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Democrats running for governor have

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less than two months to stand out in

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a crowded field.

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How'd they do that at the state

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party convention?

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And we run through developments in

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lawsuits involving voter rolls,

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legislative maps, and false

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electors.

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This is Inside Wisconsin Politics.

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I'm Sean Johnson here with Anya van

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Wegtendonk and Rich Kramer in

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Eau Claire. Hey gang.

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Hey Sean.

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So Anya, I think it's fair to say

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that this primary campaign is

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not going to be won or lost

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based on what happened in

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the room at the state party

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convention over the weekend.

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But you did head all seven

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candidates there.

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They were under the same set of

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rules, speaking to the same group of

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democratic activists.

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What was it like?

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Yeah, you know, I say this with all

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due respect.

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Normal people do not attend state

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party conventions, right?

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These are like the most die hard

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Democrats, the most die hard

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Republicans who go to that

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convention. And so these are the

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people who are like the most

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energized about their party and

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are going to be the ones to

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hopefully, you know, bring

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in their fellow,

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but like less excited Democrats.

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And so I think that was kind of the

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vibe of the speeches that you were

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getting from the gubernatorial

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candidates, which is that they were

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trying to appeal to this...

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Base, right?

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The most kind of committed

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Democrats possible.

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And also make the case not

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only that they should stand out in

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the seven person primary going into

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August, but that they are also

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most sort of best position to

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beat Tom Tiffany in November.

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And so those are kind of two

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different arguments that you need to

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be making. The one that makes you

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most appealing to Democrats and then

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the one that make the most appealing,

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to kind of your average

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Wisconsinite.

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And there was a lot of kind of

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threading of that needle while also

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trying to get excitement.

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So it was definitely a little bit of

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a dance going on, but that I think

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was kind of the overarching theme.

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What common threads stood out to

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you? I mean, like what was

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a theme

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that stood out in all the speeches

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or at least most of them?

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Yeah, so kind of too.

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So the Tom Tiffany theme and also

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by extension Donald Trump, right?

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A lot of trying to tie the two of

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those together.

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But then affordability was kind of

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the the word of the day.

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The theme of the convention was

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reclaiming the American dream.

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And and each of the candidates

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talked in either

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broader or more specific terms sort

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of depending on the candidate about

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what they would do to basically put

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more money in people's pockets,

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lower prices, make things more

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affordable in Wisconsin.

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So Rich, you and I were not at

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this convention, although we

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had a chance to listen to these

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speeches later. What set out to you?

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Well, Anya

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already mentioned it. There was a

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lot of talk about Donald Trump and

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the chaos in Washington from

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his administration.

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That's according to these Democratic

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candidates.

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And it's pretty obvious

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why they would focus on

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the president.

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And his popularity rating

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is pretty low in

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polling.

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So it seems like they're

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hoping that Trump will be a

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liability for Tom Tiffany as

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they as they move forward

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in this campaign.

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And also, there's only one

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Republican in the race, so they're

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able to focus their attacks on one

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person.

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Meanwhile, you know, Tom Tiffany

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doesn't have to worry about trying

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to stand out among Republican

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competitors in his primary,

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or in a primary.

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So that's what stuck out, but there

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was some other things that

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stood out. In terms of, like, the

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closest thing to criticizing

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other Democrats seemed to

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come from State Senator Kelda

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Royce and she just basically

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said the party cannot afford to

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to pick a nominee that

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Would put a Democratic trifecta

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that is the State Senate State

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Assembly and the governor's office

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in Jeopardy so

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no names were named but

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people might be able to Infer

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who or how many

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you know people she might have been

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talking about And of course there

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was a number of like pretty bold

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promises from some of these

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candidates as well

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That that did that criticism

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did jump out to me.

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There was another one I think you

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could argue from Francesca Hong

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saying that when you

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go out on the campaign trail People

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can detect BS.

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We're not gonna say the word because

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family show here guys, but she

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was essentially

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without name and name saying

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The other candidates aren't as

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authentic as me is the way

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that I heard it I'll tell you one

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other thing that kind of stood out

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to be and just upon

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first review of the speeches,

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I went away thinking these

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felt like general election speeches

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a little bit.

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I mean, this is a primary where

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they're almost going to have to

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some of them are going to have to

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get negative if they want to climb

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the ladder and be the party's

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candidate.

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And, you know, even the the,

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you know, criticisms we just

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mentioned, Rich, weren't exactly

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super negative.

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And the messages, I could absolutely

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imagine them in a

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general election campaign against

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Tom Tiffany.

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But they are, Anya, they're trying

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to win this democratic primary

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among a smaller group

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of voters right now.

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Right, but it is this balancing act

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where, as Rich said, right, they are

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going for a trifecta.

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And that was another big theme of

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the weekend is this idea that

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Democrats really think that they

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could take over all three chambers

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of government. And so they need

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to try to distinguish themselves.

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And most of them don't have that

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kind of, you know, statewide

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visibility. So they are still trying

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to get just like baseline name

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recognition, which is important for

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a primary, but then also not do

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anything to harm other Democrats,

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because, you know, if you have sort

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of a one in seven chance, and I know

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that's not exactly how statistics

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work. Uh, but something like

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that and so you don't move forward.

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You don't want to have weakened your

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party. You don't want to be giving

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Tom Tiffany sort of free fodder for

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your opponent opponents.

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And so I think that we will see a

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little bit more maybe of those

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veiled attacks, but in a

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way that's more aimed at sort of,

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uh, uh holding themselves up

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rather than necessarily going

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negative at this point, because

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Tom Tiffany, as Rich mentioned, uh

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is sort of in a field by himself.

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He technically has an opponent, but

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more or less he's the presumptive

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nominee. And so he's not gonna get

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weakened in a primary, so they need

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to be very careful themselves.

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It can't work against you in a

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primary, particularly a Democratic

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primary, to go negative, where

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you have voters who have kind of

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that same idea that like, look, the

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goal is November,

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stop fighting and show us how you're

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different.

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Rich, anything to jump out at you

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there and what Ani was just

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mentioning?

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Well I wanted to to kind of

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go back to when when she mentioned

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the

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you know the slights and the

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the electability and all that stuff.

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One of the candidates you know early

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on even before he announced

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Mandela Barnes former lieutenant

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governor former state representative

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he

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during his speech he

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let me go back

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before he got in the race some

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Democrats We're publicly saying,

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well, he lost in 2022,

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you know, we don't need that again.

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But during his speech, he brought

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that up and he said, well that's

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why I'm more experienced.

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I've been through this, came within

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one point, percentage point of

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Ron Johnson in 2022.

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That's why have the experience that

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and the other resume

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stuff that he's got.

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So I just wanted to mention that.

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Yeah, there was a lot of

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conversation about electability,

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which, again, I think speaks to

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trying to signal that they could

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beat Tom Tiffany in the fall.

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And so you had, for example,

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Fran Hong pointed to the fact that

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she's, if not the most far

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left candidate, certainly among

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them, and the fact that some

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people have brought that up as a

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liability against her.

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As passionate as her supporters are,

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her opponents are sort of equally

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passionate. And she talked about,

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well, actually, I am part of a

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legacy of Wisconsin progressives

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who were elected.

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So rather than that being a

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liability for me, that actually

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makes me more electable because

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people are excited about someone who

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doesn't bring BS.

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And David Crowley as well,

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he pointed to the fact that there

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has never been a

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black candidate who has won

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statewide office.

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And he says that everywhere he goes,

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people ask him, can a black man

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become governor in Wisconsin?

287
00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:14,519
And he said, well, I can for the

288
00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:16,139
following reasons. And so he named

289
00:08:16,140 --> 00:08:18,199
that sort of elephant in the room as

290
00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:19,779
a way of also drawing attention to

291
00:08:19,780 --> 00:08:20,559
his record.

292
00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:22,449
And so again, just kind of the way

293
00:08:22,450 --> 00:08:23,609
that the candidates are trying to

294
00:08:23,610 --> 00:08:25,289
distinguish themselves, not just on

295
00:08:25,290 --> 00:08:26,829
their own terms, but also for what

296
00:08:26,830 --> 00:08:28,969
they can deliver in November.

297
00:08:28,970 --> 00:08:30,989
And there was a straw

298
00:08:30,990 --> 00:08:32,749
poll at this convention, Anya.

299
00:08:32,750 --> 00:08:34,649
And I feel like it's kind of

300
00:08:34,650 --> 00:08:36,349
fun to talk about, but we should say

301
00:08:36,350 --> 00:08:38,349
1,000 grains of salt here for this

302
00:08:38,350 --> 00:08:39,529
poll, because this is not a

303
00:08:39,530 --> 00:08:40,369
scientific poll.

304
00:08:40,370 --> 00:08:42,389
The margin of error would be,

305
00:08:42,390 --> 00:08:43,769
look, I'm not qualified to calculate

306
00:08:43,770 --> 00:08:44,889
it, very high.

307
00:08:44,890 --> 00:08:46,269
Charles Franklin would have a lot to

308
00:08:46,270 --> 00:08:47,149
say about this one.

309
00:08:47,150 --> 00:08:48,429
He would say, don't pay attention to

310
00:08:48,430 --> 00:08:50,129
straw polls, would be my guess.

311
00:08:50,130 --> 00:08:51,849
But you had all these Democrats in a

312
00:08:51,850 --> 00:08:53,069
room, and if they wanted to, they

313
00:08:53,070 --> 00:08:55,049
could go to the booth run by Wist

314
00:08:55,050 --> 00:08:56,449
Politics, which does these at all

315
00:08:56,450 --> 00:08:58,349
the conventions. And and you could

316
00:08:58,350 --> 00:09:00,409
vote for your candidate of choice

317
00:09:00,410 --> 00:09:02,549
among the primary field.

318
00:09:02,550 --> 00:09:04,749
And how did that

319
00:09:04,750 --> 00:09:05,229
resolve?

320
00:09:05,230 --> 00:09:06,829
Yeah, really interesting.

321
00:09:06,830 --> 00:09:08,129
Lieutenant Governor Sarah Rodriguez

322
00:09:08,130 --> 00:09:09,329
came out first.

323
00:09:09,330 --> 00:09:11,289
And again, if Fran Hong is sort of

324
00:09:11,290 --> 00:09:12,369
further to the left, she's a little

325
00:09:12,370 --> 00:09:13,449
bit further to the center.

326
00:09:13,450 --> 00:09:15,009
But then Fran Hong was number two.

327
00:09:15,010 --> 00:09:16,889
And so you kind of have a little bit

328
00:09:16,890 --> 00:09:18,969
of the polls of what the party is

329
00:09:18,970 --> 00:09:20,349
presenting right now.

330
00:09:20,350 --> 00:09:22,489
One who might be doing better in

331
00:09:22,490 --> 00:09:24,649
a primary race, again,

332
00:09:24,650 --> 00:09:25,809
given just sort of the excitement

333
00:09:25,810 --> 00:09:27,089
that's around her, that's Fran Hong.

334
00:09:27,090 --> 00:09:28,709
And then one who perhaps could

335
00:09:28,710 --> 00:09:30,070
appeal to a broader audience, that

336
00:09:30,071 --> 00:09:31,969
is Sarah Rodriguez, who comes from a

337
00:09:31,970 --> 00:09:33,089
more of a business background.

338
00:09:33,090 --> 00:09:34,429
She was a healthcare executive and a

339
00:09:34,430 --> 00:09:36,689
nurse. She flipped a

340
00:09:36,690 --> 00:09:37,849
Republican seat when she ran for the

341
00:09:37,850 --> 00:09:39,669
assembly in the

342
00:09:39,670 --> 00:09:40,989
Waukesha suburbs.

343
00:09:40,990 --> 00:09:42,769
And so you have these two different

344
00:09:42,770 --> 00:09:44,349
models and it kind of looked like

345
00:09:44,350 --> 00:09:45,809
Democrats a little bit split among

346
00:09:45,810 --> 00:09:46,810
them.

347
00:09:48,010 --> 00:09:49,769
So I want to throw some caution at

348
00:09:49,770 --> 00:09:51,729
the poll here, the straw poll.

349
00:09:51,730 --> 00:09:53,549
I was just looking back at the 2018

350
00:09:53,550 --> 00:09:55,729
straw poll when you had even

351
00:09:55,730 --> 00:09:56,789
more candidates running for

352
00:09:56,790 --> 00:09:58,409
governor, depending on when you

353
00:09:58,410 --> 00:09:59,410
mentioned them.

354
00:10:00,150 --> 00:10:02,089
You probably are aware of this by

355
00:10:02,090 --> 00:10:04,029
now or have heard it or seen

356
00:10:04,030 --> 00:10:06,009
it recently, but that year,

357
00:10:06,010 --> 00:10:08,289
Kelda Royce won the straw pole.

358
00:10:08,290 --> 00:10:09,749
She went on to finish third in the

359
00:10:09,750 --> 00:10:11,189
primary, a distant third, but she

360
00:10:11,190 --> 00:10:13,189
won it overwhelmingly at

361
00:10:13,190 --> 00:10:14,190
convention.

362
00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:16,799
Do you happen to know where Tony

363
00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:18,380
Evers placed in that straw poll?

364
00:10:19,460 --> 00:10:21,299
This is the beginning of our quiz

365
00:10:21,300 --> 00:10:22,399
section here, guys.

366
00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:24,259
Tony Ebers placed third.

367
00:10:24,260 --> 00:10:26,479
He had 91 votes

368
00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:28,439
compared to Keldroys, 184

369
00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:29,799
that year.

370
00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:32,079
Right behind him were Andy

371
00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:33,999
Gronick and Dana

372
00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:35,139
Wachs.

373
00:10:35,140 --> 00:10:36,439
They have something in common.

374
00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:38,019
They both dropped out of the race by

375
00:10:38,020 --> 00:10:39,879
the end of June that year, so the

376
00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:41,799
convention was in June 2nd, I think,

377
00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:43,179
and they were dropped out by the

378
00:10:43,180 --> 00:10:44,339
21st and.

379
00:10:44,340 --> 00:10:45,399
20 seconds, so.

380
00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:46,999
Right, so again, appealing to

381
00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:48,579
quote-unquote normal people versus

382
00:10:48,580 --> 00:10:50,919
appealing to the most kind of

383
00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:52,739
revved up Democrats who follow every

384
00:10:52,740 --> 00:10:54,059
kind of twist and turn about that.

385
00:10:54,060 --> 00:10:55,299
So it doesn't necessarily translate

386
00:10:55,300 --> 00:10:56,879
to what a general voter or general

387
00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:58,829
audience is interested in.

388
00:10:58,830 --> 00:11:00,689
And there's also a certain amount

389
00:11:00,690 --> 00:11:02,649
of campaigning you can do

390
00:11:02,650 --> 00:11:03,849
in the room with these things.

391
00:11:03,850 --> 00:11:05,610
You can say, hey,

392
00:11:06,710 --> 00:11:08,669
get over to that desk that's run by

393
00:11:08,670 --> 00:11:10,089
Wisp Politics, and I think you

394
00:11:10,090 --> 00:11:10,949
should really vote for us.

395
00:11:10,950 --> 00:11:11,869
You can bring your people along.

396
00:11:11,870 --> 00:11:12,789
Bring your people.

397
00:11:12,790 --> 00:11:14,349
Absolutely. And I'm sure some of

398
00:11:14,350 --> 00:11:15,609
that went on at this convention.

399
00:11:16,610 --> 00:11:18,809
So okay, I

400
00:11:18,810 --> 00:11:20,749
did want to play a little game with

401
00:11:20,750 --> 00:11:23,289
you two since we have you here.

402
00:11:23,290 --> 00:11:24,679
Would that be okay?

403
00:11:24,680 --> 00:11:26,539
All right

404
00:11:26,540 --> 00:11:27,699
You have no choice, right?

405
00:11:27,700 --> 00:11:29,899
We're recording a live show here.

406
00:11:29,900 --> 00:11:31,899
So I was just looking back through

407
00:11:31,900 --> 00:11:33,419
these speeches and through the

408
00:11:33,420 --> 00:11:35,299
benefit of being able

409
00:11:35,300 --> 00:11:37,199
to look at the transcript

410
00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:38,939
and the number of times that certain

411
00:11:38,940 --> 00:11:40,659
words were mentioned in these

412
00:11:40,660 --> 00:11:42,579
things, you can see

413
00:11:42,580 --> 00:11:44,659
kind of who hit themes really hard.

414
00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:47,799
So the first one I looked for was

415
00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:48,899
Trump.

416
00:11:48,900 --> 00:11:51,079
Who said Trump the most?

417
00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,119
Anybody want to hazard a guess?

418
00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:54,120
Rich, you go first.

419
00:11:55,510 --> 00:11:58,269
I'm gonna say...

420
00:11:59,870 --> 00:12:01,929
Might have been Joel Brennan

421
00:12:01,930 --> 00:12:03,529
All right, all right.

422
00:12:03,530 --> 00:12:05,449
Rich, you win,

423
00:12:05,450 --> 00:12:06,769
buddy. You got, it's Sarah Rodriguez

424
00:12:06,770 --> 00:12:08,389
and Mandela Barnes are right up at

425
00:12:08,390 --> 00:12:09,949
the top there. Mentioned him six

426
00:12:09,950 --> 00:12:12,029
times. Joel Brennan after

427
00:12:12,030 --> 00:12:13,929
them. And then everybody mentioned

428
00:12:13,930 --> 00:12:15,749
Trump at least once.

429
00:12:15,750 --> 00:12:17,669
But Rodriguez and Barnes,

430
00:12:17,670 --> 00:12:19,489
kind of hitting to my ear

431
00:12:19,490 --> 00:12:21,229
similar themes in those messages

432
00:12:21,230 --> 00:12:23,289
too. Like they sounded like maybe

433
00:12:23,290 --> 00:12:24,529
they were running a little bit of a

434
00:12:24,530 --> 00:12:27,009
November campaign or a

435
00:12:27,010 --> 00:12:28,829
safer message in their speeches.

436
00:12:28,830 --> 00:12:30,769
Okay, how about...

437
00:12:30,770 --> 00:12:32,629
Tiffany and that

438
00:12:32,630 --> 00:12:34,789
to be clear nobody mentioned the

439
00:12:34,790 --> 00:12:36,589
Truman Capote book that was adapted

440
00:12:36,590 --> 00:12:38,289
into a movie and later You know

441
00:12:38,290 --> 00:12:40,169
celebrated in a song who mentioned

442
00:12:40,170 --> 00:12:42,190
Tiffany Tom Tiffany the most

443
00:12:45,450 --> 00:12:46,789
Gosh, I'm just stuck on that dad

444
00:12:46,790 --> 00:12:48,109
joke now.

445
00:12:48,110 --> 00:12:49,909
I was, I'm proud of that one, you

446
00:12:49,910 --> 00:12:50,949
know.

447
00:12:50,950 --> 00:12:52,609
That song, by the way, in my head

448
00:12:52,610 --> 00:12:54,049
all the time. And I hated it when it

449
00:12:54,050 --> 00:12:55,369
came out, but the beauty of

450
00:12:55,370 --> 00:12:56,229
nostalgia.

451
00:12:56,230 --> 00:12:57,230
No vote.

452
00:12:58,150 --> 00:13:00,489
I'm going to vote Roy's, well,

453
00:13:00,490 --> 00:13:01,589
for this, of course. There you go,

454
00:13:01,590 --> 00:13:02,590
there you go.

455
00:13:03,239 --> 00:13:04,659
We gotcha.

456
00:13:04,660 --> 00:13:06,259
Kel DeRoy's, how about you?

457
00:13:06,260 --> 00:13:07,500
Who mentioned Tiffany the most?

458
00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:11,179
Uh, Mr. Hughes.

459
00:13:11,180 --> 00:13:12,939
All right, good, good guesses,

460
00:13:12,940 --> 00:13:15,139
everybody. Sarah Rodriguez was

461
00:13:15,140 --> 00:13:17,419
Tops and Tiffany Mentions,

462
00:13:17,420 --> 00:13:18,759
followed by Joel Brennan, Mandel

463
00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:20,519
Barnes, and Kelderoy's Mentions and

464
00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:22,019
once, David Crowley, Missy Hughes,

465
00:13:22,020 --> 00:13:23,139
and Francesca Hong didn't even

466
00:13:23,140 --> 00:13:25,259
mention Tom Tiffany in this thing.

467
00:13:25,260 --> 00:13:25,264
Was I? In this thing.

468
00:13:25,265 --> 00:13:26,279
Was I there at all? It was kind of

469
00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:26,740
interesting to know.

470
00:13:26,741 --> 00:13:27,929
That was kind of interesting. No, I
mean, I think it's,

471
00:13:27,930 --> 00:13:28,909
it's the kind of thing you assume

472
00:13:28,910 --> 00:13:29,829
that you heard a bunch of people

473
00:13:29,830 --> 00:13:31,509
say, and then you can go back and

474
00:13:31,510 --> 00:13:32,889
look and realize, well, they didn't

475
00:13:32,890 --> 00:13:35,009
actually mention that specific guy.

476
00:13:35,010 --> 00:13:37,149
I have, I predict whoever wins this

477
00:13:37,150 --> 00:13:38,409
primary though, we'll mention him a

478
00:13:38,410 --> 00:13:39,809
lot in TV as between now and

479
00:13:39,810 --> 00:13:40,810
November.

480
00:13:41,210 --> 00:13:42,209
Okay, how about this?

481
00:13:42,210 --> 00:13:43,749
We've got, we've got a democratic

482
00:13:43,750 --> 00:13:45,329
governor right now.

483
00:13:45,330 --> 00:13:46,369
And a lot of these people have

484
00:13:46,370 --> 00:13:48,189
worked with or for this democratic

485
00:13:48,190 --> 00:13:50,209
governor, who do

486
00:13:50,210 --> 00:13:51,709
you think might have mentioned Evers

487
00:13:51,710 --> 00:13:53,089
a few times?

488
00:13:53,090 --> 00:13:54,370
Rich, What do you think?

489
00:13:57,219 --> 00:13:59,099
Well, I would say it'd

490
00:13:59,100 --> 00:14:00,299
have to be someone that worked

491
00:14:00,300 --> 00:14:02,319
within the administration or

492
00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,339
alongside them.

493
00:14:04,340 --> 00:14:06,159
So that narrows it down to

494
00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:07,999
four people, I wouldn't

495
00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:09,199
say Brennan.

496
00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:10,419
Yeah. Okay.

497
00:14:10,420 --> 00:14:10,669
Anya?

498
00:14:10,670 --> 00:14:12,549
I think it was also Brennan, he also

499
00:14:12,550 --> 00:14:14,149
made a point of saying fix the darn

500
00:14:14,150 --> 00:14:16,149
road, he seemed to be really

501
00:14:16,150 --> 00:14:17,569
tying himself to the heavers.

502
00:14:17,570 --> 00:14:19,409
It was Mandela Barnes, Tony

503
00:14:19,410 --> 00:14:20,689
Evers' former lieutenant governor,

504
00:14:20,690 --> 00:14:22,049
followed by Joel Brennan, his former

505
00:14:22,050 --> 00:14:23,909
deoist secretary, followed by Sarah

506
00:14:23,910 --> 00:14:25,229
Rodriguez, his current lieutenant

507
00:14:25,230 --> 00:14:26,889
governor and Missy Hughes, his

508
00:14:26,890 --> 00:14:29,549
former WEDEC CEO.

509
00:14:29,550 --> 00:14:30,809
No mention of Tony Eivers by

510
00:14:30,810 --> 00:14:32,389
Francesca Hong, Kel DeRoy's or David

511
00:14:32,390 --> 00:14:33,669
Crowley.

512
00:14:33,670 --> 00:14:35,529
So Tony is back there taking notes

513
00:14:35,530 --> 00:14:37,229
like, I see you, I see you.

514
00:14:37,230 --> 00:14:39,329
OK, one more, one more, I promise.

515
00:14:39,330 --> 00:14:40,429
And this is a little different.

516
00:14:40,430 --> 00:14:42,009
You got a chance at this convention

517
00:14:42,010 --> 00:14:43,749
to differentiate yourself.

518
00:14:43,750 --> 00:14:45,169
One way is you can just tell these

519
00:14:45,170 --> 00:14:47,179
delegates I'm different.

520
00:14:47,180 --> 00:14:49,319
Who said only

521
00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:51,319
candidate as in I'm I'm the only

522
00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:51,789
candidate

523
00:14:51,790 --> 00:14:52,688
Oh, I know this one.

524
00:14:52,689 --> 00:14:53,310
Okay, let's hear it.

525
00:14:53,311 --> 00:14:54,709
Fran Hong said I am the only

526
00:14:54,710 --> 00:14:56,709
candidate who proposes a moratorium

527
00:14:56,710 --> 00:14:57,439
on data centers.

528
00:14:57,440 --> 00:14:59,559
And free childcare.

529
00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:01,199
And you are correct, Anya.

530
00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:03,059
She mentioned it four

531
00:15:03,060 --> 00:15:04,139
times.

532
00:15:04,140 --> 00:15:07,079
This was interesting to me, Rich.

533
00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:07,999
Kel DeRoyce was there.

534
00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,119
She mentioned a couple of times.

535
00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:11,979
Her message was,

536
00:15:11,980 --> 00:15:13,219
I'm the only candidate who's been a

537
00:15:13,220 --> 00:15:15,099
legislator. I got bills,

538
00:15:15,100 --> 00:15:16,299
is basically what she was saying.

539
00:15:16,300 --> 00:15:17,899
And then David Crowley, the only

540
00:15:17,900 --> 00:15:19,419
candidate who has executive

541
00:15:19,420 --> 00:15:21,119
experience. And nobody else used

542
00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:22,120
that turn of phrase.

543
00:15:23,350 --> 00:15:24,749
Big grain of salt for that one too,

544
00:15:24,750 --> 00:15:26,669
which is very unscientific, but

545
00:15:26,670 --> 00:15:28,129
I find it fun to run through that

546
00:15:28,130 --> 00:15:29,130
stuff.

547
00:15:30,550 --> 00:15:32,149
Unscientific, but you probably made

548
00:15:32,150 --> 00:15:33,589
a spreadsheet. I did make a

549
00:15:33,590 --> 00:15:34,370
spreadsheet, you're darn right.

550
00:15:34,371 --> 00:15:35,019
You're doing right.

551
00:15:35,020 --> 00:15:36,279
Yeah, it made it a lot easier for me

552
00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:37,519
to list those things real quick.

553
00:15:38,780 --> 00:15:40,619
So we want to move on real quick to

554
00:15:40,620 --> 00:15:42,919
some legal developments this week.

555
00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:45,059
A few small legal developments in

556
00:15:45,060 --> 00:15:46,319
big cases.

557
00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,119
Rich, first let's start with, there

558
00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:50,399
was this decision by the

559
00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:52,339
state Supreme Court to hear an

560
00:15:52,340 --> 00:15:54,719
appeal in a redistricting case,

561
00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:55,899
congressional redistricting, case.

562
00:15:55,900 --> 00:15:58,179
Is this a big deal or

563
00:15:58,180 --> 00:15:59,180
an incremental step?

564
00:16:00,890 --> 00:16:02,969
It's pretty incremental.

565
00:16:02,970 --> 00:16:04,609
So these are about the congressional

566
00:16:04,610 --> 00:16:06,169
maps. There's two of them that have

567
00:16:06,170 --> 00:16:08,649
been, two of these appeals of

568
00:16:08,650 --> 00:16:10,809
these cases challenging the

569
00:16:10,810 --> 00:16:13,329
congressional map as gerrymandered

570
00:16:13,330 --> 00:16:15,349
for various reasons, various

571
00:16:15,350 --> 00:16:17,029
types of gerrymandering.

572
00:16:17,030 --> 00:16:18,949
And it sounds exciting that

573
00:16:18,950 --> 00:16:20,309
it's made it to the Supreme Court,

574
00:16:20,310 --> 00:16:21,809
but all they're doing in both

575
00:16:21,810 --> 00:16:23,749
situations is they will

576
00:16:23,750 --> 00:16:25,569
be deciding whether or not these

577
00:16:25,570 --> 00:16:27,589
three judge panels they appointed

578
00:16:27,590 --> 00:16:29,449
were correct in

579
00:16:29,450 --> 00:16:31,309
how they dismissed these

580
00:16:31,310 --> 00:16:32,549
challenges and those panels

581
00:16:32,550 --> 00:16:34,469
essentially said they

582
00:16:34,470 --> 00:16:35,809
dismiss them because they don't have

583
00:16:35,810 --> 00:16:37,629
the authority to overturn the

584
00:16:37,630 --> 00:16:39,729
maps which were put

585
00:16:39,730 --> 00:16:41,549
in place by the Supreme Court and a

586
00:16:41,550 --> 00:16:43,469
lower court cannot overrule a

587
00:16:43,470 --> 00:16:45,569
higher court like that so

588
00:16:45,570 --> 00:16:47,649
what I've been told is that that

589
00:16:47,650 --> 00:16:49,669
probably means these will go back

590
00:16:49,670 --> 00:16:51,449
through the court system back to the

591
00:16:51,450 --> 00:16:52,569
lower courts and work their way up

592
00:16:52,570 --> 00:16:54,369
but the Supreme Court justices will

593
00:16:54,370 --> 00:16:56,549
have to decide whether or not these

594
00:16:56,550 --> 00:16:58,589
gerrymandering claims can even move

595
00:16:58,590 --> 00:16:59,599
forward.

596
00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:02,139
Um, so that's a big question,

597
00:17:02,140 --> 00:17:03,539
but in short, it doesn't mean

598
00:17:03,540 --> 00:17:05,439
there's, it likely doesn't mean that

599
00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:06,858
there's going to be any new map

600
00:17:06,859 --> 00:17:08,459
before the 2026 election.

601
00:17:08,460 --> 00:17:09,519
There's just not enough time.

602
00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:11,220
Okay, and lightning round here, you

603
00:17:11,221 --> 00:17:13,199
had a case you covered on voter

604
00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:14,200
rolls. What happened there?

605
00:17:16,050 --> 00:17:17,489
So the federal government, the

606
00:17:17,490 --> 00:17:19,029
Department of Justice, wants to get

607
00:17:19,030 --> 00:17:21,088
unredacted voter registration

608
00:17:21,089 --> 00:17:24,269
information from Wisconsin,

609
00:17:24,270 --> 00:17:25,949
and that includes, you know,

610
00:17:25,950 --> 00:17:27,868
driver's license numbers and Social

611
00:17:27,869 --> 00:17:29,129
Security numbers, the last four

612
00:17:29,130 --> 00:17:30,469
digits.

613
00:17:30,470 --> 00:17:32,989
The elections commission hasn't

614
00:17:32,990 --> 00:17:33,829
provided that.

615
00:17:33,830 --> 00:17:34,929
They've given a different list

616
00:17:34,930 --> 00:17:36,809
that's publicly available,

617
00:17:36,810 --> 00:17:38,369
but essentially the case was

618
00:17:38,370 --> 00:17:40,449
dismissed last month in federal

619
00:17:40,450 --> 00:17:41,269
court.

620
00:17:41,270 --> 00:17:42,089
It's being appealed.

621
00:17:42,090 --> 00:17:43,969
The DOJ is appealing it to

622
00:17:43,970 --> 00:17:45,829
the 7th circuit.

623
00:17:45,830 --> 00:17:47,829
But again

624
00:17:47,830 --> 00:17:49,969
It will take a while and

625
00:17:49,970 --> 00:17:51,449
there's been other examples of this

626
00:17:51,450 --> 00:17:53,349
around the nation where the DOJ has

627
00:17:53,350 --> 00:17:54,459
been losing these cases

628
00:17:54,460 --> 00:17:55,879
One of those we'll have to keep an

629
00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:57,719
eye on. And then Anya, the false

630
00:17:57,720 --> 00:17:59,959
electors case in Wisconsin.

631
00:17:59,960 --> 00:18:00,939
What happened there?

632
00:18:00,940 --> 00:18:02,939
They pleaded not guilty

633
00:18:02,940 --> 00:18:04,959
to 11 counts of felony

634
00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:06,839
forgery, including Wisconsin's own

635
00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:08,039
Jim Trupis.

636
00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:09,539
He's also trying to get the case

637
00:18:09,540 --> 00:18:10,779
moved out of Dane County Circuit

638
00:18:10,780 --> 00:18:12,699
Court, and so that case continues

639
00:18:12,700 --> 00:18:13,279
to unfold.

640
00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:14,499
All right, thank you both for

641
00:18:14,500 --> 00:18:15,639
keeping an eye on those.

642
00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:16,679
That's all the time we have for

643
00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:18,319
today. Thanks for joining us.

644
00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:19,639
Our colleague, Zach Schultz, will be

645
00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:21,239
back in a few weeks.

646
00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:22,519
This has been Inside Wisconsin

647
00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:24,199
Politics. Be sure to follow us on

648
00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,579
PBSWisconsin.org, WPR.org

649
00:18:26,580 --> 00:18:28,519
YouTube, or wherever you get your

650
00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:29,520
podcasts.

651
00:18:37,970 --> 00:18:38,970
Okay.

652
00:18:40,990 --> 00:18:41,990
Mm-hmm