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Chris Taylor wins by a landslide

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in this week's Supreme Court race,

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locking down a liberal majority for

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years.

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How did it happen, and what could it

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mean?

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Plus, the University of Wisconsin

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Board of Regents fires the system

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president, and Republicans don't

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like it.

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This is Inside Wisconsin Politics.

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I'm Sean Johnson, here with my

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colleagues Zach Schultz, Anya Van

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Wachtendonk, and Rich Kramer in

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Eau Claire. Hey, everyone.

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So we've kind of gotten used

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to these big

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liberal blowouts,

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we'd use the term in these April

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elections. They have figured out how

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to win these races.

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It seems like Chris Taylor though,

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took that to a new level

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with her race this time.

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Anya, what's, I guess, stuck out

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to you about this massive

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win by Chris Taylor?

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Yeah, I mean, I think we're all so

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used to talking about Wisconsin and

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it's so purple and elections are

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frequently decided by less than a

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percentage point.

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And then we've had these spring

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elections that are determined by

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closer to 10 points, but this time

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it was 20 points.

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And so that is such a significantly

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larger gulf. So we kind of saw, you

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know, some of the tea leaves leading

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into the race, less spending,

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sort of less excitement across the

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board. The stakes were different.

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But Zach and I were chatting on

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election night. We were waiting

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around at Chris Taylor's, what

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turned into her victory party.

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And we were saying this will be an

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interesting experiment to see with

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the sort of pulled punches, the

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pulled financial punches, what kind

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of margin will we see.

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And then it turned out to be the

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largest margin I've ever seen and

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from what I understand in decades

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in Wisconsin races.

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Yeah, a 20 point margin as

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opposed to the usual, you know,

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quote unquote, 10 in these races.

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Zach, how about you? What stood out?

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Well, just to add on to that,

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earlier that afternoon, I met up

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with Chris Taylor on the UW campus.

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And one of the questions I asked her

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was, are you worried because the

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lack of investment from the

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Democratic Party of Wisconsin, which

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in past elections has

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sent millions of dollars to their

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preferred candidate or from outside

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interest groups who really spent

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nothing, that you're leaving

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possible voters at the door who may

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not be aware they need to get out

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and vote. And she said, no, I don't

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think so. And she was absolutely

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right. And I think what this showed

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was that both sides

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knew where this election was going

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early on and decided we're

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going to save our money for the

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fall.

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There's enough to spend it on there

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between some very tight assembly

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races, obviously the governor's

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race, and even some competitive

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Senate races that may not be fully

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decided, that may determine the

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margin for either party in that

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chamber, that I think they all kind

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of walked away from this to the

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point where when you saw Lazar at

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her party, you got the sense that

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this was not a surprise to her.

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She wasn't shocked, maybe at the

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final margin.

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But even hearing from Republican

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voters afterwards, there were a lot

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of them saying, well, why weren't we

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trying harder?

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And I think that was the main

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takeaway is that everyone had an

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expectation that this was gonna be

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the result.

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Rich, as we sit here

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today, what kind of stands out to

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you about this race?

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Well, kind of jumping off what

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Zach just said, there was

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a sense that the Republican Party of

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Wisconsin really wasn't trying

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very hard in this race.

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You know, they're non-partisan

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races, but also they're

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not in a lot of ways.

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So the level of

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fundraising and money coming from

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the state party or third

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party groups aligned with

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conservatives just never

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materialized.

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You've seen a lot of conservative

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people on social media saying

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what are you doing republican party

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you know there was a lot about anger

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about that but also people

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didn't really love the way that

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lazar was campaigning they wanted

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some more aggression

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out of her some more of a shiml

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type so he's the conservative that

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ran last year much more political

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generally uh...

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Than lazar she stuck to the

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experience kind of mantra

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And, um...

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It did seem like

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you know all the money was lower

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in this race than it was in the past

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but really republicans kind of

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stood down in a way

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Rich, we were kind of trading

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messages throughout the night as you

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were at that Maria Lazar campaign

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election party.

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It strikes me that this was not a

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joyous affair.

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Can you kind of talk us through what

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it was like to be at this hotel

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in Milwaukee?

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Yeah, it was,

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I mean, there

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was no celebration.

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In fact, there were no people.

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Generally, when I show up to these

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things, we get there early, and

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then you set up, but there's already

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people milling around.

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For much of the night before the

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race was called, there were more

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reporters in the room than there

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were supporters.

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And that is just something.

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That, that, and.

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You kind of get a sense that, well,

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they kind of know this is a foregone

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conclusion.

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But even I was still surprised

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when the race was called less than

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40 minutes after the polls closed.

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I mean, that's

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surprising.

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So the mood was rough.

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Lazar didn't come out and speak

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until after 9 PM.

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She said that she feels

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that she ran this race

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with purpose.

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There was still a reason for it.

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She said that she thinks that...

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Her message that partisanship should

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get out of these uh...

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Judicial races kind of resonated

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and that with candidate after

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candidate in the future sticking to

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that message maybe things will

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change whether that

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squares with reality i'm not sure

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Seems like the results might send

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the opposite message there in terms

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of what future candidates will take

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from it.

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As you look at where the votes

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came in here, I know we should take

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them with a huge grain of salt

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because we do not have 20 point

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elections in Wisconsin.

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That said, they are a snapshot in

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time at this moment.

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Anything stick out to any

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view about where the vote came

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in or how they came in.

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I mean, I think that the grain of

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salt is actually kind of part of the

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story, right? There was a lot of

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trying to claim victory and

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really cast this forward from

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Democrats, cast this foreword into

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November for what this means,

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especially because Chris Taylor

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performed so well in so-called Trump

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counties and up north and things

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like this. But that's in part

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because liberals have the

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advantage in these spring elections.

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That's been true for the last couple

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of years. That was true in the sort

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of post-mortem that Republicans put

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together about their own poor

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performance last spring.

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That the nature of the electorate

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that comes out in an off-election

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in the springtime without Donald

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Trump at the top of the ballot is a

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really different electorate than

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comes out in a November

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election.

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And so I think over-reading

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the results of this would be a

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problem for Democrats.

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I think the extension of that is

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that we're not going to see the same

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environment in the fall.

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Republicans won't be outspent eight

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to one.

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Republicans won't t be pulling their

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punches and not trying to campaign

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through the end.

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Nothing to diminish the campaign

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that Maria Lazar ran,

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but she ran it without any of the

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outside support that is necessary in

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this modern environment for a

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Supreme Court candidate to be

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successful.

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She simply didn't have the party

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infrastructure that is now relied

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upon if you want to win a statewide

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campaign.

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That is a completely different game

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than what we're going to see this

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fall.

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And yes, I think Democrats were

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sending out statements trying to

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fire up their own supporters.

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But I saw this game a couple of

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years ago. In 2023, when Janet

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Protasewicz won, I was in Ozaukee

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County the next year.

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And Ozaukee county Dems were telling

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me, oh, we were in the mid forties

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and Ozaukee country for Janet.

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We're gonna win for fall of

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24.

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Kamala Harris is gonna win Ozaukee.

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She got blown out.

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Things revert back to the norm when

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you get to the bigger elections.

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Where more attention is paid.

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And due to voter realignment, like

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you were just talking about, Anya,

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we're going to see more people that

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don't pay attention to these

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elections vote in the fall, not at

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the same level as we would in a

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presidential year, but turnout will

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be significantly higher.

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Right now with realignment Democrats

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do better in lower turnout events

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when they can consistently get their

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voters to the polls and Republicans

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aren't.

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So a lot of it will depend on the

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atmosphere this fall and how

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demoralized Republicans may be.

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I would be surprised,

286
00:08:46,450 --> 00:08:48,409
frankly, if Republicans were

287
00:08:48,410 --> 00:08:50,329
able to win Ozaukee County in

288
00:08:50,330 --> 00:08:52,289
November. This is the oh and the

289
00:08:52,290 --> 00:08:53,869
wow counties, the vaunted wow

290
00:08:53,870 --> 00:08:55,449
counties that were the foundation of

291
00:08:55,450 --> 00:08:57,189
Republican power in this state for

292
00:08:57,190 --> 00:08:58,449
years.

293
00:08:58,450 --> 00:09:00,049
But I have to say, Chris Taylor won

294
00:09:00,050 --> 00:09:00,889
Ozaukee county.

295
00:09:00,890 --> 00:09:02,009
And that is something that even in

296
00:09:02,010 --> 00:09:03,089
these other big Supreme Court

297
00:09:03,090 --> 00:09:05,169
elections, the liberal candidate has

298
00:09:05,170 --> 00:09:07,909
not yet won Ozwaukee county.

299
00:09:07,910 --> 00:09:10,129
She also got 84%

300
00:09:10,130 --> 00:09:11,909
in Dane County.

301
00:09:11,910 --> 00:09:12,869
And yeah, sure.

302
00:09:12,870 --> 00:09:14,389
Democrats win Dane County.

303
00:09:14,390 --> 00:09:16,829
No surprise, she's from there.

304
00:09:16,830 --> 00:09:19,009
84% is unheard of.

305
00:09:19,010 --> 00:09:20,369
And when it is the leading vote

306
00:09:20,370 --> 00:09:22,149
getting county in the state as Dane

307
00:09:22,150 --> 00:09:24,129
county is in these races, that's

308
00:09:24,130 --> 00:09:24,919
a big deal.

309
00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:26,399
Well, and she did much better in her

310
00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:27,879
home county of Dane County than

311
00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:29,739
Maria Lazar did in her own county

312
00:09:29,740 --> 00:09:31,099
of Waukesha County.

313
00:09:31,100 --> 00:09:32,499
And Waukeesha County is also one of

314
00:09:32,500 --> 00:09:33,739
these that has started sort of

315
00:09:33,740 --> 00:09:35,979
moving away from being as

316
00:09:35,980 --> 00:09:37,699
diehard red. It's still deep red,

317
00:09:37,700 --> 00:09:39,619
but that is also a sort of suburban

318
00:09:39,620 --> 00:09:40,679
district that we've been paying

319
00:09:40,680 --> 00:09:42,239
attention to as some of those shifts

320
00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:42,680
have taken place.

321
00:09:42,681 --> 00:09:44,649
And far more people than Ozaki

322
00:09:44,650 --> 00:09:46,489
too. So a big vote getter.

323
00:09:46,490 --> 00:09:47,490
Rich, how about you?

324
00:09:48,650 --> 00:09:50,549
Yeah, I just wanted to go back to

325
00:09:50,550 --> 00:09:52,169
the discussion of, you know, you've

326
00:09:52,170 --> 00:09:54,169
got the wild counties, not as,

327
00:09:54,170 --> 00:09:56,189
as deep red, um, but

328
00:09:56,190 --> 00:09:56,989
Northern Wisconsin.

329
00:09:56,990 --> 00:09:58,869
So it is true that, that,

330
00:09:58,870 --> 00:10:00,709
um I've seen some conservatives

331
00:10:00,710 --> 00:10:02,209
say, well, that's the new wild

332
00:10:02,210 --> 00:10:04,129
counties essentially, you a strip of

333
00:10:04,130 --> 00:10:06,149
counties from like the

334
00:10:06,150 --> 00:10:07,729
Eastern side of the Northeastern

335
00:10:07,730 --> 00:10:09,629
part of the state to the Polk County

336
00:10:09,630 --> 00:10:10,630
on the West.

337
00:10:12,710 --> 00:10:14,609
Might be true, but the

338
00:10:14,610 --> 00:10:16,689
population just isn't there.

339
00:10:16,690 --> 00:10:17,929
So, you know, that's sort of an

340
00:10:17,930 --> 00:10:19,589
area, even if it goes hard for

341
00:10:19,590 --> 00:10:21,889
Republicans in the fall,

342
00:10:21,890 --> 00:10:23,469
a Dane County kind of turned out

343
00:10:23,470 --> 00:10:25,349
like we saw,

344
00:10:25,350 --> 00:10:27,189
could erase that pretty quickly.

345
00:10:27,190 --> 00:10:29,129
So that was a really

346
00:10:29,130 --> 00:10:31,009
interesting thing to

347
00:10:31,010 --> 00:10:32,749
see. Republicans say, well, this is

348
00:10:32,750 --> 00:10:33,750
where we need to focus.

349
00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:37,719
So we have this thing that we do in

350
00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:39,179
Wisconsin, at least I can't resist

351
00:10:39,180 --> 00:10:40,539
it. We had an election and we have

352
00:10:40,540 --> 00:10:42,379
to talk about what's it mean for the

353
00:10:42,380 --> 00:10:44,459
next election. And I know the 2026

354
00:10:44,460 --> 00:10:46,499
election is way different, but

355
00:10:46,500 --> 00:10:47,699
what does it mean?

356
00:10:47,700 --> 00:10:49,459
I mean, are there lessons that

357
00:10:49,460 --> 00:10:51,479
either party would look at these and

358
00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:53,419
say, well,

359
00:10:53,420 --> 00:10:54,819
that's troubling for us, you know,

360
00:10:54,820 --> 00:10:56,279
if you're Republicans or if you are

361
00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:58,279
Democrats, little of

362
00:10:58,280 --> 00:10:59,599
that exuberance that you were

363
00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:00,679
talking about. Is there anything

364
00:11:00,680 --> 00:11:02,039
kind of real in there?

365
00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:03,939
Well, just today, before we

366
00:11:03,940 --> 00:11:05,959
came on here, we saw two more

367
00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:07,319
assembly Republicans announce they

368
00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:09,019
were not going to seek re-election.

369
00:11:09,020 --> 00:11:10,539
Now, in and of itself, that doesn't

370
00:11:10,540 --> 00:11:12,699
mean anything, but trends matter.

371
00:11:12,700 --> 00:11:14,059
We've seen a lot more Republicans

372
00:11:14,060 --> 00:11:16,139
decide they don't want to run, and

373
00:11:16,140 --> 00:11:17,639
we've seen that in the Senate, where

374
00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:19,479
it is a pretty good odds on chance

375
00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:20,539
that Democrats will flip that

376
00:11:20,540 --> 00:11:22,919
chamber and the assembly's 50-50.

377
00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:24,799
It sucks to be in the minority, and

378
00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:26,279
we have seen that in both the

379
00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:27,359
legislature and on the Supreme

380
00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:28,899
Court, where we had now two

381
00:11:28,900 --> 00:11:30,679
consecutive conservative incumbent

382
00:11:30,680 --> 00:11:31,919
justices tour.

383
00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,039
Well within the normal age range to

384
00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,199
seek another 10-year term, decide, I

385
00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:37,279
don't want to be in the minority on

386
00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:38,499
this court. I'd rather go somewhere

387
00:11:38,500 --> 00:11:40,379
else. So I think those patterns tell

388
00:11:40,380 --> 00:11:42,079
you a lot more than what any of the

389
00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:42,959
press releases will.

390
00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:44,819
Including Annette Ziegler who would

391
00:11:44,820 --> 00:11:47,019
have been up for election in 2027

392
00:11:47,020 --> 00:11:48,939
and somebody who at least in 2007

393
00:11:48,940 --> 00:11:50,579
showed that she knew how to win

394
00:11:50,580 --> 00:11:51,580
these races.

395
00:11:52,460 --> 00:11:53,919
How about 2027?

396
00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:55,799
What does this mean for the

397
00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:57,919
next state Supreme Court race?

398
00:11:57,920 --> 00:11:59,239
Who wants to go there?

399
00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:00,519
I mean it's interesting right sort

400
00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:02,419
of gaming out the next couple we

401
00:12:02,420 --> 00:12:03,859
talked last week about how nobody

402
00:12:03,860 --> 00:12:05,199
was talking about this court

403
00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:07,079
election as the most important in

404
00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:08,719
a generation or whatever and then

405
00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:10,419
enter Ben Wickler the former chair

406
00:12:10,420 --> 00:12:11,779
of the Democratic Party he sent out

407
00:12:11,780 --> 00:12:13,719
this email day of and he was

408
00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:15,039
explaining why he thought for

409
00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:16,479
Democrats and liberals it was

410
00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:18,459
actually hugely important

411
00:12:18,460 --> 00:12:20,299
because essentially this

412
00:12:20,300 --> 00:12:22,719
guarantees liberal control past

413
00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:24,679
the point of the census and so into

414
00:12:24,680 --> 00:12:26,379
the next redistricting cycle

415
00:12:26,380 --> 00:12:27,519
everything comes back to

416
00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:29,159
redistricting, as Zach likes to say.

417
00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:30,999
And so with the

418
00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:32,580
2027, with 28,

419
00:12:33,780 --> 00:12:35,079
and a swing justice potentially

420
00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:36,999
coming up, maybe we'll see primaries

421
00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:38,539
in the race again, like in some ways

422
00:12:38,540 --> 00:12:41,179
this opens the door for some very

423
00:12:41,180 --> 00:12:43,219
strange maneuverings as liberals and

424
00:12:43,220 --> 00:12:44,679
Democrats get to kind of take for

425
00:12:44,680 --> 00:12:45,920
granted that they have this court.

426
00:12:49,610 --> 00:12:51,569
I'm going to be watching to see

427
00:12:51,570 --> 00:12:53,609
if Republicans or

428
00:12:53,610 --> 00:12:55,589
conservatives even run a

429
00:12:55,590 --> 00:12:56,590
candidate.

430
00:12:57,330 --> 00:13:00,209
The inverse of that happened when

431
00:13:00,210 --> 00:13:02,109
the GOP was running the

432
00:13:02,110 --> 00:13:04,089
table on these elections, and

433
00:13:04,090 --> 00:13:05,989
there's been a few talk

434
00:13:05,990 --> 00:13:08,209
radio people wondering

435
00:13:08,210 --> 00:13:10,429
who would want to run

436
00:13:10,430 --> 00:13:12,269
for a seat in the

437
00:13:12,270 --> 00:13:15,269
minority of the Supreme Court after

438
00:13:15,270 --> 00:13:17,489
someone just got

439
00:13:17,490 --> 00:13:19,679
clobbered by 20 points.

440
00:13:19,680 --> 00:13:21,499
I obviously can't predict the

441
00:13:21,500 --> 00:13:23,319
future but that

442
00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:24,719
seems like it would be a pretty

443
00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:26,599
bitter pill to swallow so it will

444
00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:29,119
be interesting to see who

445
00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:31,139
runs for liberals

446
00:13:31,140 --> 00:13:33,219
and for conservatives or if

447
00:13:33,220 --> 00:13:35,049
they just sit this one out.

448
00:13:35,050 --> 00:13:36,529
All right, Sean, your turn.

449
00:13:36,530 --> 00:13:38,369
I mean, I've been thinking

450
00:13:38,370 --> 00:13:40,289
about how long this could go,

451
00:13:40,290 --> 00:13:42,589
really, in terms of how long

452
00:13:42,590 --> 00:13:44,469
this liberal majority could be

453
00:13:44,470 --> 00:13:46,489
in place because, yes, we

454
00:13:46,490 --> 00:13:47,829
have said accurately, the

455
00:13:47,830 --> 00:13:50,149
conservatives could flip it back in

456
00:13:50,150 --> 00:13:52,129
2030, but you know how much has

457
00:13:52,130 --> 00:13:53,569
to go right for them for that to

458
00:13:53,570 --> 00:13:55,229
happen? They have to win next year

459
00:13:55,230 --> 00:13:57,149
when there's an open seat and we see

460
00:13:57,150 --> 00:13:58,429
what the environment is now.

461
00:13:58,430 --> 00:14:00,779
They have to win in 28, 28.

462
00:14:00,780 --> 00:14:02,399
When Rebecca Dallet's up and she

463
00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:04,519
knows how to run these races, 2029

464
00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:06,599
is Brian Hagedorn, who may face a

465
00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:08,179
challenge from the right.

466
00:14:08,180 --> 00:14:10,199
And then, if all that goes right,

467
00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:12,159
then you get to 2030 and

468
00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:14,359
you presumably take on Jill Kravsky,

469
00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:16,039
another double digit winner in her

470
00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:17,119
race.

471
00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:18,719
If any of those things does not go

472
00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:20,159
their way, the clock gets set back

473
00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:21,299
three years.

474
00:14:21,300 --> 00:14:22,599
So this really does sort of open up

475
00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:24,599
a chance for liberals to

476
00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:26,539
look at the court with a

477
00:14:26,540 --> 00:14:28,179
long view.

478
00:14:28,180 --> 00:14:29,319
And I think we're kind of looking

479
00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:31,199
for. Clues on how they

480
00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:33,399
might view that now that this 5-2

481
00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:35,699
majority is the sort of new reality.

482
00:14:35,700 --> 00:14:37,539
We know about Judge Chris

483
00:14:37,540 --> 00:14:39,359
Taylor, the candidate for Supreme

484
00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:40,259
Court.

485
00:14:40,260 --> 00:14:42,099
She gave us some hints on election

486
00:14:42,100 --> 00:14:44,099
night about how she views the

487
00:14:44,100 --> 00:14:44,919
law.

488
00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:47,099
Here's Justice Elect Chris

489
00:14:47,100 --> 00:14:48,100
Taylor.

490
00:14:48,970 --> 00:14:50,969
The law can be a

491
00:14:50,970 --> 00:14:53,009
tool to lift people up, to improve

492
00:14:53,010 --> 00:14:54,569
their lives, to strengthen our

493
00:14:54,570 --> 00:14:56,729
communities. And that's exciting.

494
00:14:56,730 --> 00:14:59,109
That drove me to law school.

495
00:14:59,110 --> 00:15:01,589
And I've spent now 30,

496
00:15:01,590 --> 00:15:04,409
my 30 year legal career as a lawyer,

497
00:15:04,410 --> 00:15:05,949
in private practice as a law and

498
00:15:05,950 --> 00:15:07,329
policy director for Planned

499
00:15:07,330 --> 00:15:08,330
Parenthood.

500
00:15:10,450 --> 00:15:11,849
And so, you know, when candidates

501
00:15:11,850 --> 00:15:13,869
for the court get up and give that

502
00:15:13,870 --> 00:15:15,089
speech on election night, they have

503
00:15:15,090 --> 00:15:16,109
a choice they can make.

504
00:15:16,110 --> 00:15:17,809
They can kind of withdraw from the

505
00:15:17,810 --> 00:15:19,509
campaign messages and thank their

506
00:15:19,510 --> 00:15:21,109
supporters and say, it's time to

507
00:15:21,110 --> 00:15:22,110
move on.

508
00:15:22,750 --> 00:15:23,889
In this case, I think you heard

509
00:15:23,890 --> 00:15:25,269
Chris Taylor saying, hey, you all

510
00:15:25,270 --> 00:15:27,109
that stuff I said on the campaign

511
00:15:27,110 --> 00:15:29,009
trail, that's still me, this is who

512
00:15:29,010 --> 00:15:30,149
I am.

513
00:15:30,150 --> 00:15:32,009
So knowing that, knowing the court

514
00:15:32,010 --> 00:15:34,129
that she is stepping into, what

515
00:15:34,130 --> 00:15:35,590
might this court take up?

516
00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:38,199
I mean, so one of the things that

517
00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:39,639
could be on the agenda is a

518
00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:41,519
challenge to Act 10,

519
00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:42,499
and I thought that was really

520
00:15:42,500 --> 00:15:43,619
interesting. You know, I did a

521
00:15:43,620 --> 00:15:45,059
profile of Chris Taylor, and she

522
00:15:45,060 --> 00:15:46,899
talked about, on the trail,

523
00:15:46,900 --> 00:15:48,659
on her stump speech, she talked how

524
00:15:48,660 --> 00:15:50,579
the events of 2011 is

525
00:15:50,580 --> 00:15:52,519
part of what motivated her to run

526
00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:53,959
for the legislature, which is part

527
00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:56,119
where she spent her career,

528
00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:57,659
meaning Act 10. Meaning the protests

529
00:15:57,660 --> 00:15:58,639
against Scott Walker.

530
00:15:58,640 --> 00:15:59,799
And so it'll be really interesting

531
00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:01,619
to kind of see the tale of those

532
00:16:01,620 --> 00:16:03,039
events and how those reshaped

533
00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:04,939
politics. Maybe it potentially come

534
00:16:04,940 --> 00:16:06,659
before this court.

535
00:16:06,660 --> 00:16:07,859
Rich, any issues that you think

536
00:16:07,860 --> 00:16:08,860
could be there?

537
00:16:10,110 --> 00:16:12,329
I mean, obviously,

538
00:16:12,330 --> 00:16:14,129
there's a ton of issues, but one

539
00:16:14,130 --> 00:16:15,809
thing that has been interesting to

540
00:16:15,810 --> 00:16:17,849
watch is the liberal majority kind

541
00:16:17,850 --> 00:16:19,970
of dismantling Republicans,

542
00:16:21,410 --> 00:16:23,349
the power that they had built up for

543
00:16:23,350 --> 00:16:25,329
themselves when they had,

544
00:16:25,330 --> 00:16:27,689
you know, they still do, but during

545
00:16:27,690 --> 00:16:29,589
the Walker years.

546
00:16:29,590 --> 00:16:31,549
And this has been through

547
00:16:31,550 --> 00:16:33,529
kind of

548
00:16:33,530 --> 00:16:35,089
clipping the wings a little bit of

549
00:16:35,090 --> 00:16:36,909
these various legislative committees

550
00:16:36,910 --> 00:16:37,910
that can

551
00:16:39,500 --> 00:16:41,999
delay new rules for agencies,

552
00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:43,959
or they could,

553
00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:45,779
indefinitely, and,

554
00:16:45,780 --> 00:16:47,299
you know, we've seen that sort of

555
00:16:47,300 --> 00:16:48,879
stuff get struck down.

556
00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:50,719
So I guess I'd be more interested to

557
00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:51,619
see if there's going to be other

558
00:16:51,620 --> 00:16:53,479
cases challenging the

559
00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:55,139
legislature's authority to be able

560
00:16:55,140 --> 00:16:57,399
to stop, you,

561
00:16:57,400 --> 00:16:58,959
know, things that Democrats want to

562
00:16:58,960 --> 00:16:59,960
see happen.

563
00:17:00,540 --> 00:17:02,279
We, we're going to run out of time

564
00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:03,779
here if we don't keep moving.

565
00:17:03,780 --> 00:17:05,799
I think, you know, use your

566
00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:07,118
imagination.

567
00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:08,639
Big issues could come before the

568
00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:10,659
court. Let's talk about

569
00:17:10,660 --> 00:17:12,759
another person

570
00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:14,799
in the news this week who lost

571
00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:16,299
their job.

572
00:17:16,300 --> 00:17:18,679
The UW Board of Regents unanimously

573
00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:20,499
fired the assistant president,

574
00:17:20,500 --> 00:17:21,679
Jay Rothman.

575
00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:23,739
What do we know about why at this

576
00:17:23,740 --> 00:17:24,608
point?

577
00:17:24,609 --> 00:17:25,789
Not much.

578
00:17:25,790 --> 00:17:27,509
We know that they were displeased

579
00:17:27,510 --> 00:17:28,789
that he serves at the pleasure of

580
00:17:28,790 --> 00:17:29,789
the board.

581
00:17:29,790 --> 00:17:31,089
These are appointees of Governor

582
00:17:31,090 --> 00:17:32,949
Evers. Rothman came in

583
00:17:32,950 --> 00:17:34,889
kind of as a whisperer

584
00:17:34,890 --> 00:17:35,789
for Republicans.

585
00:17:35,790 --> 00:17:36,929
When Republicans control the

586
00:17:36,930 --> 00:17:38,769
legislature and the UW needed

587
00:17:38,770 --> 00:17:41,129
someone to negotiate between

588
00:17:41,130 --> 00:17:42,569
the both parties, especially when

589
00:17:42,570 --> 00:17:43,989
the UW is getting trampled in the

590
00:17:43,990 --> 00:17:45,089
budget constantly.

591
00:17:45,090 --> 00:17:47,309
And it may signal this idea that

592
00:17:47,310 --> 00:17:48,729
we don't need someone like that

593
00:17:48,730 --> 00:17:49,609
anymore.

594
00:17:49,610 --> 00:17:50,929
That they expect Democrats to be in

595
00:17:50,930 --> 00:17:52,069
power next year when there's a new

596
00:17:52,070 --> 00:17:52,919
budget.

597
00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:54,779
And Rossman services, it's

598
00:17:54,780 --> 00:17:55,739
time for him to move on.

599
00:17:55,740 --> 00:17:56,759
They were hoping to do it quietly,

600
00:17:56,760 --> 00:17:57,699
but it didn't end up that way.

601
00:17:57,700 --> 00:17:58,839
It didn't.

602
00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:00,219
And Republicans who control the

603
00:18:00,220 --> 00:18:02,439
legislature are not only protesting,

604
00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:04,359
they are using the power that

605
00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:06,419
they have, potentially,

606
00:18:06,420 --> 00:18:08,419
in the state Senate, it sounds like,

607
00:18:08,420 --> 00:18:10,459
to kind of strike back

608
00:18:10,460 --> 00:18:10,969
in a way.

609
00:18:10,970 --> 00:18:12,369
Yeah, that is one of the powers that

610
00:18:12,370 --> 00:18:13,849
they've had throughout the Evers

611
00:18:13,850 --> 00:18:15,229
administration, is to push back

612
00:18:15,230 --> 00:18:16,489
against his appointments, and they

613
00:18:16,490 --> 00:18:18,189
could do that here to send a

614
00:18:18,190 --> 00:18:19,469
message. Again, we are kind of

615
00:18:19,470 --> 00:18:21,009
looking towards November, where we

616
00:18:21,010 --> 00:18:22,829
don't know who's going to end up in

617
00:18:22,830 --> 00:18:24,089
the governor seat, and so therefore,

618
00:18:24,090 --> 00:18:25,169
we don't know who is going to end up

619
00:18:25,170 --> 00:18:26,829
in charge of the Board of Regents.

620
00:18:26,830 --> 00:18:28,069
And so I think we're gonna see some

621
00:18:28,070 --> 00:18:30,049
of this power grabbing right now,

622
00:18:30,050 --> 00:18:31,949
in order to kind of set the stage

623
00:18:31,950 --> 00:18:33,759
for control of UW.

624
00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:35,619
Rich, we don't have much time, but

625
00:18:35,620 --> 00:18:37,699
animosity between the legislature

626
00:18:37,700 --> 00:18:38,759
and the university.

627
00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:39,760
Who'da thunk it?

628
00:18:40,950 --> 00:18:42,809
Yeah it's a bit of a pattern

629
00:18:42,810 --> 00:18:44,809
let's put it that way so when

630
00:18:44,810 --> 00:18:46,429
rothman was hired uh...

631
00:18:46,430 --> 00:18:48,349
Assembly speaker robin boss said hey

632
00:18:48,350 --> 00:18:49,749
that's great you know business

633
00:18:49,750 --> 00:18:50,789
leader that's what they were looking

634
00:18:50,790 --> 00:18:52,629
for former

635
00:18:52,630 --> 00:18:54,249
governor tommy thompson another

636
00:18:54,250 --> 00:18:55,909
republican run the system before

637
00:18:55,910 --> 00:18:58,129
rothmann and the

638
00:18:58,130 --> 00:18:59,629
republicans in the legislature still

639
00:18:59,630 --> 00:19:01,609
didn't give him very much

640
00:19:01,610 --> 00:19:03,429
in terms of budget uh...

641
00:19:03,430 --> 00:19:04,430
Requests

642
00:19:04,970 --> 00:19:07,009
So now we're gonna have to wait and

643
00:19:07,010 --> 00:19:08,749
see if the Senate follows through on

644
00:19:08,750 --> 00:19:10,429
this at a time when they're not in

645
00:19:10,430 --> 00:19:11,569
session. They got other stuff going

646
00:19:11,570 --> 00:19:12,689
on.

647
00:19:12,690 --> 00:19:15,569
It's kinda their move at this point.

648
00:19:15,570 --> 00:19:17,029
That's all the time we have for

649
00:19:17,030 --> 00:19:18,969
today. Thanks for joining us for

650
00:19:18,970 --> 00:19:20,369
this week's Inside Wisconsin

651
00:19:20,370 --> 00:19:21,569
Politics.

652
00:19:21,570 --> 00:19:22,729
Be sure to follow us on

653
00:19:22,730 --> 00:19:25,349
pbswisconsin.org, wpr.org

654
00:19:25,350 --> 00:19:27,309
YouTube, or wherever you get your

655
00:19:27,310 --> 00:19:28,310
podcasts.