MADISON, Wis. — Following Vice President Kamala Harris’ remarks in Washington, D.C. this evening, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler issued the following statement:

“Wisconsin Democrats worked their hearts out to elect Vice President Harris to the presidency, but came up short. For so many Americans, especially members of communities whose freedoms, prosperity, and safety are now menaced by the shadow of Trump’s threats, the results of the presidential election are wrenching. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin stands in solidarity with all those now facing profound uncertainty and peril. 

“The final results stand in contrast with the extraordinary joy and energy of the lightning-fast 108-day Harris-Walz campaign. Vice President Harris and Governor Walz inspired Wisconsinites in every corner of Wisconsin, from packed arenas to classrooms and union halls, from small towns to big cities. Harris and Walz campaigned with integrity and relentless optimism, and put Wisconsinites and our values at the center of their campaign. We deeply appreciate their service, their conviction, and the spirit with which they campaigned. 

“The work to advance Democratic candidates and values made a difference at every level of the ballot. Wisconsin Democrats celebrate the election of Senator Tammy Baldwin to her third term. Democrats flipped all four targeted state Senate seats, ending the GOP’s supermajority and putting Democrats on track for a majority in 2026, and flipped 10 Assembly districts, ending the massive Republican margin created by gerrymandered maps. WisDems congratulates Democratic Senate leader Dianne Hesselbein and Assembly leader Greta Neubauer, as well as the extraordinary candidates, win or lose, who strove to advance freedom and democracy in Wisconsin during this intense campaign year. In the same spirit, the party is grateful to all those who poured themselves into House races, and congratulates Mark Pocan and Gwen Moore on their reelections. 

“The work of Democrats on every level helped turn out a greater number of votes for Kamala Harris in Wisconsin than for any other candidate in Wisconsin history—other than Barack Obama in 2008 and Donald Trump in 2024. Wisconsin’s margin shifted 1.5 percentage points towards Trump from 2020 to 2024, less than the 4.1% average in the other battleground states and what appears to be an even larger shift nationwide, although votes are still being counted. 

“We are grateful to Vice President Harris and Governor Walz for their leadership, and for the time and dedication of the tens of thousands of volunteers and hundreds of staff—on the campaign, at the party, and with allied groups, who poured themselves into an urgent fight against formidable odds. 

“As we prepare for a turbulent and troubling future and seek to learn from what just took place, we will draw strength from the hope and optimism that Harris and Walz carried throughout our state, and we will recommit ourselves to fighting for the values that Harris and Walz so brilliantly championed: freedom, democracy, and opportunity for all.”