The recent loss in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race stung, no doubt but the bigger picture tells a vastly different story. Far from being a sign of weakness, it was a wake-up call for targeted action in one battleground state, while the GOP racks up win after win elsewhere. As Dr. Steve Turley laid out, Republicans are winning the war, even if we lost a battle in Wisconsin. Here's why the conservative movement is still surging and why the Democrats should be worried.
1. 6 of 9 Special Elections: GOP Dominates Post-Trump Announcement
Since President Trump declared his candidacy on November 5, the GOP has won 6 out of 9 special elections nationwide. These weren’t minor races, they spanned congressional and state levels, reinforcing that the MAGA coalition is alive and thriving.
Turley calls it like it is: “We’re the Super Bowl champs. We just lost a scrimmage game.” That perspective matters: big picture, the Right is still ahead on the scoreboard.
2. Florida Is Now Deep Red – Massive Wins, Even with Low Turnout
In two special congressional elections, Republicans Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis won by double digits, even as turnout was down by 60% from the November general.
Democrats threw more than $10 million at these races and still lost badly. Florida, once the quintessential swing state, has become solidly Republican thanks to the post-COVID “leftugees” who fled blue-state lockdowns.
The message from Florida? Republicans are winning without needing high turnout—imagine what happens with it.
3. Wisconsin Loss Masks a Huge Conservative Victory: Voter ID Amendment PASSES
Yes, Brad Schimel lost the Supreme Court race but Wisconsin voters passed a constitutional amendment to require voter ID, and they passed it overwhelmingly: 60% support.
Even Elon Musk called it “the most important vote of the night.” Why? Because voter ID has long-term implications that go beyond any single race. Polls consistently show that 60–80% of voters across both parties support voter ID laws. And now, in Wisconsin, that’s locked into their constitution.
This is a foundational win. With voter ID secured, future elections in Wisconsin just got harder for Democrats to manipulate.
4. Understanding the Wisconsin Shift and What It Means
While Wisconsin has swung back and forth in presidential elections, off-year and state-level races have trended center-left. Why?
Mass GOP voter exodus: Many conservatives left the state during COVID.
No partisan early vote tracking: Unlike Florida, Wisconsin doesn’t report partisan ballot returns.
Low GOP turnout: Rural conservatives didn’t show up.
Dem + Independent alignment: Swing voters moved heavily left in this race.
Still, conservatives won on the core issue, voter ID, and that’s what will matter long-term. Plus, the 2024 presidential turnout will be a different game entirely, with Trump on the ballot.
5. Building the Machine: GOTV Must Be the Focus
Turley echoed what strategists like Rich Baris and Scott Presler have said for years: the GOP must build state-level ground games to turn out the new Republican base. Today’s GOP is the party of low-propensity voters, the same working-class folks Democrats used to rely on.
That means:
Investing in ballot chasing where legal
Building state GOP turnout machines
Targeting independents with winning national issues (like voter ID, border security, inflation)
Until that infrastructure is in place, off-year elections like Wisconsin will remain vulnerable. But the momentum and coalition strength are clearly on the GOP’s side.
6. Grassroots Leaders Like Scott Presler Are Filling the Ground Game Gap
While some state GOP organizations still lag behind, conservative grassroots leaders are stepping up and doing the work. Scott Presler has become a household name for his relentless voter registration, door-knocking, and turnout efforts. But he’s not doing it alone. Cliff Maloney is mobilizing liberty-minded youth through Young Americans for Liberty, while Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point Action is building state-by-state infrastructure aimed at ballot harvesting where legal and getting out the vote. These grassroots patriots are filling the void left by weak GOP machines and they’re proving that the conservative movement doesn’t need permission from party elites to win.
7. The Blueprint for 2024 Is Already Working
Here’s what conservatives should take away:
6 of 9 special elections won
Voter ID wins in a swing state
- Ballot security measures in general like voter ID are gaining traction
Florida is locked in deep red
Democrats wasting millions on failed races
GOP coalition stronger than ever
- National issues like inflation, border security, and parental rights dominate the conversation
The Wisconsin loss was a setback but also a signal. A strong national agenda and a Trump-led ticket will bring conservatives back out in force. Add in a functional ground game, and the path to victory becomes clear.
Final Word: We’re Still the Champs
The Wisconsin court race was a reminder, not a defeat. With voter ID locked into law, 6 special election wins under our belt, and deep-red strongholds like Florida holding firm, the GOP has every reason to be confident.
This is the moment to regroup, organize, and push harder—not panic.
We’re still the champs. Let’s act like it.
