A significant electoral loss in Wisconsin has prompted some Republicans to demand the removal of state GOP Chair Brian Schimming. This move could lead to major changes in a state that was once a stronghold for the Republican Party.
In the recent state Supreme Court election, liberal judge Chris Taylor won decisively against conservative appeals court judge Maria Lazar by over 20 percentage points. This defeat in a politically divided state adds to a series of GOP setbacks, leading many party insiders to call for Schimming, a prominent figure in Wisconsin Republican politics, to resign from his leadership position.
“As a leader, he’s failed,” commented Ken Sikora, a member of the state party’s executive committee representing the 8th District.
This internal conflict arises as Wisconsin prepares for pivotal November elections to choose the next governor, and looks ahead to the 2028 presidential race where it will again be a key battleground.
Critics argue that Schimming’s exit is essential for rebuilding the state GOP’s political machinery, previously likened to the “Seal Team Six of the Republican Party,” but now criticized for its weak fundraising capabilities.
“While all of us had high hopes, I think the time has run out,” expressed another congressional district chair on the state GOP executive committee, who spoke anonymously about private discussions with peers. “And it’s time we go a different direction for the sake of our philosophy.”
The Supreme Court election loss is seen by Republicans as indicative of the dire state of the GOP in Wisconsin.
In her overwhelming victory, Taylor secured more votes than Lazar in many traditionally Republican counties that President Donald Trump had won in 2024.
Trump bested former Vice President Kamala Harris in eastern Wisconsin’s Outagamie County by 10 points in 2024. Taylor won it by 16 points this week. Trump won Green Bay’s Brown County by 8 points in 2024. On Tuesday, Taylor won it by 14. Taylor also won Ozaukee County in suburban Milwaukee, which a Democrat hasn’t carried in a presidential election since 1964.
“Anybody who runs a business, or anybody who runs a sports team knows that the quarterback needs to win games in order to stay the quarterback,” the district chair noted. “And if we’re looking at this like a business, like an operation, we need our leaders to supply the infrastructure for victory.”
In response, Schimming, who survived an earlier attempt to remove him, stated to POLITICO that he is committed to improving as the November elections approach.
“What we must all remember is that the results on Tuesday do not and will not decide the November election,” he emphasized. “With Democrats in disarray our candidates are in a good position. We must come together and turn our anger towards the Democrats as we work to defeat them.”
The state GOP highlighted the actions it took to back Lazar, such as distributing mailers, appointing poll workers, enhancing its digital presence on TikTok and through digital advertising, and creating a microsite against Taylor last year.
However, Lazar’s campaign funding paints a different picture. The state GOP contributed just over $163,000 to her campaign in 2026, while the Democratic Party of Wisconsin supported Taylor with approximately $863,000.
“You need somebody in charge of that party who is just a ruthless fundraiser,” remarked Dan O’Donnell, a Wisconsin talk show host and conservative media editor. “What I’ve said is, you got to find the Republican Ben Wikler.”
Ben Wikler led the state Democratic Party from 2019 to 2025 and is credited with revitalizing it. Under his leadership, Wisconsin Democrats raised significant funds and changed the dynamics of state Supreme Court races.
Overall, Taylor accumulated about $6 million in campaign contributions in 2025 and 2026, according to the state ethics commission, while Lazar raised just about a million.
“No one can overcome that advantage in a swing state,” former Gov. Scott Walker wrote in a post on X on Wednesday.
Yet, fundraising is not the only issue troubling the state party, according to Billie Johnson, another RPW executive committee member from the state’s 2nd District.
“There’s so many things you need to do,” he explained. “Our messaging is poor. It’s bland. We don’t want to take the fight to the Democrats.”
Lazar’s defeat was not the only setback for Republicans that day. Alicia Halvensleben, a Democrat, unexpectedly defeated Scott Allen in Waukesha’s mayoral race, a longtime Republican bastion near Milwaukee. The GOP also lost Supreme Court races in 2023 and 2025, and currently holds only one of the state’s executive offices, according to Ballotpedia.
“It shows how important a political apparatus is, and the Democrats mobilized their entire force behind Chris Taylor, and we just didn’t have an equivalent operation,” said Alec Zimmerman, a seasoned Republican strategist and communications director for Sen. Ron Johnson during his 2022 campaign. “The state GOP seemed a little bit uninvolved, and it definitely had an impact on that race.”
The state party, Zimmerman observed, “feels a little bit lost right now.”
Republicans need swift action. Wisconsin faces an open governor’s race this November, with Trump-endorsed Rep. Tom Tiffany competing against a Democrat who will emerge from a crowded primary in August. Notable contenders include Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), a key battleground figure and target for Democrats this cycle, pointed out that April elections in the state do not accurately reflect voter sentiment due to low turnout. However, he urged his party to intensify its efforts.
“Republicans in Wisconsin need to wake up and realize that every election; local, state, and federal have a real effect on our lives and that if we don’t get into the business of government, the government will get into our business,” Van Orden stated in a text message on Wednesday morning, clarifying that he wasn’t referring to state leadership.
Tiffany’s campaign did not comment on Schimming’s leadership, but questions about the future leadership of the party are already being raised.
“There’s a lot of people looking at [Tuesday] night and what’s next as far as where the party should go and who should lead it,” Zimmerman noted.
Lisa Kashinsky contributed to this report.
