Tuesday marks one of the biggest political tests for Republicans this year, with a pair of special elections for House seats in Florida and a high-profile contest for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court that will determine whether liberals maintain their majority on the bench.
The Wisconsin race, which is technically nonpartisan but has attracted millions in outside spending from partisan figures, had long been expected to be competitive. But the special election for Florida’s 6th District, where voters backed Donald Trump by 30 points in November, has also grown much closer. One poll last week showed Republican nominee Randy Fine with a lead within the margin of error over Democrat Josh Weil, who has benefited from a fundraising surge fueled by base anger at the Trump administration.
The results in both states, Wisconsin being a perennial battleground and Florida having become a safe bet for Republicans statewide, could offer clues about how motivated each party’s base is nearly five months after the November elections. And they come after Democrats flipped a state Senate seat in Pennsylvania last week and have had success in other down-ballot special elections this year.
