For all of the attention focused on Wisconsin's state Supreme Court race that resulted in a win for liberal Judge Janet Protasiewicz, it's worth reminding that there was another race out of the Badger State on Tuesday night. Republican state Rep. Dan Knodl defeated Democrat Jodi Habush Sinykin in an open Senate seat. Not only do Republicans have a supermajority in the chamber now, with just two votes shy of a supermajority in the House, but it's the third state chamber in one month where Republicans have secured a supermajority.
Knodl's win doesn't merely serve as a check on Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI), but it could mean impeachment, including for Protasiewicz. While Knodl likely doesn't want to impeach Evers, but rather work with him, liberal judges and district attorneys are another story. As the Associated Press reported on his win:
Knodl’s win also gives Senate Republicans enough votes to convict a civil officer, including the governor, other constitutional officers such as the attorney general and judges in impeachment trials. Knodl has said he probably would not support an attempt to impeach Evers.
The state constitution says civil officers can be impeached, including the governor, lieutenant governor and judges. A February analysis from the Legislative Reference Bureau concluded that other constitutional officers such as the attorney general and the state schools superintendent can be impeached as well.
Knodl has said he’s not interested in impeaching Evers, saying he has been able to work with the governor. But he said he wants to impeach Milwaukee judges for being too lenient on criminal defendants. That list could include Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz, he said. She won Tuesday’s election to the Supreme Court and will take the seat in August.
Knodl also has his sights set on Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chilsholm. Republicans have criticized the Democratic prosecutor for years as too soft on crime. They’ve called for his job since he acknowledged his office’s bail request for Darrell Brooks Jr. was far too low.
As Madeline covered on Wednesday, state Rep. Tricia Cotham also made her party switch from Democrat to Republican out of North Carolina. Republicans now have a veto proof supermajority in both the state House and Senate there to serve as a check on Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper:
According to the Raleigh-based News & Observer, Cotham’s party switch would hand Republicans control of 72 out of 120 House seats, giving the party seats to override vetoes from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper without any votes from Democrats. The state Senate already has a Republican supermajority, controlling 30 of 50 seats.
“Even in a Biden district in a purple state, Democrats are reading the writing on the wall: liberal policies are too extreme and they’re failing Americans. Ahead of 2024, Republican momentum is growing and we are proud to welcome Tricia Cotham to the Republican Party,” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told Townhall of Cotham’s announcement.
This good news for Republicans in two states comes after the News Star reported last month on Louisiana state Rep. Francis Thompson is switching his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican. The report referred to Thompson as "iconic" and noted that the 81-year-old "is the longest serving state legislator in Louisiana history, having first won election to the Legislature in 1974." The state House now has a supermajority, something the Senate already had, providing even more of a check on Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards there.
Thompson's switch appeared to have been a long time coming, as the News Star highlighted:
Thompson, who represents District 19 in northeastern Louisiana, was among the last of the Blue Dog Democrats, more conservative members of the party who resisted changing his affiliation until now.
In a statement, Thompson said: "Let me be clear: Nothing has changed. There are values and principles that I firmly hold onto that guide my decisions. ... My choice to move to the Republican Party is one that best represents my views and those of the constituents who elected me to serve them."
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"Francis having joined our ranks is further evidence of Louisiana's yearning for conservative values and a rejection of Washington liberal politics," Louisiana Republican Party Louis Gurvich said.
House Democratic Caucus Chair Sam Jenkins of Shreveport said the party switch was just a formality for Thompson, who Jenkins said often voted with Republicans.
These examples are just three states out of the 25 where Republicans have supermajorities in state chambers, a subject of great success for the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC).
"Democrats are joining Republican majorities to create supermajorities because they know that their constituents want strong conservative leadership to serve as a check on out-of-control Democrat governors who raise taxes, endanger communities with soft-on-crime policies, and strip parents of their right to have a say in their children’s education," said RSLC Communications Director Michael Joyce. "With 25 Republican supermajorities nationwide in state legislative chambers, it’s evident that the American people want principled conservatives to lead while Joe Biden and his Democrat cronies in the states drive our country off a cliff."
Following the 2022 elections Republicans have maintained their hold on 58 out of 99 state legislative chambers around the country.
Particularly noteworthy gains were made in both red and blue states. Florida, once a purple state, will have their largest Republican majority in the state House history there; Republicans have a supermajority in Iowa's state Senate as well as representation in all 99 Iowa counties in the state House; Republicans now have a supermajority in both chambers in Montana; Republicans have increased their majority in both chambers in North Dakota; and hold all but 11 seats in the South Dakota state legislature.
Even in Oregon, Republicans broke out of their super-minority in both the state House and Senate, net-gaining seats in both chambers for the first time since 2010. In New York, Republicans had a net-gain of the most seats in the state Assembly since 2010 and will have their largest New York City delegation in the Assembly in 40 years.
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