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President Donald Trump returns to

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Wisconsin.

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Candidates file nomination papers

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for governor.

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And the Wisconsin Supreme Court will

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hear an appeal of a redistricting,

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sorry about that.

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President Donald Trump returns to

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Wisconsin, candidates file

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nomination papers for governor,

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and the Wisconsin Supreme Court will

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hear an appeal of a redistricting

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case after all.

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Let's talk about a busy week of

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campaign news.

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This is Inside Wisconsin Politics.

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I'm Sean Johnson, along with my

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colleagues, Rich Kramer in Eau

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Claire, and Zach Schultz and

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Anya Van Wackenthoek here in

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Madison. Hey everyone.

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Hey. Hello.

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So Zach, as we record this

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program right now, we just know that

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President Trump is coming to

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Wisconsin.

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It's a big deal any time the

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president comes to your state, but

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it seems to be an especially

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big deal now.

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What's different about this visit

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here in this point in 2026?

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Well, this is campaign visit.

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I mean, in the past, you could look

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at the president's visit, it's more

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about himself.

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This time, you can kind of look at

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it in terms of what does it mean for

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the fall, or in one particular race

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in northern Wisconsin that Rich

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will, I'm sure, be talking about,

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what it means for that primary in

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August.

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But specifically, we're looking at

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which Republicans show up with them.

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Now, we expect them all to be there,

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all the big names, but if you look

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back in history, more on the

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Democratic side, there is a history

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of some candidates not only

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not sure if they want to sit next to

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an unpopular president in a midterm

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election. In 2010, President Obama

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came to Madison.

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There was a big question of whether

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Russ Feingold was going to appear on

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the stage. In the end, he did, but

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all the weeks leading up to it, his

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campaign wasn't sure.

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He might be in Africa.

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He had some other things going on.

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And that was really a political

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question of does he want to be seen

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with him? And he ended up losing

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that race. That was the Tea Party

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wave before it was.

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Just two years ago, President Biden

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visited Madison off that disastrous

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debate performance.

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Tammy Baldwin.

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Was elsewhere. She didn't come to

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Madison to be with the president.

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That's about campaign optics.

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We should game out some of these

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names who might or might not be

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there in just a minute,

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but Rich, you are the

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closest to where the president will

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be. You're in Eau Claire.

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He's gonna be in Chippewa County.

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What's the significance of where

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he's gonna speak and potentially

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what he's going to talk about?

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So Chippo account.

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County kind of serves as

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a twofer for the president

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and for Republicans.

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So it is

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essentially a county that

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has two congressional districts.

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To the north side of it, we're

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talking about the seventh

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congressional district.

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That is the seat that Tom Tiffany,

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Congressman Tom Tiffany is

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vacating as he runs as a governor

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for Wisconsin.

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And then to the south of that line,

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it's the third congressional

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district and that this Republican.

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Derek Van Orden and and

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he's in the middle of a pretty

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competitive re-election

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campaign and it's just

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one of a small handful of

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Seats that are considered toss-ups.

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I mean we're talking across the

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entire nation and he is running

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against someone who came pretty

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close in 2024 Rebecca cook

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she was within three percentage

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points in a

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year that that President Trump

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won the the state so

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it's a different dynamic now.

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He needs all the help he can

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yet and the White House is

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responding in kind and it

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seems like the message from the

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White house has been we're going to

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talk about

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farmers. We're going to talk about

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agriculture in these

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settings in this district.

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Anya, what can we make of that?

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I mean, we're talking about sort of

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the steep odds that the

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ruling party, the Republican party

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is facing right now.

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Obviously, the president right now

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has some of his lowest approval

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ratings throughout his time in

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office. But farmers in particular

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have really helped deliver him

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victories. I believe in his last

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election, he won the vast,

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vast majority of sort of farm

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dependent counties in the country.

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And yet a lot of his policies,

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tariff policies in particular, have

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really been with some of the pain

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that farmers have been feeling.

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Tariffs that have caused, you know,

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weakened overseas markets for

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corn and soy, and then

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increased prices on steel and

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aluminum. So we have seen changes

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in his policies in ways that are,

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I think, aimed really directly at

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trying to appeal to these farmers.

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Earlier this week, he signed an

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executive order to lower some

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tariffs on agricultural equipment in

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particular, and so now he's coming

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to Wisconsin to talk directly

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to farmers and kind of try

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to make sure that that part of his

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base is secure.

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But Zach, as you mentioned, he is

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not coming for himself.

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He's not saying vote for me.

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He is coming to

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a county that straddles a couple

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districts, including, as Rich

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mentioned, our most competitive in

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Wisconsin.

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He's also coming at a time where, if

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you just look at the latest national

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poll from Marquette University,

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he has 19%

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of voters approve of how he's

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handling gas prices.

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22% on the

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cost of living, the economy is

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around 30%.

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His overall rating is at a record

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low, 38, with

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disapproval creeping up.

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Is that good for

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someone like Derek Van Orden?

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It doesn't help, but I think

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that the difference between these

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Republican candidates specifically

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and past examples like Tammy

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Baldwin or Russ Feingold is

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the Republicans need this

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area and they need Trump's voters to

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come out.

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When he is not on the ballot,

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Republicans across the state

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struggle to get turnout, especially

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in western and northern Wisconsin.

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That is the MAGA base of this state

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in the seventh and the third.

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And without those voters, they could

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really struggle in the fall.

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So they actually need to.

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Attach themselves even closer to

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Donald Trump at this point, even if

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it looks like, politically speaking,

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it may not be the smartest move

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because of his terrible numbers

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on a lot of things.

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And I'd like to meet the 19% of

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people who think gas prices are good

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right now, unless they are all

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biking or not driving themselves.

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There's really no one I've ever had

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talked to in a while that says gas

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prices are doing great.

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You wonder if they're kind of like,

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you know, biting their lip a little

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bit when they say that they're happy

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with that. Rich,

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what do you make of this visit here?

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Well, I wanted to go back and

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mention the 7th Congressional

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District. I failed to mention that.

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Well, so this is the seat that Tom

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Tiffany's giving up to run for

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governor. But there's a big

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Republican primary going on right

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now up there.

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And Michael Alfonso is

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who is Sean Duffy,

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U.S. Transportation Secretary, Sean

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Duffey's son-in-law has already been

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endorsed by President Donald Trump.

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Um, so.

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Some of the Republicans, other

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Republicans in that race are trying

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to use Alfonso's connections

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against him.

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So I guess Trump coming

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to here, if Alfonzo shows

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up, which I would expect he would,

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you get the president talking about

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this person that a lot of people in

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Northern Wisconsin might not know

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about yet.

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And also takes a little bit of the

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wind out of the sails of the

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Republican challengers that haven't

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dropped out yet.

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After that endorsement came

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way back in January.

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Yeah, so let's talk about a few of

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the people who might or might not be

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at this event.

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And depending on when you watch or

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listen to this show, you're going to

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know whether we got these answers

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right. So cut us some slack if we

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get anything wrong, OK?

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Michael Alfonso, you mentioned, it's

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in the 7th District.

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He is kind of the Trump

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candidate. That's his thing.

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So I think in that conservative

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district, I would be very

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shocked if he was not there to cheer

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on the president.

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I think we've been talking about this

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seem to be hinting at, we expect

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Derek Van Orden to be there, you

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know, a very strong Trump

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supporter going for that Trump

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voter who might stay home.

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How about Tom Tiffany,

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the Republican candidate for

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governor running in 50-50 Wisconsin?

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Anyone want to take a stab at that?

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Think he's got to be there.

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I don't know why he wouldn't.

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It's next to his district.

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He's already tied himself to Trump

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over and over and he,

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like Van Orden, needs that turnout

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in northern Wisconsin that Trump can

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deliver, that really no one else

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can. So it would

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be really odd considering his

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past moves on election denials and

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all the other stuff where he's this

285
00:08:43,780 --> 00:08:45,639
closely related to Trump,

286
00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:47,599
including just voting to, in

287
00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:49,639
Congress, not end the

288
00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:51,919
war in Iran, supporting

289
00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:53,559
Trump again in that area in a very

290
00:08:53,560 --> 00:08:55,599
un- political fashion in

291
00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:56,859
terms of like popularity.

292
00:08:56,860 --> 00:08:58,339
So I would be surprised if he wasn't

293
00:08:58,340 --> 00:08:59,378
there.

294
00:08:59,379 --> 00:09:00,679
Any dissenters there?

295
00:09:00,680 --> 00:09:01,699
We think that Tiffany's probably

296
00:09:01,700 --> 00:09:03,009
gonna be there.

297
00:09:03,010 --> 00:09:05,169
I assume so, I mean,

298
00:09:05,170 --> 00:09:06,289
getting the endorsement, I think,

299
00:09:06,290 --> 00:09:07,949
was like a really big deal for the

300
00:09:07,950 --> 00:09:08,829
Tiffany campaign, right?

301
00:09:08,830 --> 00:09:10,369
It made him sort of the heir

302
00:09:10,370 --> 00:09:12,349
apparent to the Republican

303
00:09:12,350 --> 00:09:14,189
path to the governorship.

304
00:09:14,190 --> 00:09:15,769
But he has been trying to thread

305
00:09:15,770 --> 00:09:17,429
this needle a little bit.

306
00:09:17,430 --> 00:09:18,869
And you know, as Democrats try to

307
00:09:18,870 --> 00:09:20,929
really closely tie him to Trump,

308
00:09:20,930 --> 00:09:22,749
to say that he is, yes, he's

309
00:09:22,750 --> 00:09:24,529
aligned with those politics and some

310
00:09:24,530 --> 00:09:26,309
of those value systems, but he is

311
00:09:26,310 --> 00:09:28,049
not sort of in lockstep with Trump.

312
00:09:28,050 --> 00:09:29,689
And he doesn't always vote with him

313
00:09:29,690 --> 00:09:31,489
100% of the time, he made a sort of

314
00:09:31,490 --> 00:09:32,379
point of that.

315
00:09:32,380 --> 00:09:33,739
At this appearance that he made in

316
00:09:33,740 --> 00:09:35,839
Madison a week or two ago.

317
00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:37,179
And so he wants to kind of show that

318
00:09:37,180 --> 00:09:38,599
he, yes, he's in line with those

319
00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:39,839
values, but also he will put

320
00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:40,639
Wisconsin first.

321
00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:41,639
And so how does he thread that

322
00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:42,959
needle at the visit?

323
00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:43,939
Again, maybe our viewers will

324
00:09:43,940 --> 00:09:45,439
already know and we'll be waiting to

325
00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:46,659
see. Right, Rich.

326
00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:50,859
I'm sorry I stepped on what

327
00:09:50,860 --> 00:09:53,299
Anya was saying, but I

328
00:09:53,300 --> 00:09:55,499
have seen some folks online

329
00:09:55,500 --> 00:09:57,439
point out, well, Tiffany has

330
00:09:57,440 --> 00:09:59,699
taken some small little stances

331
00:09:59,700 --> 00:10:02,179
against the war,

332
00:10:02,180 --> 00:10:04,099
saying it needs to be wrapped up

333
00:10:04,100 --> 00:10:05,979
soon, et cetera.

334
00:10:05,980 --> 00:10:08,119
So they're arguing, well,

335
00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:09,619
that's him putting a little bit of

336
00:10:09,620 --> 00:10:11,279
daylight between himself and the

337
00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:13,839
president. But as we know,

338
00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:15,899
he has been pretty much in

339
00:10:15,900 --> 00:10:17,269
lockstep.

340
00:10:17,270 --> 00:10:19,369
For a long time so I

341
00:10:19,370 --> 00:10:21,389
do expect him there but

342
00:10:21,390 --> 00:10:23,309
there's a part of me that that is

343
00:10:23,310 --> 00:10:25,149
very contrarian and wants to push

344
00:10:25,150 --> 00:10:26,449
back just because you all say he's

345
00:10:26,450 --> 00:10:28,429
going to be there but um so

346
00:10:28,430 --> 00:10:29,989
if he's not maybe it would be

347
00:10:29,990 --> 00:10:32,229
because he's trying to

348
00:10:32,230 --> 00:10:34,229
appeal to the general election

349
00:10:34,230 --> 00:10:36,029
audience all right well now

350
00:10:36,030 --> 00:10:37,129
that I got the three of you on the

351
00:10:37,130 --> 00:10:38,549
record in it. And I didn't take a

352
00:10:38,550 --> 00:10:39,589
position. I think we should move on

353
00:10:39,590 --> 00:10:41,449
to the next topic, the

354
00:10:41,450 --> 00:10:43,069
candidate filing dead nine in the

355
00:10:43,070 --> 00:10:44,029
race for governor.

356
00:10:44,030 --> 00:10:46,489
You had candidates for

357
00:10:46,490 --> 00:10:48,609
governor, attorney general,

358
00:10:48,610 --> 00:10:50,549
Congress, assembly, Senate, you name

359
00:10:50,550 --> 00:10:52,449
it, filing their nomination papers

360
00:10:52,450 --> 00:10:54,389
in Madison ahead of

361
00:10:54,390 --> 00:10:56,269
this week's deadline.

362
00:10:56,270 --> 00:10:58,309
Nothing is final yet,

363
00:10:58,310 --> 00:11:00,369
Anya, but which

364
00:11:00,370 --> 00:11:01,869
you should explain to us.

365
00:11:01,870 --> 00:11:04,179
But we knew going in.

366
00:11:04,180 --> 00:11:05,379
There's a big field of people who

367
00:11:05,380 --> 00:11:06,259
said they were gonna run for

368
00:11:06,260 --> 00:11:07,098
governor.

369
00:11:07,099 --> 00:11:09,599
What is sort of the lay of the land?

370
00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:11,039
Yeah. So, you know, a million

371
00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:12,959
caveats about the various steps

372
00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:14,279
of review that they will go through

373
00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:15,759
with the elections commission.

374
00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:17,759
But as of right now,

375
00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:19,639
eight Democrats have filed their

376
00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:21,179
papers to Republicans.

377
00:11:21,180 --> 00:11:23,439
And so that's a field of 10.

378
00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:25,399
Tom Tiffany sort of being

379
00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:27,439
the, again, the kind of

380
00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:28,279
obvious front runner on the

381
00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:30,199
Republican side, less of an obvious

382
00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:31,719
front-runner on the Democratic side.

383
00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:33,739
And then the big open question going

384
00:11:33,740 --> 00:11:35,139
into the filing deadline was whether

385
00:11:35,140 --> 00:11:37,039
Kirk Bankstad, the owner of Managua

386
00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:39,129
Brewing Company, this kind of uh,

387
00:11:39,130 --> 00:11:40,649
liberal activist and perhaps social

388
00:11:40,650 --> 00:11:42,629
media provocateur, we might say,

389
00:11:42,630 --> 00:11:44,089
uh, whether he was going to get his

390
00:11:44,090 --> 00:11:45,069
papers in on time.

391
00:11:45,070 --> 00:11:46,929
He declared his candidacy just a

392
00:11:46,930 --> 00:11:48,049
few weeks ago.

393
00:11:48,050 --> 00:11:49,709
He got his signatures in.

394
00:11:49,710 --> 00:11:51,549
Uh, it seems that about a

395
00:11:51,550 --> 00:11:53,309
quarter of them, if not more, are

396
00:11:53,310 --> 00:11:54,389
not valid.

397
00:11:54,390 --> 00:11:56,249
So they didn't contain either the

398
00:11:56,250 --> 00:11:58,169
right of voter information for the

399
00:11:58,170 --> 00:12:00,129
signers, um, and then about 40 pages

400
00:12:00,130 --> 00:12:01,389
of them didn't have the right date

401
00:12:01,390 --> 00:12:03,409
of the election. So he has until

402
00:12:03,410 --> 00:12:05,259
Sunday to cure those That

403
00:12:05,260 --> 00:12:07,159
is a tall order that involves filing

404
00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:08,519
affidavits. He can't just like go

405
00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:10,599
out and get 500 new signatures.

406
00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:11,699
So that's the big question.

407
00:12:11,700 --> 00:12:12,959
And then the elections commission

408
00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:14,539
will kind of vote and see whether

409
00:12:14,540 --> 00:12:15,759
everyone else qualifies.

410
00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:17,579
So as of right now, it seems that

411
00:12:17,580 --> 00:12:20,099
there are seven qualified Democrats,

412
00:12:20,100 --> 00:12:21,919
two qualified Republicans, and

413
00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,269
then the Kirk Bankside question.

414
00:12:24,270 --> 00:12:26,469
And it's a big question not only for

415
00:12:26,470 --> 00:12:28,349
Kirk Bankstead, it seems,

416
00:12:28,350 --> 00:12:30,249
but I mean, we're talking about what

417
00:12:30,250 --> 00:12:31,749
kind of a primary this is going to

418
00:12:31,750 --> 00:12:33,769
be because let's say you're

419
00:12:33,770 --> 00:12:35,849
a candidate who wants to occupy

420
00:12:35,850 --> 00:12:37,869
that left flank of a seven

421
00:12:37,870 --> 00:12:39,509
candidate Democratic primary like

422
00:12:39,510 --> 00:12:41,069
Francesca Hong.

423
00:12:41,070 --> 00:12:43,389
Kirk Bank said comes in and is

424
00:12:43,390 --> 00:12:45,269
attacking you from the left

425
00:12:45,270 --> 00:12:46,850
saying you're not left enough.

426
00:12:48,090 --> 00:12:50,169
He could pull away a few votes

427
00:12:50,170 --> 00:12:51,749
and it could make all the difference

428
00:12:51,750 --> 00:12:54,129
in a primary this big Zach.

429
00:12:54,130 --> 00:12:55,669
It's possible, I mean, we are

430
00:12:55,670 --> 00:12:57,069
talking about a primary, if we get

431
00:12:57,070 --> 00:12:58,489
seven candidates going all the way

432
00:12:58,490 --> 00:13:00,429
to August, that, you

433
00:13:00,430 --> 00:13:01,729
know, it's not unreasonable think

434
00:13:01,730 --> 00:13:03,569
that high 20 percentage might

435
00:13:03,570 --> 00:13:05,469
be the winner if things get

436
00:13:05,470 --> 00:13:06,389
split pretty evenly.

437
00:13:06,390 --> 00:13:08,149
It really depends on whether those

438
00:13:08,150 --> 00:13:09,789
last three or four candidates at the

439
00:13:09,790 --> 00:13:11,669
bottom of the barrel are

440
00:13:11,670 --> 00:13:13,989
pulling 2% or if they're pulling 5%

441
00:13:13,990 --> 00:13:15,949
or 6% because those can add up

442
00:13:15,950 --> 00:13:17,129
to a big enough chunk of the

443
00:13:17,130 --> 00:13:19,069
electorate that they can swing

444
00:13:19,070 --> 00:13:20,389
an election towards the top when

445
00:13:20,390 --> 00:13:22,209
there may not be anyone that's

446
00:13:22,210 --> 00:13:24,318
really run away with it so far.

447
00:13:24,319 --> 00:13:25,739
Bangstead is not something that most

448
00:13:25,740 --> 00:13:26,699
of the Democrats are taking

449
00:13:26,700 --> 00:13:28,179
seriously. They look at him as more

450
00:13:28,180 --> 00:13:29,819
of an online troll.

451
00:13:29,820 --> 00:13:32,159
Provocateur is a good, polite word.

452
00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:33,559
They don't always use polite words

453
00:13:33,560 --> 00:13:35,020
when they're talking about him.

454
00:13:36,100 --> 00:13:37,539
Republicans love having him in the

455
00:13:37,540 --> 00:13:38,939
conversation because he's just more

456
00:13:38,940 --> 00:13:40,139
ammunition for them to throw at

457
00:13:40,140 --> 00:13:41,099
Democrats.

458
00:13:41,100 --> 00:13:42,379
Democrats would like him out of the

459
00:13:42,380 --> 00:13:44,809
conversation for that very reason.

460
00:13:44,810 --> 00:13:46,709
So I guess I assumed when

461
00:13:46,710 --> 00:13:48,109
we were looking at this race, way

462
00:13:48,110 --> 00:13:49,849
back in, I don't know, January,

463
00:13:49,850 --> 00:13:51,789
maybe last year even, that

464
00:13:51,790 --> 00:13:53,729
by June, when it comes time to file

465
00:13:53,730 --> 00:13:55,789
signatures, maybe that hurdle

466
00:13:55,790 --> 00:13:57,749
right there would thin the field a

467
00:13:57,750 --> 00:13:59,389
bit and it basically did not.

468
00:14:00,470 --> 00:14:02,369
Do you all think that

469
00:14:02,370 --> 00:14:04,549
this field will be smaller

470
00:14:04,550 --> 00:14:06,149
before people vote in August, that

471
00:14:06,150 --> 00:14:07,829
you'll have some candidates say,

472
00:14:07,830 --> 00:14:09,449
look, I know I'm on the ballot, but

473
00:14:09,450 --> 00:14:11,069
I'm dropping out of this race and

474
00:14:11,070 --> 00:14:12,849
I'm throwing my support behind

475
00:14:12,850 --> 00:14:14,829
someone else?

476
00:14:14,830 --> 00:14:16,289
Rich, you want to take a stab at

477
00:14:16,290 --> 00:14:17,290
this one?

478
00:14:18,410 --> 00:14:19,410
Well.

479
00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:22,819
I would, you know,

480
00:14:22,820 --> 00:14:24,719
you would expect that the

481
00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:26,139
field would shrink a little bit, but

482
00:14:26,140 --> 00:14:27,619
also this is an open seat.

483
00:14:27,620 --> 00:14:29,099
So it's kind of a different ball

484
00:14:29,100 --> 00:14:30,359
game.

485
00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:32,199
And you know why not keep going.

486
00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:34,139
We've got candidates that in polling

487
00:14:34,140 --> 00:14:36,479
have been hovering around

488
00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:38,419
1%, you know

489
00:14:38,420 --> 00:14:39,959
single digits essentially, and

490
00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:42,279
they're still in it.

491
00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:44,459
And I can't help but think of

492
00:14:44,460 --> 00:14:46,699
2022. It was a US Senate race

493
00:14:46,700 --> 00:14:48,549
against ron johnson

494
00:14:48,550 --> 00:14:51,069
and you had the

495
00:14:51,070 --> 00:14:52,949
majority, you had the

496
00:14:52,950 --> 00:14:55,169
Democratic candidates all

497
00:14:55,170 --> 00:14:56,989
drop out all

498
00:14:56,990 --> 00:14:59,309
at once and endorse Mandela

499
00:14:59,310 --> 00:15:01,209
Barnes, who is now running for

500
00:15:01,210 --> 00:15:02,189
governor.

501
00:15:02,190 --> 00:15:04,249
But I really don't expect

502
00:15:04,250 --> 00:15:06,249
to see anything like that this go

503
00:15:06,250 --> 00:15:08,389
round. I could be wrong, but

504
00:15:08,390 --> 00:15:10,529
it just seems like the cost

505
00:15:10,530 --> 00:15:12,469
benefit analysis

506
00:15:12,470 --> 00:15:14,569
that they're reviewing

507
00:15:14,570 --> 00:15:16,749
these Democratic candidates.

508
00:15:16,750 --> 00:15:18,609
Uh... Is leading them to stay in

509
00:15:18,610 --> 00:15:19,229
it

510
00:15:19,230 --> 00:15:21,169
And by contrast, in 2018,

511
00:15:21,170 --> 00:15:22,509
the last time that there was a big

512
00:15:22,510 --> 00:15:23,989
open Democratic primary for

513
00:15:23,990 --> 00:15:25,909
governor, it was an even more

514
00:15:25,910 --> 00:15:27,069
crowded field. I think there were

515
00:15:27,070 --> 00:15:28,789
two dropouts and it was still a

516
00:15:28,790 --> 00:15:30,589
larger field than it currently is.

517
00:15:30,590 --> 00:15:31,789
And Evers emerged from that,

518
00:15:31,790 --> 00:15:33,969
Governor Tony Evers, with a decent

519
00:15:33,970 --> 00:15:36,029
chunk of, but not a majority of

520
00:15:36,030 --> 00:15:37,269
the votes. He didn't have more than

521
00:15:37,270 --> 00:15:38,069
50%.

522
00:15:38,070 --> 00:15:39,889
And so we could be seeing

523
00:15:39,890 --> 00:15:41,669
sort of a similar dynamic throughout

524
00:15:41,670 --> 00:15:42,749
the summer.

525
00:15:42,750 --> 00:15:43,949
One of the big questions, of course,

526
00:15:43,950 --> 00:15:45,509
is who can maintain the money that

527
00:15:45,510 --> 00:15:47,249
it takes to kind of get through to

528
00:15:47,250 --> 00:15:48,909
August? But especially if you see

529
00:15:48,910 --> 00:15:50,229
yourself as kind of standing out

530
00:15:50,230 --> 00:15:52,189
from the pack of like occupying a

531
00:15:52,190 --> 00:15:54,189
lane to yourself, why not kind of

532
00:15:54,190 --> 00:15:56,269
keep running in that way to your

533
00:15:56,270 --> 00:15:58,069
point, will there be then when

534
00:15:58,070 --> 00:15:59,489
people do start dropping out?

535
00:15:59,490 --> 00:16:00,669
And I do think we're gonna see some

536
00:16:00,670 --> 00:16:02,309
before the primaries, but there's

537
00:16:02,310 --> 00:16:03,709
going to be some trading, like

538
00:16:03,710 --> 00:16:05,349
there's gonna be backdoor

539
00:16:05,350 --> 00:16:06,749
discussions, I know everyone hates

540
00:16:06,750 --> 00:16:08,129
talking about how those happen in

541
00:16:08,130 --> 00:16:10,269
politics, to trade my

542
00:16:10,270 --> 00:16:11,569
support for you.

543
00:16:11,570 --> 00:16:12,709
And so that'll be really interesting

544
00:16:12,710 --> 00:16:14,549
to see who wants to kind

545
00:16:14,550 --> 00:16:16,409
of give it up this time.

546
00:16:16,410 --> 00:16:17,709
In exchange for something else down

547
00:16:17,710 --> 00:16:18,789
the line.

548
00:16:18,790 --> 00:16:20,389
The two things to look at ahead of

549
00:16:20,390 --> 00:16:21,969
those are, one, staffing.

550
00:16:21,970 --> 00:16:23,429
If we see, because we get the

551
00:16:23,430 --> 00:16:24,769
emails, the press releases, we know

552
00:16:24,770 --> 00:16:26,369
who their campaign staffers are.

553
00:16:26,370 --> 00:16:27,829
I would never expect the general

554
00:16:27,830 --> 00:16:29,329
public to have an idea of who these

555
00:16:29,330 --> 00:16:31,189
people are. But if we see changes

556
00:16:31,190 --> 00:16:32,749
in staffing, then that means they

557
00:16:32,750 --> 00:16:34,969
don't have the money to pay them or

558
00:16:34,970 --> 00:16:36,469
those people are moving on to a new

559
00:16:36,470 --> 00:16:37,789
race or a new position.

560
00:16:37,790 --> 00:16:39,109
It really doesn't cost much to run

561
00:16:39,110 --> 00:16:40,329
for governor.

562
00:16:40,330 --> 00:16:41,629
In Wisconsin, it's gas money, which

563
00:16:41,630 --> 00:16:42,989
I know is more than has been in past

564
00:16:42,990 --> 00:16:44,309
years. But it's still, it is not

565
00:16:44,310 --> 00:16:45,469
that difficult. And it's not even

566
00:16:45,470 --> 00:16:46,629
that difficult to get 2,000

567
00:16:46,630 --> 00:16:47,709
signatures, quite honestly.

568
00:16:47,710 --> 00:16:48,909
We have lots of.

569
00:16:48,910 --> 00:16:50,089
Candidates, you just go out and

570
00:16:50,090 --> 00:16:51,149
knock doors and anyone will sign

571
00:16:51,150 --> 00:16:52,849
something and put in front of them.

572
00:16:52,850 --> 00:16:55,629
The other thing to look at is,

573
00:16:55,630 --> 00:16:57,209
is there a reason that consolidation

574
00:16:57,210 --> 00:16:59,209
might actually keep someone else

575
00:16:59,210 --> 00:17:01,069
from doing something in a race?

576
00:17:01,070 --> 00:17:02,589
And if they actually have enough

577
00:17:02,590 --> 00:17:04,189
support to throw behind someone else

578
00:17:04,190 --> 00:17:05,669
and kind of make that move or

579
00:17:05,670 --> 00:17:07,509
bargain for them, they almost have

580
00:17:07,510 --> 00:17:09,489
enough leverage to like say,

581
00:17:09,490 --> 00:17:11,608
I can deliver my voters or my

582
00:17:11,609 --> 00:17:13,049
name comes with enough people to

583
00:17:13,050 --> 00:17:14,649
make it worth this effort.

584
00:17:14,650 --> 00:17:16,469
The one thing I'd add to everything

585
00:17:16,470 --> 00:17:18,309
that you all have said is that I

586
00:17:18,310 --> 00:17:20,809
think the 22 experience could

587
00:17:20,810 --> 00:17:22,909
discourage some people

588
00:17:22,910 --> 00:17:24,929
to drop out.

589
00:17:24,930 --> 00:17:26,969
What I mean is that the idea in 2022

590
00:17:26,970 --> 00:17:28,309
is we're all going to get behind

591
00:17:28,310 --> 00:17:29,849
this one candidate.

592
00:17:29,850 --> 00:17:31,089
Everybody put aside your political

593
00:17:31,090 --> 00:17:33,229
ambitions and back Mandela Barnes.

594
00:17:33,230 --> 00:17:34,309
It didn't work out for Mandela

595
00:17:34,310 --> 00:17:35,369
Barns, you know.

596
00:17:35,370 --> 00:17:36,489
And so those candidates who dropped

597
00:17:36,490 --> 00:17:38,589
out maybe look at that and say,

598
00:17:38,590 --> 00:17:40,349
hey, why not me?

599
00:17:40,350 --> 00:17:42,369
So, they could be having a similar

600
00:17:42,370 --> 00:17:44,489
calculation this time around.

601
00:17:44,490 --> 00:17:46,209
Real quick, before we wrap up, and

602
00:17:46,210 --> 00:17:47,589
we'd give more time to this if this

603
00:17:47,590 --> 00:17:48,829
was a bigger decision, but we have

604
00:17:48,830 --> 00:17:50,149
to address this Wisconsin Supreme

605
00:17:50,150 --> 00:17:52,289
Court decision briefly, Rich.

606
00:17:52,290 --> 00:17:53,829
They dealt with this redistricting

607
00:17:53,830 --> 00:17:56,629
case on the congressional map.

608
00:17:56,630 --> 00:17:58,709
Was it a momentous decision or

609
00:17:58,710 --> 00:17:59,649
incremental?

610
00:17:59,650 --> 00:18:00,650
You know, you tell me.

611
00:18:02,260 --> 00:18:04,539
It was not momentous.

612
00:18:04,540 --> 00:18:06,159
People might get excited when they

613
00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:07,939
see, oh, they're taking up this

614
00:18:07,940 --> 00:18:09,199
redistricting appeal.

615
00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:11,459
But really what they were addressing

616
00:18:11,460 --> 00:18:13,259
is whether or not a three-judge

617
00:18:13,260 --> 00:18:15,659
panel that they appointed made

618
00:18:15,660 --> 00:18:17,339
the right decision in dismissing

619
00:18:17,340 --> 00:18:18,719
this lawsuit.

620
00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:19,879
What's interesting about this

621
00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:21,759
lawsuit is it's not

622
00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,259
arguing that the

623
00:18:24,260 --> 00:18:25,919
congressional map is a partisan

624
00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:26,959
gerrymander.

625
00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:28,499
It's saying, No, this is an

626
00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:30,469
anti-competitive gerrymander.

627
00:18:30,470 --> 00:18:32,329
So a different kind of

628
00:18:32,330 --> 00:18:34,489
nuanced approach, but ultimately

629
00:18:34,490 --> 00:18:36,209
they want new maps.

630
00:18:36,210 --> 00:18:38,089
So this doesn't mean that

631
00:18:38,090 --> 00:18:39,249
they're going to be issuing any

632
00:18:39,250 --> 00:18:41,049
decisions anytime soon.

633
00:18:41,050 --> 00:18:43,869
It would be shocking if

634
00:18:43,870 --> 00:18:45,909
anything came before

635
00:18:45,910 --> 00:18:47,579
the elections this year.

636
00:18:47,580 --> 00:18:49,219
Yeah, never, never say never in

637
00:18:49,220 --> 00:18:50,959
politics, but it does not feel like

638
00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,059
at this moment, the kind of

639
00:18:53,060 --> 00:18:55,399
redistricting moves you're seeing in

640
00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:56,959
other states around the country

641
00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:58,519
right now.

642
00:18:58,520 --> 00:18:59,479
That's all the time we have for

643
00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,039
today. Thanks for joining us.

644
00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:02,659
This has been Inside Wisconsin

645
00:19:02,660 --> 00:19:03,599
Politics.

646
00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:04,719
Be sure to follow us on

647
00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:06,599
PBSWisconsin.org,

648
00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:08,619
WPR.org YouTube,

649
00:19:08,620 --> 00:19:09,859
or wherever you get your podcasts.