ELKHORN, Wis. (CBS 58) -- In a stunning political upset Tuesday night, Democrat challenger Mitchell Berman is projected to defeat Republican incumbent Bryan Steil in Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District, flipping a seat Republicans have held for decades.

Steil conceded while addressing the room at a watch party Tuesday night.

Berman, an emergency room nurse, husband, and father, built his campaign around lowering healthcare and childcare costs, protecting working families, and creating more jobs in the state.

His victory marks a major breakthrough for Democrats in southeastern Wisconsin, as his message resonated with voters across Kenosha, Racine, Walworth and other surrounding counties and communities.

Steil, who has represented the district since 2019, was seeking a fifth term in Congress, after winning his seat in 2024 by more than 10 points.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee invested in Berman's campaign, while the Republican-backed Congressional Leadership Fund poured millions into Steil's race.

Berman's victory signals a potentially significant political shift in a district that had long been reliably Republican.