When the new session begins in January, Hesselbein will serve as Senate majority leader and Neubauer as Assembly speaker. Neubauer becomes the first woman ever to hold the speaker's gavel, while Hesselbein is the third woman to lead the Senate.

The selections come as Democrats prepare to take control of both chambers and the governor's office for the first time in more than a decade, a trifecta they say will allow them to deliver on long-promised priorities.

"I'm just so proud of the work that Greta's done, and I'm so glad we're going to be able to continue doing that work together and actually provide real results for the people of the state of Wisconsin," Hesselbein said in an interview.

Hesselbein, who has served in the Legislature since 2013 and as Senate minority leader since 2023, called the moment "a dream come true." She grew up in Madison and graduated from LaFollette High School in 1989. On election night, she wore her class ring, and since Democrats won back the Legislature, former classmates have reached out to congratulate her.

"I always tell school groups that come in to visit, 'Do well in school, listen to your parents, listen to your teachers,'" she said. "Because you just never know where you're going to go."

Neubauer, who gave birth to a daughter, Ingrid, over the summer, said her historic election is especially meaningful as a new mom.

"It has not been easy to serve as leader and to run for office while being a new mom. And I know that's true for so many families and moms across the state," she said. "And so I hope to use this position to make life better for families who are struggling to get by, to create more opportunities for young moms and parents to serve in public office, because I believe what's good for families in Wisconsin is good for all of us."

Other Dane County lawmakers also won leadership posts. Rep. Lisa Subeck of Madison will serve as Assembly speaker pro tempore, the chamber's second-ranking position. Rep. Mike Bare of Verona was elected assistant majority leader of the Assembly, and Sen. Melissa Ratcliff of Cottage Grove will chair the Senate majority caucus.

Hesselbein said her top priority for the next session is K-12 funding, arguing that Republican refusal to invest in public schools has forced voters to approve repeated referendums to keep schools operating.

"It's something we've heard time and time again, and we know the reason people's property taxes have gone up over and over again is because the Republicans refuse to invest in K-12 education," she said. "So voters have to agree to ongoing referendums to keep the lights on in the schools, so that's one of the things that I'm really looking forward to stopping."

Senate Democrats have been meeting for months to prepare legislation for the new session, Hesselbein said, and they will be "relentlessly focused on affordability." While they don't yet have a 100-day agenda, she expressed confidence that her caucus will be in "full alignment."

"We've been waiting for so many years for this moment, and I know we are going to be taking every opportunity to make sure we stand up for working men and women across the state of Wisconsin," she said.

Neubauer said after her election that Democrats have "lots ready to go" and won't be patient.

Sen. Julian Bradley, R-New Berlin, the incoming Senate minority leader, told reporters that Republicans will push for transparency and are willing to work with Democrats on affordability measures like a tax cut, but he warned they will fight other Democratic proposals.

"They ran and campaigned on affordability, and so that's what we're coming back here focused on," Bradley said. "We're going to fight back tooth and nail. All of these other things, unless it's affordability, unless we're cutting taxes and putting money back in people's pockets, we're going to have some real concerns."

Hesselbein said she assured Bradley that Democrats would give Republican bills hearings, a departure from recent years when GOP leaders often left Democratic proposals without a public airing.

"I think people are really sick of the terrible stuff happening in Washington, and they just want some sense of normalcy in our state of Wisconsin," she said.

Also on Tuesday, the Joint Finance Committee unanimously approved $124,200 for Gov.-elect David Crowley and his team to begin their transition. Of that, $107,700 will pay staff, with the remainder covering equipment, travel, supplies, legal needs and other expenses. The money comes from existing funds for the governor's office, requiring no new appropriation.

The brief meeting was likely the committee's last before new legislators are sworn in and new budget committee members are chosen. Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, who co-chaired the committee since 2021 and lost reelection last week to Rep. Jenna Jacobson, D-Oregon, called his service "a great honor."

Asked about the biggest challenge for the upcoming state budget, Marklein said, "It's always a challenge, I think, to caucus, to unify over what the priorities are. It's great to have the majority, and now you have to govern. That's not always easy."