Wisconsin senate supermajority win gives Republicans impeachment power

Republicans control 22 of 33 senate seats, giving them necessary votes to impeach officials including Democratic governor

Wisconsin Republicans won a supermajority in the state senate on Tuesday, giving them the necessary votes to impeach statewide officials, including the state's Democratic governor and potentially state supreme court justices.

Wisconsin Republicans now control 22 of the senate's 33 seats after Dan Knodl, a Republican, narrowly defeated Democrat Jodi Habush Sinykin in a special election to represent a district that includes Milwaukee's northern suburbs. Republicans also control 64 of the state assembly's 99 districts. The Wisconsin constitution authorizes the state assembly to impeach all civil officers of this state for corrupt conduct in office, or for crimes and misdemeanor" by a majority vote. A two-thirds majority is required in the senate for a conviction.