsen | Republican | 2004 | Not running | Joni Anderson (Democratic) Joan Ballweg (Republican) Kenneth Van Dyke, Sr. (Republican) | Y Joan Ballweg (Republican) 64.91% Joni Anderson (Democratic) 35.09% | Incumbent retired New member elected Republican hold |
| 16 | Mark F. Miller | Democratic | 2004 | Not running | Scott Barker (Republican) Melissa Agard (Democratic) Andrew McKinney (Democratic) | Y Melissa Agard (Democratic) 73.5% Scott Barker (Republican) 26.5% | Incumbent retired New member elected Democratic hold |
| 18 | Dan Feyen | Republican | 2016 | Running | Dan Feyen (Republican) Aaron Wojciechowski (Democratic) | Y Dan Feyen (Republican) 59.13% Aaron Wojciechowski (Democratic) 40.87% | Incumbent re-elected |
| 20 | Duey Stroebel | Republican | 2014 | Running | Duey Stroebel (Republican) | Y Duey Stroebel (Republican) | Incumbent re-elected |
| 22 | Robert Wirch | Democratic | 1996 | Running | Robert Wirch (Democratic) | Y Robert Wirch (Democratic) | Incumbent re-elected |
| 24 | Patrick Testin | Republican | 2016 | Running | Patrick Testin (Republican) Paul Piotrowski (Democratic) | Y Patrick Testin (Republican) 56.47% Paul Piotrowski (Democratic) 43.53% | Incumbent re-elected |
| 26 | Fred Risser | Democratic | 1962 | Not running | Kelda Roys (Democratic) Brian Benford (Democratic) Amani Latimer Burris (Democratic) Nada Elmikashfi (Democratic) William Henry Davis III (Democratic) John Imes (Democratic) Aisha Moe (Democratic) | Y Kelda Roys (Democratic) | Incumbent retired New member elected Democratic hold |
| 28 | Dave Craig | Republican | 2016 | Not running | Julian Bradley (Republican) Adam Murphy (Democratic) Steven Gerard Bobowski (Republican) Marina Croft (Republican) Jim Engstrand (Republican) Dan Griffin (Republican) | Y Julian Bradley (Republican) 59.66% Adam Murphy (Democratic) 40.34% | Incumbent retired New member elected Republican hold |
| 30 | Dave Hansen | Democratic | 2000 | Not running | Jonathon Hansen (Democratic) Eric Wimberger (Republican) Sandra Jean Ewald (Democratic) | Y Eric Wimberger (Republican) 54.7% Jonathon Hansen (Democratic) 45.3% | Incumbent retired New member elected Republican gain |
| 32 | Jennifer Shilling | Democratic | 2011 | Vacant | Dan Kapanke (Republican) Brad Pfaff (Democratic) Jayne Marie Swiggum (Democratic) Paul Michael Weber (Democratic) | Y Brad Pfaff (Democratic) 50.3% Dan Kapanke (Republican) 49.7% | Incumbent vacated office New member elected Democratic hold |

## Outgoing incumbents

### Retiring

* Luther Olsen (R–Ripon), representing District 14 since 2004, announced in February 2020 that he would not seek reelection, stating "there comes a time in life when it’s time to move on."
* Mark F. Miller (D–Monona), representing District 16 since 2004, announced in January 2020 that he would not be running for reelection.
* Fred Risser (D–Madison), representing District 26 since 1962, announced in March 2020 that he would be stepping down from the Legislature. Upon his retirement, Risser was the longest-serving lawmaker in American history, having served in the Wisconsin House of Representatives and Senate for 64 years.
* Dave Craig (R–Vernon), representing District 28 since 2016, announced that he would not seek reelection to a second term in order to get "a break from public life."
* Dave Hansen (D–Green Bay), representing District 30 since 2000, announced in January 2020 that he would be retiring to spend more time with his family.

### Vacated office before term end

* Tom Tiffany (R–Hazelhurst), who had represented District 12 since 2014, left office on May 18, 2020, after winning the special election for Wisconsin's 7th congressional district.
* Jennifer Shilling (D–La Crosse), who had represented District 32 since 2011 and served as Minority Leader since 2015, resigned her seat on May 15, 2020 in order to explore "unspecified career opportunities."
