Democrats scored a critical win Tuesday in their first major test at the ballot box since President Trump took office in January.
The elections came amid growing anger over the Trump’s administration’s immigration and economic policies, its handling of free speech, and the federal cuts made under Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The night served in part as a referendum on Musk, who has played an outsized role in the administration and poured millions of dollars into the Wisconsin race.
Meanwhile, Democrats sought to make inroads in the president’s home state of Florida, where two special House elections emerged as last-minute sleeper races that had some Republicans on edge.
While Republicans were able to hold onto the Florida seats, Democrats ultimately had cause for celebration in the Sunshine State.
Here are five takeaways from Tuesday night’s elections.
A bitter night for Trump and Musk in Wisconsin
Trump and Musk had a tough night in Wisconsin, a battleground state that the president won by less than a percentage point in November, pointing to possible trouble ahead for the administration as it looks toward the midterms.
Both men endorsed Brad Schimel, a former GOP state attorney general, though it was Musk who became deeply invested in the race in the weeks leading up to the election. His America PAC spent $12.5 million alone in the race, and Musk himself traveled to the Badger State on the Sunday before the election.
Democrats, who supported liberal candidate Susan Crawford, sought to harness anger toward Musk as a way to gin up their base — efforts that ultimately proved successful, as Crawford won decisively.
The election offers a warning sign for Republicans that Musk could be politically toxic in other key elections. Democratic candidates running in elections later this November and next year have already started to hammer Musk in their messaging.
But the results are also an embarrassment for Trump, who publicly urged Republican voters to back Schimel.
Ultimately, the Wisconsin race was the biggest rebuke yet faced by Republicans at the ballot box since Trump took office.
The president is sure to take notice as his party braces for an uphill climb in its effort to retain its House majority next year.
Democrats’ energy was through the roof
Democratic energy was on full display in both Wisconsin and Florida.
In Wisconsin, with more than 95 percent of the votes counted in the counties of Kenosha, Racine and Outagamie, Crawford was winning Kenosha by roughly 53 percent as of 11 p.m. ET Tuesday night — roughly the same amount Trump won the county by in 2024.
And while votes are still being tallied, Crawford also appeared to have a good shot at flipping Racine and Outagamie, counties Trump also won last year.
Crawford also overperformed in counties former Vice President Harris won in November, including in Door County where Crawford was winning the county by 56 percent compared to Harris’ 51 percent.
While Democrats lost both special elections in Florida, the party clearly overperformed, narrowing the margins considerably in deep-red districts.
The results heartened Democrats, who have struggled to coalesce around a unified message since Trump took office.
If Tuesday proved anything, it’s that the party is still willing to organize and turn out in large numbers even if there’s frustration with the Democratic leadership.
Florida is still Trump Country
Even as Democrats overperformed ...
