National and state Republicans think 2018 is the year they will essentially wipe Democrats out of Wisconsin.

After their historic 2016 wins, Sen. Tammy Baldwin is the last major Democrat left holding statewide office in the Dairy State, and the drive to drum her out of office is already pushing highway speeds.

Recent history is on Republicans' side: in 2016, Trump became the first Republican to win Wisconsin since Ronald Reagan in 1984; and Republican Sen. Ron Johnson — whose 2010 victory was considered a fluke — beat former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold for the second time. After Republican Gov. Scott Walker survived a 2012 recall, he won re-election in 2014. And in 2010, Democrats lost the governor's mansion, a U.S. Senate seat, a long-held U.S. House seat and control of the entire state Legislature.

Already in 2017, they point to Democrats' recent failure to field a state Supreme Court candidate — in Wisconsin judges are chosen in technically non-partisan elections but candidates are widely perceived as representing one party or the other — as proof that momentum is still on their side.

Douglas La Follette, a Democrat, has served as secretary of state since 1983 but has had bad electoral luck pursuing higher office. He lost a congressional bid in 1970, a Senate bid in 1988 and more recently, was unable to unseat Walker in 2012's recall election.

All these factors leave Baldwin—who was promoted from the House to the Senate in 2012 when she bested former three-term Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson — with a massive target on her back.

"The times are different from 2012," said a Wisconsin Republican familiar with strategy for dislodging Baldwin. "Back then, Senator Baldwin benefited from Obama's historic turnout, and by running as a fresh face. Now she's got to generate her own excitement in a mid-term year—facing the best statewide Republican operation in the country on her own — and every single candidate considering a run is the outsider in the matchup."

No Republican has jumped into the race, but potential challengers include Rep. Sean Duffy, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and businessman Eric Hovde, whom Thompson bested in the 2012 GOP Senate primary.

"The strategy is simple," the insider continued. "Wisconsin Republicans will define Senator Baldwin as exactly what she is — an elite, establishment politician who is out of touch with Wisconsin values."

The state party and National Republican Senatorial Committee are already using that playbook.

"Senator Baldwin Continues to Put Washington Political Games Ahead of Wisconsin Values," reads one missive from the Wisconsin GOP; "Senator Baldwin's Continued Obstruction," reads another. "Schumer to Red State Dems: Enjoy Your Early Retirement!" the NRSC chimed in.

"Senator Tammy Baldwin has nearly 20 years of talk in Washington with next to nothing to show for it, and Wisconsin Democrats have shown they don't have what it takes to save her in 2018," said Alec Zimmerman, Wisconsin Republican Party spokesman. "Republicans look forward to focusing on issues that matter to Wisconsin families and will set a clear contrast to Baldwin's record of playing political games instead of focusing on real reform."

Given that strategy, perhaps Democracy for America's Friday endorsement of Baldwin could prove less than helpful.

"Tammy Baldwin has not only blazed a critical trail as our nation's first openly gay U.S. senator, she's done so while unflinchingly taking on the wealthy and powerful interests working to enrich themselves on the backs of hard-working Wisconsinites," stated DFC Chairman Jim Dean, brother of Howard Dean, whose 2004 presidential campaign morphed into Democracy for America.

National Republicans were already lumping Baldwin into what they consider the liberal scourge.

"Tammy Baldwin is going to have to spend the next two years explaining to Wisconsinites why she stood with Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and a small minority of far left liberals to oppose a retired general that both parties overwhelmingly agree should be the next secretary of defense," the Senate Leadership Fund declared Jan. 12 when Baldwin lodged her disapproval of retired Gen. James Matthis.

"Tammy Baldwin has never been afraid to stand up to the powerful interests in Washington," said Wisconsin Democratic Party spokeswoman Gillian Drummond, whom the Baldwin campaign directed the Washington Examiner to for comment. "It's no wonder those same interests that now control Washington are attacking her fight for working families in Wisconsin."

Marquette University pollster Charles Franklin said his surveying lends credence to Republicans' claims that the state has fundamentally realigned politically.

Leading up to both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, Democrats had a significant advantage in voters who self-identified with the party versus those who called themselves Republicans, Franklin previously told the Washington Examiner.

But before Election Day 2016, Democrats' advantage dropped to 1 percentage point, according to his last poll.

"If that holds, it means Wisconsin is no longer a reliably Democratic state in presidential elections; and the mid-term and presidential electorates no longer look very different," Franklin recently told Urban Milwaukee.

The NRSC is not waiting for 2018 to declare the GOP takeover of the land of the Green Bay Packers complete.

In news release criticizing Senate Democrats for objecting to some of President Trump's cabinet picks, Senate Republicans' political arm regularly calls Baldwin a "red state" senator.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee did not respond to requests for comment for this story.