As Wisconsin heads into the 2026 election season, a growing number of state lawmakers have publicly announced they will not seek another term, setting the stage for significant turnover in both chambers of the Legislature. While retirements are not unusual in an election year, the number of open seats already confirmed could have meaningful implications for party strategy, leadership dynamics, and policy priorities in the next session.

State Senate Departures

Two longtime Republican members of the Wisconsin State Senate have announced they will not run for reelection.

Sen. Steve Nass (R – Whitewater) one of the Legislature’s most senior members, has said he will retire at the end of his term. Nass has served in the Senate for more than a decade and previously spent years in the Assembly, making his departure a notable moment of institutional change for the chamber.

Sen. Rob Hutton (R – Brookfield) has also announced he will not seek another term. Hutton’s decision opens up a suburban Senate district that is likely to draw attention from both parties as they look to shape the balance of power in the upper chamber.

The open seats created by the retirements of Sens. Steve Nass and Rob Hutton are expected to draw significant attention. Hutton’s Brookfield-area district, which covers portions of Waukesha County suburbs, is widely viewed as one of the more competitive Senate districts in the state, especially under Wisconsin’s newer legislative maps.

Assembly Members Not Returning

Turnover is also expected in the Wisconsin State Assembly, where several incumbents have announced they will not be seeking reelection to their current seats.

Assembly Republican Dave Murphy (R-Hortonville) has said he will retire from the Legislature, ending a tenure that began in 2012. Murphy’s decision creates an open seat in northeast Wisconsin and adds to a list of veteran lawmakers choosing to step aside. Also, Representative Scott Allen (R- Waukesha) plans to run for Waukesha Mayor and leave the Wisconsin Assembly.

On the Democratic side, several Assembly members have announced plans to pursue other offices rather than run again for their current seats. Rep. Francesca Hong (D – Madison) has declared her intention to run for governor, while Rep. Jenna Jacobson (D – Oregon) and Rep. Robyn Vining (D – Wauwatosa) have both announced campaigns for seats in the State Senate. Each decision leaves behind an open Assembly district that will be contested in the fall.

Like the Senate openings, the newly open districts are also considered politically consequential. The seat being vacated by Rep. Robyn Vining in Wauwatosa, a suburban Milwaukee-area district, has been closely contested in recent cycles and is expected to be a top target for both parties. Similarly, the open district in south-central Wisconsin left by Rep. Jenna Jacobson is likely to draw attention as Democrats seek to defend territory while Republicans look for expansion opportunities.

While Rep. Francesca Hong’s Madison-based seat is expected to remain safely Democratic, it could still see a competitive primary as candidates vie to succeed her. Meanwhile, the retirement of Rep. Dave Murphy in northeast Wisconsin creates an open Republican-held seat that may test party strength in a region that has shown shifting political dynamics in recent elections.

As the legislative session winds down and election season ramps up, additional retirement announcements are coming.