Democrats' high hopes of a flip were dashed in Georgia's special House race on Tuesday, but an overperformance in the red district — plus a landslide win for liberals in a Supreme Court race in Wisconsin — underscored the party's enduring momentum as the high-stakes midterm cycle ramps up.
Backed by President Trump, Republican Clay Fuller won the Peach State runoff to replace former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), the longtime Trump ally who quit the House in January amid a feud with the president. But Democrats notched a notable overperformance in the red district, further fueling their winning streak ahead of the midterms.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans secured a key victory in Georgia's 14th Congressional District, with Fuller winning about 55 percent support in Tuesday's runoff after coming in second behind Harris in a crowded March special election.
"The results tonight are clear: Northwest Georgia stands with MAGA and demands a fighter on Capitol Hill defending the America First agenda," Fuller wrote in a social post after his victory.
The win gives Republicans a 218-214 advantage in the House, meaning they can afford two defections on party-line legislation assuming all members are present and voting — a critical cushion as the fight for control of Congress continues.
While Trump declined to weigh in on Tuesday's Wisconsin judicial race despite flipping the state in 2024, some Republicans noted the race received less national attention than last year's high-profile contest. The 2025 Supreme Court race drew massive spending from Trump and Elon Musk, while this year's contest was a quieter affair given the court's majority was not at stake.
What the Left Is Saying
In Wisconsin, Democrats celebrated a decisive victory that expands their majority on the state Supreme Court. Democratic-backed judicial candidate Chris Taylor easily won an open seat on the state Supreme Court, overperforming GOP-backed candidate Maria Lazar by about 20 percentage points to give the liberal faction on the court a 5-2 edge.
"This victory is only the beginning of the fight ahead to win a Democratic trifecta in November and deliver real, lasting change for the working people of Wisconsin," the Democratic Party of Wisconsin said in a statement.
In Georgia, Democrats pointed to Shawn Harris's overperformance as evidence of continued momentum. Harris, a cattle farmer and retired general who lost to Greene by close to 30 points in 2024, ran a much stronger race against Fuller despite being outspent.
"This wasn't the result we wanted, but the message is clear — people here are ready for leadership that puts them first," Harris said in a Tuesday social media post.
The party has flipped a handful of GOP-held state legislative seats in recent months and flipped two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission late last year — signs of broad enthusiasm and frustration with Republicans over the state of the economy.
What the Numbers Show
In Georgia's 14th Congressional District, Fuller won with approximately 55 percent of the vote. Harris outperformed his 2024 margin against Greene by about 30 points, despite the district going for Trump by about 37 percentage points in 2024.
In Chattooga County, which backed Trump by more than 60 percentage points in 2024, Fuller was up 40 points in Tuesday's results. Fuller was expected to finish with a swing of nearly 20 points from Trump's 2024 margin, per Decision Desk HQ.
In Wisconsin's Supreme Court race, Taylor led Lazar by approximately 60 percent to 40 percent. Some political observers suggested Taylor could handily win by between 16 and 20 points — an overperformance from last year's closely watched election when liberal Justice Susan Crawford beat conservative Brad Schimel by about 10 points.
Early voting declined significantly from 2025 to 2026, with about 363,000 people voting early in person this year compared to under 150,000 in the previous election cycle. A Marquette Law School poll released last month showed Trump's approval rating at 42 percent in Wisconsin, with a 56 percent disapproval rating.
The Bottom Line
The dual elections offered both parties reasons for optimism heading into the midterm cycle. Democrats continued their overperformance streak in special elections, while Republicans secured a seat that expands their narrow House majority.
Both Fuller and Harris will be on the ballot again in Georgia's primary elections next month as they run for their respective parties' nominations for a full term in the seat. Democrats will aim to build on their special election wins as they seek to net three seats and take control of the House this fall.