Visit WisPolitics-State Affairs for premium content,
keyword notifications, bill tracking and more
Subscriber products moved to State Affairs-WisPolitics
As of July 17, 2025, all WisPolitics subscriber products have moved to the State Affairs-WisPolitics platform. Archived subscriber products from From February 2017 through July 16, 2025 are available below or search here. For content before 2017, you can search here.
If you are an existing Silver, Gold or Platinum subscriber, you can log on to the State Affairs-WisPolitics site using the email address to which your WisPolitics subscriber emails are sent, no password required. If you would like to subscribe, reach out to schmies@wispolitics.com.
Subscribers unable to access the archives below can contact schmies@wispolitics.com to request access.
From WisPolitics … — The Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules deadlocked today on a package of proposed standards for election observers, a move that could clear the way for the rules to take effect later this year. Assembly
TOP STORIES JLAC co-chair Wimberger calls state DEI spending ‘rebranded discrimination’ at hearing… [before testimony from DOA Sec. Blumenfeld, UW Pres. Rothman, UW-Madison Chancellor Mnookin] … set the table by claiming DEI “cleverly and thinly veils discrimination by implying all
From WisPolitics … — GOP Rep. Dan Knodl accused the Universities of Wisconsin of failing to eliminate DEI staff, as it had promised to do in exchange for financial priorities such as employee raises and funding for building projects. System
From WisPolitics … — DOA Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld insisted today the Evers administration is not hiring based on race or gender, arguing the DEI efforts outlined in a recent audit reflect the agency’s efforts to retain and attract employees. Republicans
TOP STORIES GOP scour for options to sidestep Evers vetoes, including not using digits in the budget… Speaker Robin Vos said April 22 his caucus would discuss ways … “We are already meeting with our attorneys. We’ve begun the process
From WisPolitics … — Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski announced today she is running for first vice-chair of the state Dem Party, saying in a statement to WisPolitics that democracy is at stake with Donald Trump’s return to power and
From WisPolitics … — Gov. Tony Evers said today while he’s open to negotiating a tax cut deal with GOP legislative leaders, any agreement would have to be part of the state budget — not standalone legislation. Evers said reaching
TOP STORIES Wisconsin governor’s guidance on dealing with ICE agents draws GOP backlash… [radio host O’Donnell announced Evers’ 5-point email, which tells state workers] to remain calm and immediately notify their supervisor. After asking agents to identify themselves and to
From WisPolitics … — Clark County Judge Lyndsey Boon Brunette, a former elected Dem DA, has been making calls about running for state Supreme Court next year and is seriously considering a bid, according to a source with knowledge of
From WisPolitics … — Rep. Adam Neylon today criticized the Wisconsin Elections Commission for not engaging with lawmakers more on a proposed rule laying out standards for election observers, calling it “insulting.” Appearing before the Joint Committee for Review of
TOP STORIES Evers, Republican leaders holding ‘productive’ talks on a tax package… met in March … Cudaback [for Evers] said there would be conversations between staff going forward and another meeting between the leaders has not been scheduled. … “The
From WisPolitics … — Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy says the NFL is “embracing” Green Bay ahead of hosting the NFL Draft in the league’s smallest market beginning Thursday. “I think because of that it means more to the
TOP STORIES Evers can lock in 400-year school funding increase using a veto, Supreme Court rules… court’s four liberal justices ruled Friday that the state constitution allows the governor to strike digits to create a new year or to remove
From WisPolitics … — A slow decline in Wisconsin exports over the past dozen years “may be cause for concern” amid tariff-related uncertainties, the Wisconsin Policy Forum reports. The value of state exports was about $27.5 billion last year, or
Subscribers: Tomorrow’s AM Update and News Summary will be the final products of the week. All products will resume Monday. Thank you for subscribing! From WisPolitics … — GOP legislative leaders, who have pledged to pass a tax cut before
TOP STORIES RPW creates process to remove local GOP officials for harassment, defaming leaders… approved by … executive committee Sunday. … state that while volunteers and “grassroots members” have the right to elect leaders at the county and congressional district
From WisPolitics … — Operative Joe Zepecki today formally launched his bid for state Dem chair, the fourth person to enter the contest to succeed Ben Wikler. In his announcement, Zepecki said the party needs someone to build on Wikler’s
From WisPolitics … — The state GOP announced to members today that it’s launching a postmortem on the 2025 state Supreme Court race that conservative Brad Schimel lost by 10 points as the party prepares for next year’s contest. Since
TOP STORIES Judge Conley: UW-Madison int’l student can’t be deported for nowKrish Isserdasani of India is just weeks away from earning a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering … His student visa was unexpectedly terminated this month. Federal authorities demanded he
From WisPolitics … — GOP U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden raised $1.1 million over the first three months of 2025, just more than the $1 million Dem challenger Rebecca Cooke pulled in over the first three weeks of her quest
From WisPolitics … — The Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules deadlocked today on a package of proposed standards for election observers, a move that could clear the way for the rules to take effect later this year. Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Kevin Petersen, R-Waupaca, joined the four committee
TOP STORIES JLAC co-chair Wimberger calls state DEI spending ‘rebranded discrimination’ at hearing… [before testimony from DOA Sec. Blumenfeld, UW Pres. Rothman, UW-Madison Chancellor Mnookin] … set the table by claiming DEI “cleverly and thinly veils discrimination by implying all people have implicit biases. These audits expose the waste and
From WisPolitics … — GOP Rep. Dan Knodl accused the Universities of Wisconsin of failing to eliminate DEI staff, as it had promised to do in exchange for financial priorities such as employee raises and funding for building projects. System President Jay Rothman said during yesterday’s Joint Audit Committee that
From WisPolitics … — DOA Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld insisted today the Evers administration is not hiring based on race or gender, arguing the DEI efforts outlined in a recent audit reflect the agency’s efforts to retain and attract employees. Republicans on the Joint Legislative Audit Committee knocked Blumenfeld over the
TOP STORIES GOP scour for options to sidestep Evers vetoes, including not using digits in the budget… Speaker Robin Vos said April 22 his caucus would discuss ways … “We are already meeting with our attorneys. We’ve begun the process of saying, ‘How can we work around this ruling?'” Vos
From WisPolitics … — Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski announced today she is running for first vice-chair of the state Dem Party, saying in a statement to WisPolitics that democracy is at stake with Donald Trump’s return to power and “Democrats need to organize and fight back.” Godlewski is the
From WisPolitics … — Gov. Tony Evers said today while he’s open to negotiating a tax cut deal with GOP legislative leaders, any agreement would have to be part of the state budget — not standalone legislation. Evers said reaching a deal would be “tough” because of his demand it
TOP STORIES Wisconsin governor’s guidance on dealing with ICE agents draws GOP backlash… [radio host O’Donnell announced Evers’ 5-point email, which tells state workers] to remain calm and immediately notify their supervisor. After asking agents to identify themselves and to present documentation of why they are there … worker should
From WisPolitics … — Clark County Judge Lyndsey Boon Brunette, a former elected Dem DA, has been making calls about running for state Supreme Court next year and is seriously considering a bid, according to a source with knowledge of her thinking. Those talking up a possible run note Boon
From WisPolitics … — Rep. Adam Neylon today criticized the Wisconsin Elections Commission for not engaging with lawmakers more on a proposed rule laying out standards for election observers, calling it “insulting.” Appearing before the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules, GOP Commissioner Don Millis testified in support of
TOP STORIES Evers, Republican leaders holding ‘productive’ talks on a tax package… met in March … Cudaback [for Evers] said there would be conversations between staff going forward and another meeting between the leaders has not been scheduled. … “The conversations are productive.” … [Vos in Feb. foretold tax cut
From WisPolitics … — Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy says the NFL is “embracing” Green Bay ahead of hosting the NFL Draft in the league’s smallest market beginning Thursday. “I think because of that it means more to the community, particularly in terms of economic impact and the long
TOP STORIES Evers can lock in 400-year school funding increase using a veto, Supreme Court rules… court’s four liberal justices ruled Friday that the state constitution allows the governor to strike digits to create a new year or to remove language to create a longer duration than the one approved
From WisPolitics … — A slow decline in Wisconsin exports over the past dozen years “may be cause for concern” amid tariff-related uncertainties, the Wisconsin Policy Forum reports. The value of state exports was about $27.5 billion last year, or 7.8% of Wisconsin’s GDP, marking a decline of $4.2 billion
Subscribers: Tomorrow’s AM Update and News Summary will be the final products of the week. All products will resume Monday. Thank you for subscribing! From WisPolitics … — GOP legislative leaders, who have pledged to pass a tax cut before taking up the budget, have held off introducing a plan
TOP STORIES RPW creates process to remove local GOP officials for harassment, defaming leaders… approved by … executive committee Sunday. … state that while volunteers and “grassroots members” have the right to elect leaders at the county and congressional district level, those individuals “should be working in coordination to achieve
From WisPolitics … — Operative Joe Zepecki today formally launched his bid for state Dem chair, the fourth person to enter the contest to succeed Ben Wikler. In his announcement, Zepecki said the party needs someone to build on Wikler’s success over the past six years, while refining its approach
From WisPolitics … — The state GOP announced to members today that it’s launching a postmortem on the 2025 state Supreme Court race that conservative Brad Schimel lost by 10 points as the party prepares for next year’s contest. Since liberal Susan Crawford’s victory April 1, some have questioned the
TOP STORIES Judge Conley: UW-Madison int’l student can’t be deported for nowKrish Isserdasani of India is just weeks away from earning a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering … His student visa was unexpectedly terminated this month. Federal authorities demanded he leave the country by May 2, eight days before his
From WisPolitics … — GOP U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden raised $1.1 million over the first three months of 2025, just more than the $1 million Dem challenger Rebecca Cooke pulled in over the first three weeks of her quest for a rematch in the 3rd CD. Van Orden, R-Prairie