Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson, a prominent figure in the state's political history, has declared that Wisconsin is now firmly a blue state. Speaking in a post-election interview on Wednesday, Thompson pointed to a series of recent statewide defeats for the Republican Party, including the loss in the gubernatorial race, as evidence of this shift.
In remarks to Wisconsin Public Radio, Thompson stated that the state is no longer a purple or swing state. He noted that Republicans have not won a statewide race for a significant period. Thompson emphasized that Wisconsin was blue before he first took office and has since reverted to that status.
Thompson was first elected in 1986 and went on to serve four terms, making him the longest-serving governor in the state's history. During his tenure, he won re-election by wide margins. In contrast, this year's Republican candidate, Representative Tom Tiffany, lost the race to Democrat David Crowley by an eight-point margin on election night.
While Republicans have secured victories in Wisconsin in recent years, Thompson views these successes as anomalies. He cited President Trump's wins in 2016 and 2020, as well as Senator Ron Johnson's victories in 2016 and 2022, but argued they do not reflect the broader trend. Thompson highlighted that conservative-aligned candidates lost state supreme court races by wide margins, which he believes better represents the state's current political leanings.
Thompson described the Trump effect as an aberration, insisting that the underlying reality remains blue. He expressed frustration that the state is still considered purple, pointing to the significant margins of defeat in recent judicial elections. He specifically mentioned losing supreme court justices by 15 or 20 percent and the governorship by eight points as clear indicators.
The trend in Wisconsin's highest court has favored liberal-aligned candidates in recent years. A conservative-aligned justice has not won election since 2019. Liberal candidates have claimed clear victories in the elections of 2020, 2023, and 2025, followed by a 20-point victory in 2026. Some of these races have drawn national attention, such as the 2025 contest where Elon Musk contributed $25 million to support conservative candidates, yet liberal-leaning Susan Crawford still won by 10 points.
Despite the shift in state and judicial races, presidential elections in Wisconsin have remained closely contested. Excluding the two victories by former President Barack Obama, where he carried the state easily, no winning presidential candidate has received a majority of the vote since Michael Dukakis in 1988. In the last three presidential elections, the winning candidate secured victory by less than one point.
Looking ahead, Thompson advised the Republican Party to rebuild its base. He argued that state Republicans have neglected Dane County, which includes the state capital Madison, and Milwaukee County. These are two of the most populous and Democratic-leaning counties in the state. Thompson noted that he was likely the only Republican governor to ever carry Dane County and that he carried Milwaukee County twice.
Thompson attributed his past success in these areas to the significant amount of time he spent engaging with voters there. He warned that if Republicans continue to overlook these critical counties, they will never win statewide elections. He summarized his position by stating that the strategy is simple: pay attention to and compete in these major urban centers.
