Democrat’s upset in Wisconsin race sparks hope elsewhere

Published 8:02 am Thursday, January 18, 2018

MADISON, Wis.  — A small-town medical examiner has given Democrats across the country another shot of hope heading into the fall election by upsetting a Republican legislator in a conservative Wisconsin state Senate district.

Patty Schachtner’s victory Tuesday over state Rep. Adam Jarchow marks the 34th legislative seat that has flipped from Republican to Democrat nationwide since President Donald Trump took office last year, according to the national Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, signaling backlash against Trump could fuel a Democratic wave in November.

Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who is running for a third term in November, sounded a warning bell, firing a flurry of tweets late Tuesday urging Republicans to “wake up.”

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He told reporters Wednesday morning in Milwaukee that dissatisfaction with national politics influenced Schachtner’s win. He stopped just short of blaming Trump or GOP congressional members.