Democrat Mitchell Berman, a nurse with the Veterans Health Administration, has defeated Republican incumbent Rep. Bryan Steil in Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ projections. The upset ends a 30-year Republican hold on the southeastern Wisconsin seat and hands Democrats a key pickup in their bid to control the House.
Berman's victory is a significant blow to GOP hopes of retaining the district, which had been rated as "leaning Republican" by the Cook Political Report as late as October. Steil, who chairs the House Administration Committee, was seeking a fifth term but could not overcome a strong Democratic wave in the district.
Berman becomes the first Democrat to represent the district since Peter Barca left office in 1995. His win adds to a string of Democratic flips in the Midwest, including Iowa's 1st District and Iowa's 2nd District, signaling a broader Democratic resurgence in the region.
Berman's campaign centered on making healthcare more affordable, supporting labor unions, and fighting what he called "corruption" in Washington. He explicitly vowed to reverse Medicaid cuts enacted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Trump signed into law last year. He also pushed for a ban on stock trading by members of Congress, the president, and the vice president while in office.
Steil, who succeeded former Speaker Paul Ryan in 2019, represented a district that includes Kenosha and Racine counties, along with parts of Walworth, Rock, and Milwaukee counties. His departure marks the end of four terms in the lower chamber and removes a key GOP institutionalist from the House.
Once Berman takes office in January, Wisconsin's eight-member House delegation will include three Democrats, joining Reps. Mark Pocan and Gwen Moore. The flip is part of a broader pattern of Democratic gains in the Midwest, as seen in Maine's Senate race and other contests.
House Democrats have already begun celebrating the sweep, with leaders vowing to confront the Trump administration on multiple fronts, as reported in their post-election statements. Berman's win is expected to bolster their ranks as they prepare to take the majority.
Steil's defeat also highlights the political cost of the GOP's redistricting efforts, which have not always delivered the expected advantages, as seen in Tennessee's 9th District and other races.
