Bradley to lead Senate GOP into first minority session in 16 years; Bayfield’s outgoing senator becomes his No. 2
MADISON — Senate Republicans turned to a surprise pick Thursday to lead them out of the majority.
Senate Republicans chose Sen. Julian Bradley (R-New Berlin) as minority leader Thursday. Bradley will be the first Black lawmaker to head a caucus in either chamber of the Wisconsin Legislature. He takes over a caucus that just lost power. Democrats won the Senate on Tuesday for the first time in more than a decade and a half. wisconsinexamineryahoo
The numbers are stark. Bradley will lead a caucus of just 15 Republicans. Democrats added three seats on Tuesday, giving them 18 and the Senate majority for the first time since the 2008-09 legislative session. The coming session will be the party’s first in the legislative minority since 2010. wisconsinexamineryahoo
Bradley said the results “changed the math in the Senate” but not the caucus’s beliefs. wispolitics
A name nobody floated
Bradley wasn’t on anyone’s list. According to WisPolitics, three Republicans were reportedly seeking the job: Sen. Mary Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk), who had served as Senate president; Sen. Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point), who led Senate Republicans’ election efforts and had served as president pro tempore; and Sen. Eric Wimberger (R-Gillett). Bradley was not among the names WisPolitics reported before the caucus met, but he emerged as the choice. vernonreporterwisconsinexaminer
He succeeds Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg), who did not run for reelection. LeMahieu’s seat goes to Sen.-elect Amy Binsfeld, a former state representative. wisconsinexamineryahoo
The Northwoods connection
The caucus picked its No. 2 from the north. Sen. Romaine Quinn (R-Birchwood) was chosen as assistant minority leader. wisconsinexaminer
Quinn has represented Bayfield County in the Senate since 2023, but not for much longer. Redistricting moved him to the 23rd District for this fall’s race. He will keep representing the 25th until a new senator is sworn in on January 4, 2027. When Quinn won in 2022, he became the first Republican to represent the 25th District area since 1986. wdiowdio
The man replacing him also has a stake in the caucus’s direction. Republican Erik Severson won the 25th District seat. With 99% of precincts reporting, he had 53% of the vote to 47% for Democrat Charly Ray. Ray is a Bayfield County Board member from the Town of Bayview. Severson previously served in the Assembly, first elected in 2010 and reelected in 2012, and before that worked as an emergency room physician in Osceola. Erik Severson wins for Wisconsin Senate District 25 – WDIO.com +2
Severson made his view clear after the caucus met. He said in a statement that Senate Republicans needed a “new path forward.” wisconsinexaminer
The 25th covers Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Polk, Sawyer and Washburn counties. In January it will send a freshman Republican to a caucus in the minority, with the district’s outgoing senator in its leadership. wdio
From the ring to the rostrum
Bradley’s road to the job ran through some unusual places. Born in Baltimore, he moved to Wisconsin with his mother in 1992 and graduated from Central High School in La Crosse. While studying at Temple University in Philadelphia, he wrestled professionally under the name Kris Krude. He later earned a degree from UW-La Crosse and worked at CenturyLink for 15 years. channel3000channel3000
He had already made history once. Bradley is the first Black Republican to serve in the Wisconsin Senate and only the second Black Republican to serve in the Legislature. He was first elected in 2020 and is in his second term, representing parts of Waukesha, Racine and Walworth counties. This session he chairs the Senate Committee on Utilities, Technology and Tourism. Julian Bradley (politician) +2
He will lead Senate Republicans when the new session convenes in January 2027. wispolitics
<p><strong>Sources:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/11/05/senate-republicans-choose-sen-julian-bradley-to-be-next-minority-leader/">Wisconsin Examiner — Senate Republicans choose Sen. Julian Bradley to be next minority leader</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/senate-republicans-tap-julian-bradley-193935029.html">Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — Senate Republicans tap Julian Bradley to lead caucus next session</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wispolitics.com/2026/sen-julian-bradley-sen-bradley-elected-as-minority-leader/">WisPolitics — Sen. Bradley Elected as Minority Leader (press release)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.channel3000.com/news/former-pro-wrestler-tapped-to-lead-wisconsin-senate-republicans/article_1269caa1-7e5d-4c6a-9bfd-dfd9e9b0c210.html">Channel 3000 — Former pro wrestler tapped to lead Wisconsin Senate Republicans</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wdio.com/top-stories/erik-severson-wins-for-wisconsin-senate-district-25/">WDIO — Erik Severson wins Wisconsin Senate District 25</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wdio.com/?p=669985">WDIO — Wisconsin Senator Romaine Quinn seeking reelection in new district</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wpr.org/news/democrat-charly-ray-seeks-open-northwest-wisconsin-senate-schools-health-care">WPR — Democrat Charly Ray seeks open northwest Wisconsin Senate seat</a></li>
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