Visit WisPolitics-State Affairs for premium content,
keyword notifications, bill tracking and more
MIDDLETON — More than a third of Democratic Party of Wisconsin conventioneers voting in a WisPolitics.com straw poll favored state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout for the party’s 2018 gubernatorial nomination. Vinehout, of Alma, was favored by 184, or 38 percent, of
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth called on state Dem party activists at their state convention Friday to “unify behind a new vision for the future.” Duckworth, D-Ill., emphasized unity among all Americans in her speech, telling the crowd in the last
Democrats and school advocates in a public hearing Wednesday blasted a “constitutional carry” bill, saying repeal of the state’s school gun-free zone law would endanger students’ safety. But gun rights advocates and GOP backers defended the measure, arguing it simplifies
A GOP-backed campus free speech bill passed the Assembly higher ed committee Tuesday, after a few heated debates and over Dem objections it would stifle the exchange of ideas at Wisconsin colleges. The bill advanced with a key amendment from
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says he’s confident an agreement can be reached on the transportation budget, but the end result may be neither side getting what it wants. “The agreement might not be what either of us want,” Vos said
Milwaukee businessman Andy Gronik tells WisPolitics.com he’s hired Maura Tracy to serve as a senior adviser while he decides whether to run for guv. Tracy was campaign manager for Terri Bonoff’s unsuccessful bid for a Minnesota congressional seat last fall
The Joint Finance Committee Thursday green-lighted Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to drug test Medicaid recipients, adopting a GOP motion that also left intact many of the other changes to both Medicaid and food stamps the guv was pushing for. In
A bill that would eliminate the state’s personal property tax starting next year was largely supported Wednesday in a public hearing, where backers touted it as a business-friendly measure that would remove unnecessary burdens. But Dems on the Senate committee
Wisconsin Republicans Tuesday announced plans for a center at UW-Madison named after former Gov. Tommy Thompson, whose tenure was highlighted at an all-day symposium at the Capitol. They said the center would foster research into public policy and bring speakers
Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca and state Dems are seizing on a new study showing a jump in public works contracts to out-of-state companies since changes to prevailing wage laws took effect this year. But a key group that supports
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, says Congress needs assurances that President Trump will not again share classified information with people who aren’t supposed to have it. Appearing on “UpFront with Mike Gousha,” Kind discussed the investigations of Trump’s campaign
Sen. Steve Nass clashed with the UW System Thursday on whether it’s trying to use public funds to “bail out” the UW-Oshkosh Foundation. The UW System is currently suing a former UW-Oshkosh chancellor and former vice chancellor in a lawsuit
Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke, who announced in a radio interview today he’s leaving his post to join the Trump administration, said he has several people in mind to replace him. A Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman did not confirm Clarke’s
U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher is calling on the White House to give a “thorough account” of a meeting President Trump held with Russian officials where he was reported to have disclosed highly classified information. Gallagher, a Green Bay Republican and
Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke says his new bill aimed at setting up periodic reviews of administrative rules would help lawmakers avoid the “logistical nightmare” of conducting those reviews all at once. Steineke, R-Kaukauna, said Republicans have learned that trying
Mike McCabe says a run for governor next year looks likely, and he expects to make an announcement sometime after Labor Day. More than 200 people from around the state have signed a letter to the former director of the
This post is part of our coverage of the 2017 state GOP convention in Wisconsin Dells. See more coverage here. Republican activists gathered this weekend at the Chula Vista resort in Wisconsin Dells for the 2017 state GOP convention. Gov.
This post is part of our coverage of the 2017 state GOP convention in Wisconsin Dells. See more coverage here. Gov. Scott Walker continued to tee up his 2018 re-election bid, telling GOP activists this morning Wisconsin is a top
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said Thursday the free speech bill he co-authored looks to solve the “crisis on campus” of protesters shutting down controversial speakers. Critics say the bill goes too far in protecting speakers with racist and hateful ideas,
A Wisconsin driver who owns a typical sedan would pay $39 more in taxes on their fuel purchases annually, while the owner of an SUV would pay $54 more a year, under Rep. Dale Kooyenga’s transportation and tax plan, according to a DOR memo.
MIDDLETON — More than a third of Democratic Party of Wisconsin conventioneers voting in a WisPolitics.com straw poll favored state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout for the party’s 2018 gubernatorial nomination. Vinehout, of Alma, was favored by 184, or 38 percent, of the 489 delegates, alternates and registered guests who voted in
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth called on state Dem party activists at their state convention Friday to “unify behind a new vision for the future.” Duckworth, D-Ill., emphasized unity among all Americans in her speech, telling the crowd in the last address of the night that U.S. citizens “will never give
Democrats and school advocates in a public hearing Wednesday blasted a “constitutional carry” bill, saying repeal of the state’s school gun-free zone law would endanger students’ safety. But gun rights advocates and GOP backers defended the measure, arguing it simplifies state law while protecting otherwise law-abiding gun owners from receiving
A GOP-backed campus free speech bill passed the Assembly higher ed committee Tuesday, after a few heated debates and over Dem objections it would stifle the exchange of ideas at Wisconsin colleges. The bill advanced with a key amendment from bill co-author Rep. Jesse Kremer, R-Kewaskum, which sought to address
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says he’s confident an agreement can be reached on the transportation budget, but the end result may be neither side getting what it wants. “The agreement might not be what either of us want,” Vos said on Sunday’s “Upfront with Mike Gousha,” which is produced in
Milwaukee businessman Andy Gronik tells WisPolitics.com he’s hired Maura Tracy to serve as a senior adviser while he decides whether to run for guv. Tracy was campaign manager for Terri Bonoff’s unsuccessful bid for a Minnesota congressional seat last fall and previously worked as a field director for the Wisconsin
The Joint Finance Committee Thursday green-lighted Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to drug test Medicaid recipients, adopting a GOP motion that also left intact many of the other changes to both Medicaid and food stamps the guv was pushing for. In addition to making Wisconsin the first state to require certain
A bill that would eliminate the state’s personal property tax starting next year was largely supported Wednesday in a public hearing, where backers touted it as a business-friendly measure that would remove unnecessary burdens. But Dems on the Senate committee worried the funds wouldn’t be completely backfilled by state aid,
Wisconsin Republicans Tuesday announced plans for a center at UW-Madison named after former Gov. Tommy Thompson, whose tenure was highlighted at an all-day symposium at the Capitol. They said the center would foster research into public policy and bring speakers to System campuses from diverse viewpoints. Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester,
Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca and state Dems are seizing on a new study showing a jump in public works contracts to out-of-state companies since changes to prevailing wage laws took effect this year. But a key group that supports repealing prevailing wage laws called the study a flawed analysis.
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, says Congress needs assurances that President Trump will not again share classified information with people who aren’t supposed to have it. Appearing on “UpFront with Mike Gousha,” Kind discussed the investigations of Trump’s campaign and Russian interference in the U.S. election, and also Trump’s
Sen. Steve Nass clashed with the UW System Thursday on whether it’s trying to use public funds to “bail out” the UW-Oshkosh Foundation. The UW System is currently suing a former UW-Oshkosh chancellor and former vice chancellor in a lawsuit that alleges the two approved “illegal transfers” of money for
Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke, who announced in a radio interview today he’s leaving his post to join the Trump administration, said he has several people in mind to replace him. A Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman did not confirm Clarke’s appointment. Clarke told conservative talk show host Vicki McKenna while
U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher is calling on the White House to give a “thorough account” of a meeting President Trump held with Russian officials where he was reported to have disclosed highly classified information. Gallagher, a Green Bay Republican and former Marine, said in a series of tweets Tuesday while Trump
Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke says his new bill aimed at setting up periodic reviews of administrative rules would help lawmakers avoid the “logistical nightmare” of conducting those reviews all at once. Steineke, R-Kaukauna, said Republicans have learned that trying to “review all 1,100 pages of administrative rules at one
Mike McCabe says a run for governor next year looks likely, and he expects to make an announcement sometime after Labor Day. More than 200 people from around the state have signed a letter to the former director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign asking him to run. “It’s not my
This post is part of our coverage of the 2017 state GOP convention in Wisconsin Dells. See more coverage here. Republican activists gathered this weekend at the Chula Vista resort in Wisconsin Dells for the 2017 state GOP convention. Gov. Scott Walker kicked things off yesterday with a fish fry
This post is part of our coverage of the 2017 state GOP convention in Wisconsin Dells. See more coverage here. Gov. Scott Walker continued to tee up his 2018 re-election bid, telling GOP activists this morning Wisconsin is a top 10 state for business, education and employment, but he’s “ready
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said Thursday the free speech bill he co-authored looks to solve the “crisis on campus” of protesters shutting down controversial speakers. Critics say the bill goes too far in protecting speakers with racist and hateful ideas, laying out harsh punishments for students who violate policies that
A Wisconsin driver who owns a typical sedan would pay $39 more in taxes on their fuel purchases annually, while the owner of an SUV would pay $54 more a year, under Rep. Dale Kooyenga’s transportation and tax plan, according to a DOR memo.