From WisPolitics … — The GOP-run Joint Finance Committee voted unanimously today to release $31.9 million to the Universities of Wisconsin to help produce more graduates in high-demand areas such as nursing and engineering. But Dems bemoaned the delay in releasing the money — included in the budget Dem Gov.

From WisPolitics … — The Democratic Party of Wisconsin today knocked GOP U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde for his abortion stance, with Sen. Kelda Roys arguing he’s “another out-of-state multimillionaire trying to climb the political ladder on the backs of Wisconsin women.”  The Madison Dem outside the Capitol’s State Street

From WisPolitics … — Republican Dan Knodl, who decided against seeking reelection to his Senate district under the new maps, told WisPolitics today he’s considering a run for the Assembly seat of Rep. Janel Brandtjen, who’s facing a criminal investigation for a campaign finance scheme. Knodl was drawn into Brandtjen’s

From WisPolitics … — GOP U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde is launching the first paid media of his bid, going up on TV statewide tomorrow with the video that he included in his campaign announcement. A spokesperson for the Madison businessman said the seven-figure buy will run seven weeks and

From WisPolitics … — Planned Parenthood today asked the state Supreme Court to find that the Wisconsin Constitution guarantees a right to abortion. The petition comes as the state Supreme Court has already been asked to decide whether an 1849 law bans consensual abortions in Wisconsin except to save the

From WisPolitics … — Germantown Republican Dan Knodl tells WisPolitics he won’t run for reelection to the 8th SD that he won in a special election just last year after being paired in the seat with fellow GOP state Sen. Duey Stroebel. He said he’ll instead look to run for

From WisPolitics … — GOP Madison businessman Eric Hovde formally launched his campaign for the U.S. Senate today, bemoaning what he said was a country in decline and an American dream increasingly out of reach for many during Joe Biden’s presidency. Hovde ticked off a series of problems he sees

From WisPolitics … — Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos today vowed Republicans would still win majorities in the Legislature under Gov. Tony Evers’ maps. Meanwhile, Evers called today’s development just one step in the push toward “fair” maps, promising to enact an “independent and nonpartisan

Political Stock Report –A collection of insider opinion– (Feb. 10 – 16, 2024) Rising 8th CD GOP field: The Republican primary to replace U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher could end up proving which is more important — ties to the district and constituent work, or Donald Trump’s endorsement. Child care tax

From WisPolitics … — U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s reelection campaign blasted Republican Eric Hovde as a “mega millionaire California bank owner” as the Madison businessman prepares to launch a formal challenge against the incumbent Dem. “We look forward to comparing Eric Hovde, a man who was named one of Orange

From WisPolitics … — Lawmakers traded barbs today over a bill to overhaul the funding system for the state’s private school voucher programs as the GOP-run Assembly Education Committee voted 10-5 along party lines to advance the measure.  AB 900 would “decouple” the Racine and statewide private school voucher programs

From WisPolitics … — The GOP-run Legislature today approved Tony Evers’ proposed new maps, sending them to the Dem guv after he said he’d sign them so long as Republicans didn’t make any changes.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in a floor speech said he’s confident the guv’s maps will be

From WisPolitics … — GOP U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher has several options for the more than $4 million he had in the bank to end 2023 after his surprise announcement that he won’t seek reelection this fall. But first he’ll have to refund any donations given to his campaign with

From WisPolitics … — Attorneys for GOP lawmakers and conservative voters today demanded the state Supreme Court reject two consultants’ report that recommended ignoring their proposed maps for legislative districts and only considering plans submitted by Dems. Meanwhile, Senate GOP leaders moved a redistricting bill to the Org Committee, setting

From WisPolitics … — Joe Biden and Donald Trump were locked in a close race for president in the first Marquette University Law School Poll of Wisconsin voters in 2024, while Nikki Haley had a 16-point lead on the Dem president. Poll Director Charles Franklin said during today’s presentation that

From WisPolitics … — Madison businessman Eric Hovde has begun to assemble his team for a likely U.S. Senate bid with a former RGA executive director and a veteran of Ron Johnson’s 2016 run expected to be part of the effort, according to multiple GOP sources. The sources said David

From WisPolitics … — U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin are split on a $118 billion deal to crack down on border security while providing funding for Ukraine and Israel. President Joe Biden has said he strongly supports the proposal, which the Senate is set to hold a procedural

From WisPolitics … — The Assembly Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee today approved three bills designed to give Wisconsin judges more protections by exempting much of their information from public record.  Rep. Jodi Emerson, D-Eau Claire, was the only member to vote against all three bills. The committee 14-1

From WisPolitics … — The state Department of Justice today argued Dean Phillips’ effort to force his way onto Wisconsin’s Dem presidential primary ballot should be rejected because the Minnesota congressman waited too long to file his lawsuit. The Presidential Preference Selection Committee, made up of Dem and GOP appointees,

From WisPolitics … — Dem Gov. Tony Evers as expected today vetoed a GOP effort to put in place a version of his legislative maps that paired fewer Republican incumbents. Evers had vowed to veto the maps when Republicans quickly pushed them through last week. The state Supreme Court is