
Wisconsin Democrats continue to outpace GOP in fundraising
he state Dem Party reported $772,285 in receipts last month, $929,461 in expenses and more than $1.3 million in the bank.
Visit WisPolitics-State Affairs for premium content,
keyword notifications, bill tracking and more

he state Dem Party reported $772,285 in receipts last month, $929,461 in expenses and more than $1.3 million in the bank.

Minocqua Brewing Co. owner Kirk Bangstad told WisPolitics he will sue to force his way onto the gubernatorial ballot after the Elections Commission voted unanimously that he had failed to turn in enough signatures.

“I think the number that Derrick (Van Orden) had mentioned to me was probably $50 million will be spent on that race,” Kappus told WISN’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics-State Affairs. “They’re going to be spending a lot of money to try and oust him.”

Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad fell short of the 2,000 valid signatures needed to qualify for the ballot after turning in nomination papers that listed the wrong date of the election.

Minocqua Brewing Co. owner Kirk Bangstad filed nomination papers to run for governor. But he wasn’t on the list of candidates who will speak at the Dem convention next weekend.

GOP attorney general candidate Eric Toney said strong fundraising and party unity offer a pathway for him to defeat Dem AG Josh Kaul in their rematch in November’s elections.

Two Madison voters are suing the state Elections Commission after the agency ordered local election officials to reject their absentee ballots even though the city clerk’s office received them before the April 7 election.

A split Dane County Board of Canvassers is preparing to appeal an order from the state Elections Commission barring the counting of 23 absentee ballots cast by Madison voters that the city clerk didn’t deliver to the polling site by the statutory deadline.

The state Elections Commission is directing Madison to redo its canvass of the spring election after finding it improperly included 23 absentee ballots that arrived at polling sites after the deadline due to clerk error.

1st District Court of Appeals Judge Pedro Colón, a former Dem lawmaker, today launched his campaign for the state Supreme Court, pledging any who appeared before him as a justice would get “a listening ear and a fair shot.”

The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association announced plans to host a debate in the governor’s race Oct. 9 — the day after WTMJ-TV plans to do one on the UW-Milwaukee campus.

7th CD candidate Jessi Ebben criticized GOP rival Michael Alfonso for relying on family ties and transportation industry dollars. Alfonso was not among the three GOP candidates who appeared at the April 22 candidate forum in Mercer, hosted by the Iron County Republican Party.

Former Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge didn’t mention rival Rebecca Cooke by name at the April 21 forum of 3rd CD Dems in Stevens Point. Still, her comments came as she has criticized the Dem establishment for backing Cooke in the primary.

GOP businessman and attorney Paul Wassgren has suspended his campaign for the 7th CD, saying he plans to instead support fellow Wisconsin Republicans and get more involved in the Catholic Church.

U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) raised $933,219 in the first quarter of 2026, outpacing his Democratic opponents by a 4-to-1 margin.

Clark County Judge Lyndsey Brunette today launched her campaign for an open seat on the state Supreme Court, touting her work as an elected Dem district attorney and saying those on the bench should apply the law fairly and equally.

State Rep. Francesa Hong called for a pause on new data centers in Wisconsin, while Dem gubernatorial rival and former DOA Secretary Joel Brennan said he believed one of just a few months was needed to implement important guardrails. Meanwhile, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes told an April 14 Wisconsin Citizen Action virtual forum he wanted more stringent regulations before any new data centers are built in Wisconsin.

Dem candidates for governor discussed data centers, the minimum wage and other issues during a Wisconsin Citizen Action virtual forum.

During the Wisconsin Health News event yesterday, seven candidates fielded various health-related questions on topics such as health insurance costs, their support of a BadgerCare public option and MAHA initiatives, such as barring food stamps from being used to buy junk food.

Wisconsin’s top election official says safeguards ensure only one vote is counted per person after voters in two cities received multiple ballots.

he state Dem Party reported $772,285 in receipts last month, $929,461 in expenses and more than $1.3 million in the bank.

Minocqua Brewing Co. owner Kirk Bangstad told WisPolitics he will sue to force his way onto the gubernatorial ballot after the Elections Commission voted unanimously that he had failed to turn in enough signatures.

“I think the number that Derrick (Van Orden) had mentioned to me was probably $50 million will be spent on that race,” Kappus told WISN’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics-State Affairs. “They’re going to be spending a lot of money to try and oust him.”

Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad fell short of the 2,000 valid signatures needed to qualify for the ballot after turning in nomination papers that listed the wrong date of the election.

Minocqua Brewing Co. owner Kirk Bangstad filed nomination papers to run for governor. But he wasn’t on the list of candidates who will speak at the Dem convention next weekend.

GOP attorney general candidate Eric Toney said strong fundraising and party unity offer a pathway for him to defeat Dem AG Josh Kaul in their rematch in November’s elections.

Two Madison voters are suing the state Elections Commission after the agency ordered local election officials to reject their absentee ballots even though the city clerk’s office received them before the April 7 election.

A split Dane County Board of Canvassers is preparing to appeal an order from the state Elections Commission barring the counting of 23 absentee ballots cast by Madison voters that the city clerk didn’t deliver to the polling site by the statutory deadline.

The state Elections Commission is directing Madison to redo its canvass of the spring election after finding it improperly included 23 absentee ballots that arrived at polling sites after the deadline due to clerk error.

1st District Court of Appeals Judge Pedro Colón, a former Dem lawmaker, today launched his campaign for the state Supreme Court, pledging any who appeared before him as a justice would get “a listening ear and a fair shot.”

The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association announced plans to host a debate in the governor’s race Oct. 9 — the day after WTMJ-TV plans to do one on the UW-Milwaukee campus.

7th CD candidate Jessi Ebben criticized GOP rival Michael Alfonso for relying on family ties and transportation industry dollars. Alfonso was not among the three GOP candidates who appeared at the April 22 candidate forum in Mercer, hosted by the Iron County Republican Party.

Former Eau Claire City Council President Emily Berge didn’t mention rival Rebecca Cooke by name at the April 21 forum of 3rd CD Dems in Stevens Point. Still, her comments came as she has criticized the Dem establishment for backing Cooke in the primary.

GOP businessman and attorney Paul Wassgren has suspended his campaign for the 7th CD, saying he plans to instead support fellow Wisconsin Republicans and get more involved in the Catholic Church.

U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) raised $933,219 in the first quarter of 2026, outpacing his Democratic opponents by a 4-to-1 margin.

Clark County Judge Lyndsey Brunette today launched her campaign for an open seat on the state Supreme Court, touting her work as an elected Dem district attorney and saying those on the bench should apply the law fairly and equally.

State Rep. Francesa Hong called for a pause on new data centers in Wisconsin, while Dem gubernatorial rival and former DOA Secretary Joel Brennan said he believed one of just a few months was needed to implement important guardrails. Meanwhile, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes told an April 14 Wisconsin Citizen Action virtual forum he wanted more stringent regulations before any new data centers are built in Wisconsin.

Dem candidates for governor discussed data centers, the minimum wage and other issues during a Wisconsin Citizen Action virtual forum.

During the Wisconsin Health News event yesterday, seven candidates fielded various health-related questions on topics such as health insurance costs, their support of a BadgerCare public option and MAHA initiatives, such as barring food stamps from being used to buy junk food.

Wisconsin’s top election official says safeguards ensure only one vote is counted per person after voters in two cities received multiple ballots.