State Policy · WI
Berman Flips Wisconsin House Seat After Campaigning on Medicaid Cuts
Democrat Mitchell Berman defeated Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil in Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District, ending more than three decades of Republican control. Berman, an emergency room nurse, centered his campaign on affordability and healthcare, attacking Steil for supporting the 2025 federal tax and spending law that cut Medicaid and other safety-net programs. Steil defended the law as lowering taxes and tightening Medicaid eligibility requirements. The race was called by the Associated Press, with Berman winning roughly 52% of the vote.
Why it mattersThe outcome signals that Medicaid cuts enacted in the 2025 federal tax law carried electoral weight, a dynamic state and federal policymakers will weigh as they consider further eligibility or funding changes.