Fresh out of Barnard College with a degree in political science, Riley is a writer and reporter for GZERO. When she isn’t writing about global politics, you can find her making GZERO’s crossword puzzles, conducting research on American politics, or persisting in her lifelong quest to learn French. Riley spends her time outside of work grilling, dancing, and wearing many hats (both literally and figuratively).
Today, the US takes its political temperature as voters head to the polls for special elections in Florida and Wisconsin. Here’s what to know:
In Florida, Matt Gaetz’sseat is up for grabs, though it’s expected to stay in Republican hands. Meanwhile, after a leaked poll showed a surprisingly close race to replace Mike Waltz in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, the GOP is scrambling to defend a seat in an area Trump won by 30 points in November. Trump appeared at a town hall with GOP candidate Randy Fine on Thursday, while Elon Musk’s super PAC contributed $100,000 to the Florida races.
Still, even if by a tighter margin, Fine is expected to win the deep-red district. “Randy Fine will be a member of Congress,” said Republican Press Secretary Mike Marinella. “Everything else is just noise.”
In Wisconsin, meanwhile, voters will choose between a liberal and a conservative judge in a race that will determine whether the state’s Supreme Court keeps its 4-3 liberal majority. The contest is drawing national attention and is poised to be the most expensive in history, as the court prepares to rule on abortion laws, voting districts, and collective bargaining rights. Democrats are hoping these cases will turn out their base, and that Musk’s heavy presence in the race – he has held rallies and brought back his million dollar raffle strategy – could hurt the GOP’s candidate.
As the party in power, Republicans may struggle to drive turnout — it’s often easier for the losing side to mobilize voters in special elections. Earlier this year, Democrats flipped Trump-won seats in Iowa and Pennsylvania. While Wisconsin looks like a coin flip, early turnout in Florida’s 1st and 6th districts shows Republicans leading by 19 and nine points, dampening Democratic hopes for a surprise win in the Sunshine State.
