DeSantis Enters Presidential Race with ‘Skewed’ Narrative He’s Better Positioned to Beat Biden than Trump

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis officially launched his presidential campaign Wednesday, ending months of speculation and ratcheting up what promises to be an intense battle for the Republican Party nomination. 

DeSantis enters the race as a top tier candidate, but still lagging far behind frontrunner Donald Trump, according to just about every poll out there. 

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Pollster: Biden’s Re-Election Campaign Announcement ‘Like Christmas’ to Trump, Republicans

President Joe Biden announced his re-election campaign Tuesday, insisting he’s running again to “stand up for fundamental freedoms.” 

Republicans in the nation’s presidential battleground states say the out-of-touch 80-year-old Democrat has cost Americans their freedoms — and their finances. 

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POS Poll Shows DeSantis Faring Better Than Trump Against Biden in the Badger State Despite Many Polls to the Contrary

Public Opinion Strategies is out with yet another poll showing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis faring better against former President Donald Trump, this time in battleground Wisconsin. But just who is paying for the polling that paints a picture of DeSantis’ presidential strength despite Trump’s significant lead in primary polls remains unclear.

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DeSantis Coming to Wisconsin as Trump Pounds the GOP’s No. 2 Presidential Contender

As he moves closer to a presidential campaign announcement, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has scheduled a trip to the Badger State next month. 

DeSantis, who is expected to officially launch his run for the White House after the Florida legislative session ends in early May, will speak at the Republican Party of Marathon County Lincoln Day Dinner on May 6.

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Wisconsin Republicans Secure Supermajority in Senate, Gain Super Power

It wasn’t all bad news for conservatives in Tuesday’s election. While the right lost control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Republicans gained two-thirds — or supermajority power— in the state Senate. 

State Representative Dan Knodl (R-Germantown) narrowly defeated environmental lawyer Jodi Habush Sinykin in the race for Wisconsin’s 8th Senate District Seat.

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Tommy Thompson, Wisconsin’s Longest-Serving Governor, Endorses Work-First Ballot Issue

Tommy Thompson, Wisconsin’s longest-serving governor and welfare reform pioneer, is lending his support for a work-first referendum question on the Badger State’s April 4 election ballot.

The non-bonding referendum asks voters a simple question: “Shall able-bodied, childless adults be required to look for work in order to receive taxpayer-funded benefits?”

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Commentary: Brown County’s $30 Million Taxpayer Loan for Broadband Expansion Deserves Closer Scrutiny

Brown County residents may be aware of a proposed broadband expansion project in their area. What they may not be aware of is the potential cost of this project – “$27.2 million loan at 4 percent interest to be repaid over 30 years,” as reported by the Green Bay Press Gazette. This should raise some eyebrows. Not only does Brown County receive service from multiple broadband providers, but there are additional projects on the horizon and federal broadband funding that is expected to flow into the state.

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Report: Wisconsin Schools Directing Largest Share of Federal COVID Aid to Construction Projects

A new report shows Wisconsin schools are marking a significant amount for federal COVID relief on construction projects, outpacing planned pandemic aid for core educational and mental health programs.  

The Institute for Reforming Government’s updated K-12 COVID relief Audit found some $265 million of the current $1.49 billion in taxpayer funds allocated is going to construction.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Wisconsin’s Bail Reform Constitutional Amendment

While all eyes are on Wisconsin’s crucial Supreme Court election, the April 4 ballot also includes an important question asking voters to amend the state’s constitution.

The constitutional amendment proposes to reform a bail system that most agree is broken, although there’s argument on how to fix it. State Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) and State Rep. Cindi Duchow (R-Delafield), authors of the legislation, offer answers to many of the most frequently asked questions surrounding their proposed amendment.

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Biden Touts Economy in Wisconsin as Badger State Suffers Consequences of Big Government Policies

President Joe Biden paid a call on Wisconsin Wednesday, touting job creation and boasting that the Big Government agenda he laid out in this week’s State of the State address will get the nation’s economy humming. 

But the president’s cheerleading tour conflicts with the realities on the ground for Badger State businesses dealing with higher prices, supply chain issues and labor shortages. 

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Wisconsin Gov. Evers Wants More Shared Revenue, Not Sure About How to Get It

Wisconsin’s governor says he wants to provide local governments with more state money next year. But he’s not saying how he plans to convince Republican lawmakers to go along.

During a series of interviews and appearances this week, Gov. Tony Evers reiterated that increasing shared revenue is one of his top priorities in the New Year.

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State Audit Raises New Questions About Wisconsin’s Coronavirus Supplemental Spending

Gov. Tony Evers’ office dictated where to spend most of Wisconsin’s $5.7 billion in supplemental coronavirus relief money without writing down or tracking how he came to those decisions.

A new report from the Legislative Audit Bureau dings the governor for a lack of transparency.

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Legislative Audit Finds Significant Waste in Two Wisconsin Coronavirus Grant Programs

No one really knows just how much of Wisconsin’s nearly $600 million in small business coronavirus grant money was wasted or given to scammers.

The Legislative Audit Bureau on Tuesday released a limited review of the “We’re All In” and “Wisconsin Tomorrow” programs, and confirmed that the state handed out money to ineligible businesses.

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Wisconsin Set to Receive Part of a Nearly $400 Million Settlement from Google over Location-Tracking Probe

Google agreed to a $391.5 million settlement with 40 states after an investigation found that the tech giant participated in questionable location-tracking practices, state attorneys general announced Monday.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong called it a “historic win for consumers.”

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Firing of Milwaukee Election Official Highlights Wisconsin as Epicenter of Election Shenanigans

The firing of a Milwaukee election official this week after she sent military ballots to a state representative highlights another election vulnerability in Wisconsin, where a rash of election administration irregularities and legal breaches have been exposed since 2020.

During a press conference on Thursday, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson announced that Kimberly Zapata, deputy director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, was fired after she requested that three absentee military ballots be sent to the home of Republican state Rep. Janel Brandtjen. Brandtjen turned the ballots in to the Waukesha County sheriff last Friday.

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Wisconsin Judge Refuses to Allow Mail-In Ballots with Partial Addresses to Be Counted in Win for GOP

A Wisconsin judge has rejected a request from the state’s League of Women Voters to allow election officials to count absentee ballots with incomplete witness addresses. 

Dane County Circuit Judge Nia Trammell on Wednesday said the group’s request for a temporary injunction “would upend the status quo and not preserve it” and “frustrate the electoral process by causing confusion” less than two weeks before Election Day, CBS News reported.

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Reince Priebus: Wisconsin Will See $200 Million Spent for 50,000 Votes

Wisconsin’s race for governor is the most expensive in the country, and the race for U.S. Senate isn’t exactly cheap either. All of that money is being spent to convince less than 2% of voters in the state.

Reince Priebus, the former head of both the Wisconsin Republican Party and the Republican National Committee, said there are just a few thousand truly independent voters in Wisconsin.

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Wisconsin’s Former Parole Commission Boss to Become Racine’s Violence Prevention Manager

The man pushed out as the head of Wisconsin’s Parole Commission after critics said he let dangerous people out of prison is set to become the new violence prevention manager in Racine.

Racine Mayor Cory Mason announced Wednesday that John Tate II will take over the role.

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Report: Rushing to Carbon-Free Energy Will Cost Wisconsin $250 Billion by 2050

A new report says Gov. Tony Evers’ goal to get Wisconsin carbon-free by 2050 comes with a $250 billion price tag.

The Center of the American Experiment released its report on Wednesday. It explains that Gov. Evers’ pledge to move electric generation in the state completely away from coal and natural gas will drive energy prices in the state even higher.

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Wisconsin Governor Gets ‘C’ on State Budget Report Card, Local Reformers Want an ‘A’

Gov. Tony Evers scored better than three of Wisconsin’s four neighbors on a new state budget report card, but reformers in the state say less-bad is not the same as good.

The Cato Institute this week gave Gov. Tony Evers a “C” on its Fiscal Policy Report Card.

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Wisconsin Judge Bans Guidance from Elections Commission Boss, Staff

The full Wisconsin Elections Commission is going to have to agree before making any changes to the state’s election rules going forward.

A judge in Waukesha County last month ruled that the Elections Commission administrator, Meagan Wolfe, and her staff cannot issue guidance on their own.

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Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Calls January 6 Subpoena ‘Clearly Political’

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has a guess as to how he ended up on the subpoena list for the January 6 committee. Namely: Politics.

Vos on Monday said he intends to fight the subpoena from the Democratic panel in Washington that has spent the past year looking into the riots at the U.S. Capitol.

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Seven Midwest States Enter Hydrogen Coalition

Seven Midwest states entered a coalition to pursue clean hydrogen development as an alternative to gas and diesel fuel.

The governors of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin signed onto the Midwest Hydrogen Coalition. The coalition will accelerate clean hydrogen development, from production and supply chain to distribution in agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and other industries.

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Wisconsin’s Climate Action Report Highlights Three Issues

Wisconsin’s new climate action report is a little thin.

The state’s Department of Natural Resources released the report on Tuesday. It recaps what Wisconsin has done to accomplish its climate change and environmental equity goals over the past year.

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Law Firm Files Lawsuit over National Voter Registration Form in Wisconsin

There is yet another challenge to yet another decision from the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty on Thursday filed a lawsuit in Waukesha County court challenging what is being called the Form.

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Evers, Michels Tied in Polls for Governor of Wisconsin

Incumbent Tony Evers (D) and Tim Michels (R) are running in the general election for governor of Wisconsin on Nov. 8.

Recent polls have not shown either candidate to have a statistically significant lead. The Cook Political Report, Sabato’s Crystal Ball, and Inside Elections rate the election as a toss-up.

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City Invests in Wisconsin’s First Men’s Homeless Shelter

Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway have announced a $9 million investment for the state’s first men’s homeless shelter.  

“City-County announces additional $9 million investment in men’s homeless shelter,” Rhodes-Conway posted on Twitter highlighting the sides continued partnership. “A new commitment from @DaneCoJoe represents the single largest investment in the Dane County Capital Budget.”

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Longtime Madison Pub Closes Its Doors Due to Pandemic

One-time Madison-area stronghold Brasserie V is the latest neighborhood eatery to fall victim to the pandemic, with the owners recently taking to social media to announce its closing this month after 15 years.

“We are so very proud of our 15 years bringing a little bit of Belgium to Monroe Street,” the owners said in an Aug. 20 Facebook post. “We wouldn’t have reached this milestone without the talent, dedication and hard work of all of our amazing staff over the years.”

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Wisconsin Legislators Sue Election Regulators to Block Clerks from ‘Curing’ Errant Ballots

Wisconsin state legislators are pushing back on the Wisconsin Election Commission, challenging its absentee ballot curing guidance in court, even as the controversial commission seeks additional funding from the Legislature to boost confidence in elections.

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Another State Lawmaker Criticizes Wisconsin’s Professional Licensing Backlog

Another Wisconsin lawmaker is criticizing the governor for the back-up at the state’s licensing agency.

Rep. Alex Dallman, R-Green Lake, on Monday said doctors, nurses, hairdressers, and thousands of others have been waiting weeks and months for the state to issue them a license to work.

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Wisconsin’s Democrat Governor Tepid About Biden Campaign Event

Wisconsin’s Democratic governor won’t be rude, but he’s also not rolling out the red carpet for President Joe Biden at an upcoming Labor Day campaign event.

Gov. Tony Evers didn’t sound excited at all Monday when asked about the president’s upcoming visit to Wisconsin.

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Brandtjen: ‘Mind-Boggling’ Decision Given Wisconsin Voter ID Law

Few answers, if any, are being given about the move from Wisconsin’s election managers to put inactive voters back on the state’s voter rolls.

“Why we are returning anyone to the rolls in a state where anyone can vote as long as you have a voter ID is mind-boggling,” said Rep. Janel Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls.

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Wisconsin Elections Chief Looking for Election Security Balance Ahead of Expected Record Turnout

Expect a lot of talk about election security ahead of what Wisconsin’s election administrator says could be a record year for voting.

Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe on Tuesday answered questions about election integrity, election security, and what she expects for the November election.

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Commentary: The Real Job Crisis in Wisconsin

The real crisis in the U.S. labor market is not, as we keep hearing, that there are not enough people who can work. The real crisis is all the working-age people on the sidelines, not even looking for a job. Yes, the unemployment rate is low, but that statistic covers only people who have looked for a job in the last four weeks. The labor force participation rate, which measures the share of working age people working or at least looking for work, shows a long-term decline, particularly for men without a college degree, and especially in states like Wisconsin. When able-bodied men are not even looking for work, a host of social problems ensue — from crime, to drug addiction, to family breakdown. 

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Evers Administration Blames Worker Shortage, Lack of Money for Occupational License Backlog

Wisconsin’s professional licensing department is blaming a lack of employees as well as a lack of money for the months-long delay in getting people their paperwork to go back to work.

The legislature’s Study Committee on Occupational Licensing held a daylong meeting Tuesday where lawmakers pressed Department of Safety and Professional Services leaders, the latter who essentially blamed lawmakers.

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Wisconsin Counties Turn Attention to Fentanyl Crisis

Two communities in southeast Wisconsin are looking to do more about fentanyl.

Waukesha County on Monday declared a community health crisis over the spike in fentanyl deaths, while Washington County said it will ask voters to okay a new anti-crime task force to keep the drug out of schools.

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New Questions Surround Possible Wisconsin Nursing Home Voting Violations

There are new questions about the opportunity for voter fraud in Wisconsin.

The Thomas More Society this week released its findings into people who are under “no vote” guardianship orders in the state. Those orders come from a judge after someone has been found “incapable of understanding the objective of the elective process,” according to state law.

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