Jeff Smith Wins Reelection to Wisconsin 31st Senate District

Jeff Smith Wins Reelection to Wisconsin 31st Senate District

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Jeff Smith has won a third term representing Wisconsin’s 31st Senate District, defeating Republican challenger Michele Magadance Skinner in the election, WEAU reported.

The victory hands Democrats a crucial hold in a chamber where Republicans had targeted the seat as part of an effort to retain the Senate majority next session. WQOW reported that Smith captured 58% of the vote, a margin that underscores the district’s Democratic lean despite the GOP’s push to flip it.

The 31st Senate District encompasses all of Eau Claire and parts of Chippewa Falls and Menomonie.

From the Assembly to a Senate Majority

Smith, first elected to the Senate in November 2018, previously served in the State Assembly from 2007 to 2011, giving him a legislative career that now spans nearly two decades.

At a watch party held at the Brewing Projekt, Smith told supporters the result gave Democrats control of the chamber. WQOW reported that Smith said, “A big thank you for all of you who stood with us throughout some hard times. And now, we have our opportunity. And we all, all of us, especially those of us elected, have to make the most of what we can out of this opportunity. In the state Senate, we have officially taken the majority.”

Earlier, Smith told WEAU that he viewed the seat as a responsibility to be sustained, not abandoned. “I feel a responsibility to continue to serve the 31st Senate District in the capacity that I have because I didn’t just get elected for one term and walk away from it,” Smith said. “We have a lot of work to do.”

Assuming Office on January 4, 2027

Elected legislators are scheduled to assume office on the first Monday in January, which in this case falls on January 4, 2027, WEAU reported. Smith will return to Madison to join a Democratic caucus that, he said, has now claimed the chamber’s majority.

What that shift means for the district’s priorities—from Eau Claire’s city government to the outlying areas of Chippewa Falls and Menomonie—remains the open question as the new session approaches.

Worth a look

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