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Tuesday, Apr. 18, 2023

Did Wisconsin Republicans gain a supermajority in the state Senate in 2023?

Jacob Alabab-Moser, Wisconsin Watch
yes

Rep. Dan Knodl's win in an April 5, 2023 special election for Wisconsin's 8th District Senate seat gave the GOP a supermajority in that body. A supermajority means Republicans have at least two-thirds (66%) of votes, or 22 of the Senate's 33 seats. 

The Senate's supermajority means it can remove state officials impeached in the Wisconsin Assembly for "corrupt conduct in office or for the commission of a crime or misdemeanor."  

Republicans have a majority in the Assembly, which is the required amount to impeach an official. They currently hold 64 of 99 Assembly seats — just short of the two-thirds required to override Gov. Tony Evers' vetoes.

As a member of the Assembly, Knodl said he would "consider" voting to impeach Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice-elect Janet Protasiewicz. However, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said there are no plans to remove anyone unless they do "something very serious."

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

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