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Democratic socialists pick up three

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big victories in this week's New

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York City primaries.

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Could that momentum carry all the

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way to Wisconsin?

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And the field of Democrats running

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for governor here finally shrinks.

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What is the signal about the race?

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This is Inside Wisconsin

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Politics.

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I'm Sean Johnson here with Anya

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VanWaagdendonk and Rich Kramer in

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Eau Claire. Hey gang.

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Hey Sean.

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So our show this week needs a

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little bit of setup. We are of

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course focused on primaries in

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Wisconsin but we are looking for

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clues this week from primaries

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that happened in New York.

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So Anya, what did happen there?

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Yeah, there were a number of

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congressional primaries, including

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three candidates who

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received the backing of Mayor Zahran

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Mamdani, himself a socialist,

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two of those candidates also

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received endorsements from the

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Democratic Socialists of America,

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which is a group that he's also

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affiliated with.

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And all three of those candidate's

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won. In one case,

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kicking out an incumbent, some of

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them were, you know, political

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outsiders. So this was really, in

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some ways, an upset and a little bit

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of a validation for Mamdany,

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this kind of further left mayor.

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All right. For the power that he

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shows in this significant blue

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area.

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And so a lot of people, as you say,

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are kind of looking at that as

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tea leaves for what that says about

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the Democratic primary right now and

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what voters want in their blue

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candidates.

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And I think that you would see

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states, or people in any state,

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where Democrats have a plausible

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shot at winning, asking these same

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questions.

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So why are we asking it

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here though, or what's kind of our

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thread, where it feels like, hey,

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this could really be significant

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this year?

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Right, obviously there are many

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differences between New York City

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and the state of Wisconsin, but one

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of the things that there is kind of

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in commonality here is that we have

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this crowded democratic race for

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governor, as we've mentioned, and

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one candidate from there, Francesca

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Hong, is sort of in that same vein

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as Momdani and these kind of,

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she identifies as a socialist, as a

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democratic socialist, she's part of

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that caucus in the legislature.

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And so when we kind of

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look at who is going to stand out

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among this field of now six

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Democratic candidates.

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So we wonder kind of

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to what extent these victories for

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these further left candidates means

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that Fran Hong will stand out

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among Democrats.

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And then what does that mean in a

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more general election, where again,

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a Wisconsin general election is very

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different than a New York City

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primary election.

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So we're going to get back to the

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primary for governor here in just a

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minute. But Rich, this was a

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congressional primary in

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New York, or congressional

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primaries, rather.

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I wonder how we're

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seeing this play out if at all

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in Democratic primaries here

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in Wisconsin for Congress.

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You are covering one in

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the third congressional district in

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Western Wisconsin.

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You just covered a forum there where

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there is a Democratic primary.

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Do you see any parallels there, Or

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is it a different ballgame?

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It feels like a different ball game.

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I mean, for one, there aren't

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any DSA candidates in

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the race for the third congressional

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district.

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But, you know, there are some

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similarities in

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one way.

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So we've got two candidates and

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one seems to be trying to

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portray herself as the

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more progressive of the two.

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And one is trying to,

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or is acting like she's the more

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moderate candidate.

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So these two people are.

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Emily Berge she's the former City

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Council president of Eau Claire has

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been on the City Council for a long

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time She's the one that during

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the forum that was last week in

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Platteville

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Was was offering up some

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more of what you would expect

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progressive candidates to

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say for example Berge

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called for Medicare

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for all which is universal health

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care essentially and She

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said that she would She vowed

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to impeach President Donald

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Trump if she were elected or

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support the impeachment.

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The other candidate is Rebecca Cook,

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who has, this is her third run

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essentially for the third

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congressional district.

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And she was

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more reserved

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in answering those questions.

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For example, on Medicare for All,

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she said she'd love to sign up

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for all of these aspirational

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goals, but...

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She said that it's more likely

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that if Democrats win the House

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majority back, they would go

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more towards expanding

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tax credits for the Affordable Care

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Act that were passed by

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Democrats during

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the earlier years of the COVID

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pandemic.

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And she said, so that would be the

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immediate first step.

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And on impeachment, she said well,

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the devil is in the details of what

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that resolution would look like.

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So those were two of the differences

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that I noticed right away.

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And then another difference

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that predates the debate by

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many months,

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the House Democrats national

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campaign arm

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essentially endorsed Rebecca

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Cook like months

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ago, and they've

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offered her support, they've offer

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her staff training, et

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cetera.

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And Berge has since said,

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and said during the forum that,

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you know, it shouldn't be national

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Democrats Picking who represents

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the people of the third district.

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It should be voters themselves.

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So that's one way that

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it stood out from

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what happened in New York, but

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there's still kind of

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two candidates trying to pick their

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lanes, and it feels like one is

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going more of the progressive lane,

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and the other is trying to go a

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little bit more.

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I think that push-pull between

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national Democrats and these more

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kind of, we know our community,

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we are kind of of the

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progressive wing, was also on

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display in New York.

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A number of the candidates who

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were defeated were backed

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by these national democratic groups

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that Rich was just talking about.

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And so again, while we're trying to

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see how are Democrats feeling, how

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are they kind of leaning going into

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what they are hoping broadly to be

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a wave election, who like who

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are they putting their money behind

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as the people who can deliver that.

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And so in New York, part of the

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answer was people whose policies

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do fall a little bit to the left.

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It'll be really interesting to see

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in the governor's race and in some

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of these competitive congressional

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races here in Wisconsin.

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What do Wisconsin Democrats, where

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do they put their money behind?

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I guess the thing that strikes me is

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that the thing that's missing in

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Wisconsin is that you don't have a

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massively powerful endorsement,

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it seems, as they did in New

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York from Mayor Mondami,

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who came in and said, this

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is what it means to be a Democrat

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right now. This is my slate,

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essentially these are my people.

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And it seems to have worked.

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Is there anything like that in,

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let's say, the third congressional

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district for Emily Berge?

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Is there somebody like that coming

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in and saying, this is the

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progressive choice?

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Ah, not that I know of, not I

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know. Meanwhile, Cook has gotten

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all kinds of endorsements

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from sitting members of Congress,

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the Senate, et cetera, and

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also the backing of the National

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Party and a whole number of

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third party groups as well.

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So I'm not aware of any

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big endorsements.

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Actually the endorsements that Berge

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has been promoting have been

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from essentially local governments,

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city council, county

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board, school boards, et cetera.

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So I guess I'm wondering if,

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you know, that person who

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could move the field like that even

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exists in Wisconsin for Wisconsin

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Democrats. I mean, the state party

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is staying out of this

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race, the race for governor,

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you know, they they have massive

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financial resources and

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could tip the field potentially

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if they wanted to. They're

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definitely not going there.

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We have a Democratic governor who

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has some power.

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He's not being vocal with his

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endorsements. Is there?

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Is this power vacuum sort of

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leaving us up in the air about

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what's going to happen.

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Yeah, we've talked about this a

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little bit in the context of

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Republicans because there is such a

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clear leader

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of the party and in President Donald

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Trump.

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And so Democrats don't quite have

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that for many reasons, including

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that they don't hold these

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majorities in Washington.

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They don't the White House.

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But I think also this really is a

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little bit of like an existentially

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exploratory time for Democrats,

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both here in Wisconsin, where they

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are facing the best odds that

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they've had in a long time of

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getting some real legislative power,

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but then nationally.

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Seeing, you know, there were other

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primaries that took place on Tuesday

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as well outside of New York, where

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more moderate Democrats won.

289
00:08:49,810 --> 00:08:51,749
One issue that was really prevalent

290
00:08:51,750 --> 00:08:53,409
in a lot of these races was Israel

291
00:08:53,410 --> 00:08:55,249
and the war in Gaza and how that

292
00:08:55,250 --> 00:08:56,569
is playing out, how that's kind of

293
00:08:56,570 --> 00:08:58,709
dividing up the Democratic Party.

294
00:08:58,710 --> 00:08:59,929
We've seen that a little bit in like

295
00:08:59,930 --> 00:09:01,449
Milwaukee politics where that's

296
00:09:01,450 --> 00:09:02,409
played a real issue.

297
00:09:02,410 --> 00:09:03,849
I don't know to what extent that

298
00:09:03,850 --> 00:09:05,389
will be important statewide.

299
00:09:05,390 --> 00:09:07,209
And so that could be one place where

300
00:09:07,210 --> 00:09:08,769
Wisconsin's politics, obviously, of

301
00:09:08,770 --> 00:09:10,649
course, our naturally very

302
00:09:10,650 --> 00:09:12,209
50-50 purple stance.

303
00:09:12,210 --> 00:09:13,609
Could look really different than

304
00:09:13,610 --> 00:09:15,509
some of these places where Democrats

305
00:09:15,510 --> 00:09:16,549
feel a little bit safer.

306
00:09:16,550 --> 00:09:17,849
We know we're going to get one of

307
00:09:17,850 --> 00:09:19,589
our guys in, so let's try to really

308
00:09:19,590 --> 00:09:20,849
move the needle on what that looks

309
00:09:20,850 --> 00:09:21,869
like.

310
00:09:21,870 --> 00:09:23,189
So I gotta say as somebody who's

311
00:09:23,190 --> 00:09:24,509
covered Wisconsin politics for a

312
00:09:24,510 --> 00:09:26,809
while now, it's still a little bit

313
00:09:26,810 --> 00:09:28,649
jarring to me to see people just

314
00:09:28,650 --> 00:09:30,309
self-identify as democratic

315
00:09:30,310 --> 00:09:32,509
socialist, for example.

316
00:09:32,510 --> 00:09:34,329
I think five years ago, I wasn't

317
00:09:34,330 --> 00:09:36,129
seeing that. But I remember Anya,

318
00:09:36,130 --> 00:09:37,169
one of the first stories you did

319
00:09:37,170 --> 00:09:38,369
when you came to Wisconsin Public

320
00:09:38,370 --> 00:09:40,329
Radio was about this socialist

321
00:09:40,330 --> 00:09:42,109
caucus in the Wisconsin legislature

322
00:09:42,110 --> 00:09:44,289
where, you

323
00:09:44,290 --> 00:09:45,949
know, for years it was Republicans

324
00:09:45,950 --> 00:09:47,029
who were calling Democrats

325
00:09:47,030 --> 00:09:48,269
socialists and they were like, no,

326
00:09:48,270 --> 00:09:50,029
no no no, we're not, we're just, we

327
00:09:50,030 --> 00:09:51,249
are Democrats. And now Democrats are

328
00:09:51,250 --> 00:09:52,209
saying, yeah.

329
00:09:52,210 --> 00:09:54,249
We are, that's who we represent,

330
00:09:54,250 --> 00:09:55,250
that our values.

331
00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:24,799
But then you also, you know, when I

332
00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:26,999
go again to a Francesca Hong rally,

333
00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:28,559
that's something that people see as

334
00:10:28,560 --> 00:10:30,439
a reason that they support

335
00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:31,520
her. And so it is one of those

336
00:10:31,521 --> 00:10:32,859
things that, yeah, the term can

337
00:10:32,860 --> 00:10:34,799
either be an insult or it can be

338
00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:36,419
an endorsement depending on who's

339
00:10:36,420 --> 00:10:36,979
leveling it.

340
00:10:36,980 --> 00:10:39,359
And her basic message seems to be,

341
00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:40,979
these are dire times.

342
00:10:40,980 --> 00:10:42,480
We need a new kind of politics.

343
00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:45,519
Rich, I do

344
00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:46,779
think that Republicans have a

345
00:10:46,780 --> 00:10:48,099
different take when it comes to this

346
00:10:48,100 --> 00:10:49,100
stuff, though.

347
00:10:50,319 --> 00:10:52,199
As you've seen them react

348
00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:54,199
to the results in

349
00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:55,879
New York City and what's going on

350
00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:57,759
here in Wisconsin, how

351
00:10:57,760 --> 00:10:58,760
do they feel about it?

352
00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:02,479
Well, based on what I've

353
00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:03,979
seen from, I guess, some of the

354
00:11:03,980 --> 00:11:06,319
talking heads on social media,

355
00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:07,899
I could sum it up as this.

356
00:11:07,900 --> 00:11:09,459
All Democrats are socialists.

357
00:11:09,460 --> 00:11:10,999
That's what Republicans are trying

358
00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:13,099
to pitch right now to voters.

359
00:11:14,220 --> 00:11:15,999
Obviously, we know that there's all

360
00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:17,839
kinds of degrees to being a

361
00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:19,679
Republican, you know, conservative,

362
00:11:19,680 --> 00:11:20,939
liberal, et cetera.

363
00:11:20,940 --> 00:11:22,679
I mean, just a million different

364
00:11:22,680 --> 00:11:24,939
stripes out there, but

365
00:11:24,940 --> 00:11:27,159
Republicans are excited

366
00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:28,160
about

367
00:11:30,020 --> 00:11:31,899
the nominee in Wisconsin

368
00:11:31,900 --> 00:11:33,759
because they think that that'll give

369
00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:35,739
them the best shot at making

370
00:11:35,740 --> 00:11:37,159
sure that Tom Tiffany wins.

371
00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:38,999
And in fact, they have been pointing

372
00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,399
to this one poll that

373
00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:43,399
came out weeks and weeks ago,

374
00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:45,519
maybe longer, that showed

375
00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:47,459
head-to-head matchups with all of

376
00:11:47,460 --> 00:11:48,779
the Democratic candidates.

377
00:11:48,780 --> 00:11:50,299
At the time, there were the seven

378
00:11:50,300 --> 00:11:51,819
major candidates.

379
00:11:51,820 --> 00:11:53,719
And literally the only one in that

380
00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:57,059
poll that

381
00:11:57,060 --> 00:11:58,939
Tiffany wouldn't have lost

382
00:11:58,940 --> 00:12:00,119
to.

383
00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:02,119
It's all theoretical,

384
00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:04,019
and it only, I guess, represents

385
00:12:04,020 --> 00:12:06,139
what people who took the survey felt

386
00:12:06,140 --> 00:12:08,039
on that day. But it was Francesca

387
00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:10,619
Hong. And so not only are they

388
00:12:10,620 --> 00:12:12,399
literally talking about, well, we

389
00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,079
hope that this is the nominee,

390
00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:17,119
there are also some Republicans

391
00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:19,219
are saying, hey,

392
00:12:19,220 --> 00:12:20,839
why don't you go out and meddle in

393
00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:21,679
that primary?

394
00:12:21,680 --> 00:12:22,919
Vote for Hong.

395
00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:24,559
Cross over, because the other

396
00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:26,979
primaries on the GOP side aren't

397
00:12:26,980 --> 00:12:27,819
as big of a deal.

398
00:12:27,820 --> 00:12:29,819
I literally saw a post last night

399
00:12:29,820 --> 00:12:30,719
saying...

400
00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:32,439
The race for governor is the whole

401
00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:33,440
game.

402
00:12:33,900 --> 00:12:35,999
So Republicans go crossover,

403
00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:37,619
vote for Hong, that'll make it

404
00:12:37,620 --> 00:12:39,539
easier for Tiffany in

405
00:12:39,540 --> 00:12:41,099
the general.

406
00:12:41,100 --> 00:12:42,300
So yeah,

407
00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:45,359
politics sometimes,

408
00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:46,679
when you're attacking opponents, you

409
00:12:46,680 --> 00:12:48,679
like to paint with a broad brush.

410
00:12:48,680 --> 00:12:50,779
So they're seeing this rise up

411
00:12:50,780 --> 00:12:52,499
of some of these democratic

412
00:12:52,500 --> 00:12:54,419
socialist candidates around

413
00:12:54,420 --> 00:12:56,859
America, and they're saying,

414
00:12:56,860 --> 00:12:58,559
well, look, this is Democrats in

415
00:12:58,560 --> 00:12:59,989
disarray. This is.

416
00:12:59,990 --> 00:13:01,529
Proof that the party has moved to

417
00:13:01,530 --> 00:13:03,669
the left, et cetera, et cetera.

418
00:13:03,670 --> 00:13:05,529
I wish we had more polling right

419
00:13:05,530 --> 00:13:06,389
now in this race.

420
00:13:06,390 --> 00:13:07,929
You look back at the most recent

421
00:13:07,930 --> 00:13:09,909
public poll, and it's like in

422
00:13:09,910 --> 00:13:11,769
March in terms of Marquette

423
00:13:11,770 --> 00:13:13,449
polls, for example.

424
00:13:13,450 --> 00:13:14,489
I have a feeling though that you

425
00:13:14,490 --> 00:13:16,609
might have a lot of people saying, I

426
00:13:16,610 --> 00:13:17,509
haven't heard enough about the

427
00:13:17,510 --> 00:13:18,509
candidates and I haven't made it my

428
00:13:18,510 --> 00:13:20,609
mind. It's June, leave me alone.

429
00:13:20,610 --> 00:13:22,029
But let's talk about the field.

430
00:13:22,030 --> 00:13:24,289
We had a seven candidate Democratic

431
00:13:24,290 --> 00:13:26,189
primary this week,

432
00:13:26,190 --> 00:13:28,629
shrink to a six candidate primary.

433
00:13:28,630 --> 00:13:29,829
Can we still use the word crowded

434
00:13:29,830 --> 00:13:30,909
when we're talking about that?

435
00:13:30,910 --> 00:13:32,529
It's big anyway for a primary field.

436
00:13:32,530 --> 00:13:33,669
It's still pretty crowded, I would

437
00:13:33,670 --> 00:13:34,029
say.

438
00:13:34,030 --> 00:13:36,229
Missy Hughes dropped out, the former

439
00:13:36,230 --> 00:13:38,069
CEO of the State's Economic

440
00:13:38,070 --> 00:13:39,929
Development Agency.

441
00:13:39,930 --> 00:13:41,909
She immediately endorsed Lieutenant

442
00:13:41,910 --> 00:13:43,369
Governor Sarah Rodriguez.

443
00:13:43,370 --> 00:13:45,429
It's just an open question.

444
00:13:45,430 --> 00:13:47,129
How big a deal was this?

445
00:13:47,130 --> 00:13:48,249
Well, you know, we've been talking

446
00:13:48,250 --> 00:13:49,789
for weeks about, are we going to see

447
00:13:49,790 --> 00:13:51,569
any dropouts before August?

448
00:13:51,570 --> 00:13:52,769
And so this was the first one.

449
00:13:52,770 --> 00:13:54,109
It was definitely a bit of breaking

450
00:13:54,110 --> 00:13:55,429
news. And I think one of the things

451
00:13:55,430 --> 00:13:56,549
that we've been talking about so

452
00:13:56,550 --> 00:13:58,509
much is this idea of lanes and how

453
00:13:58,510 --> 00:14:00,409
these candidates can kind of stand

454
00:14:00,410 --> 00:14:02,529
out and make themselves seem, you

455
00:14:02,530 --> 00:14:03,909
know, picking me would be different

456
00:14:03,910 --> 00:14:05,129
than picking anyone else.

457
00:14:05,130 --> 00:14:07,109
And so I think in her statement

458
00:14:07,110 --> 00:14:08,729
and then an interview she gave after

459
00:14:08,730 --> 00:14:09,730
Missy, who's kind of

460
00:14:10,670 --> 00:14:12,249
she spoke about the ways that

461
00:14:12,250 --> 00:14:13,529
Democrats are going to hurt each

462
00:14:13,530 --> 00:14:15,769
other if they are trying to

463
00:14:15,770 --> 00:14:17,229
If they are taking up space that

464
00:14:17,230 --> 00:14:18,609
could be taken up by somebody else.

465
00:14:18,610 --> 00:14:20,149
So she said she hopes to see other

466
00:14:20,150 --> 00:14:21,429
people drop out.

467
00:14:21,430 --> 00:14:22,589
And so I think that is a little bit

468
00:14:22,590 --> 00:14:24,029
of a nod to the fact that they need

469
00:14:24,030 --> 00:14:25,309
that while Democrats are trying to

470
00:14:25,310 --> 00:14:26,789
figure out who they are trying to

471
00:14:26,790 --> 00:14:27,569
be, what they're trying to

472
00:14:27,570 --> 00:14:29,169
represent, and how do I beat Tom

473
00:14:29,170 --> 00:14:30,709
Tiffany or other people who are

474
00:14:30,710 --> 00:14:32,089
picked by Donald Trump?

475
00:14:32,090 --> 00:14:33,609
What does that look like for the

476
00:14:33,610 --> 00:14:35,049
Democrats? And so, I think this was

477
00:14:35,050 --> 00:14:36,889
a signal that one person at least

478
00:14:36,890 --> 00:14:38,769
made that calculus of what was good

479
00:14:38,770 --> 00:14:40,649
for the party, and then how to kind

480
00:14:40,650 --> 00:14:42,549
of throw her

481
00:14:42,550 --> 00:14:43,770
power and her behind that.

482
00:14:44,890 --> 00:14:47,609
Rich Well,

483
00:14:47,610 --> 00:14:49,729
I would say that it's

484
00:14:49,730 --> 00:14:51,209
not that big of a deal it doesn't

485
00:14:51,210 --> 00:14:52,649
seem like that big have a deal to me

486
00:14:52,650 --> 00:14:54,509
because Hughes wasn't

487
00:14:54,510 --> 00:14:56,429
pulling very high and you

488
00:14:56,430 --> 00:14:58,369
know running for office even you

489
00:14:58,370 --> 00:14:59,269
know, running a primary.

490
00:14:59,270 --> 00:15:01,129
It's very expensive So I

491
00:15:01,130 --> 00:15:02,849
I have no idea why she decided to

492
00:15:02,850 --> 00:15:04,909
step down or

493
00:15:04,910 --> 00:15:06,349
out of the race but you know the

494
00:15:06,350 --> 00:15:08,229
endorsement of

495
00:15:08,230 --> 00:15:10,189
Is is something but

496
00:15:10,190 --> 00:15:12,049
again, there's still six people

497
00:15:12,050 --> 00:15:14,279
in the race and I'll

498
00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:16,679
just say that that Hughes dropping

499
00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:18,059
out, you know, she was the

500
00:15:18,060 --> 00:15:19,959
essentially a pro business kind of

501
00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,019
a Democrat Talked

502
00:15:22,020 --> 00:15:23,919
a lot about how you

503
00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:25,799
know if you improve the economy

504
00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:27,539
you can improve people's lives with

505
00:15:27,540 --> 00:15:30,019
these other programs and etc

506
00:15:30,020 --> 00:15:31,020
but

507
00:15:32,530 --> 00:15:34,629
republicans have said well look more

508
00:15:34,630 --> 00:15:36,089
proof they're pushing the moderates

509
00:15:36,090 --> 00:15:38,509
out song it's uh...

510
00:15:38,510 --> 00:15:39,289
It's all uh...

511
00:15:39,290 --> 00:15:41,889
Award game i guess but

512
00:15:41,890 --> 00:15:43,549
big picture i'm not sure makes a

513
00:15:43,550 --> 00:15:44,639
huge deal

514
00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:45,879
You know, she was the kind of

515
00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:47,699
candidate who you could imagine in

516
00:15:47,700 --> 00:15:49,639
a Democratic year like we could be

517
00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:51,499
headed toward in the

518
00:15:51,500 --> 00:15:53,019
Trump midterm.

519
00:15:53,020 --> 00:15:54,299
If she was a general election

520
00:15:54,300 --> 00:15:56,299
candidate, you know,

521
00:15:56,300 --> 00:15:57,559
you can imagine someone like Missy

522
00:15:57,560 --> 00:15:58,759
Hughes winning and becoming

523
00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:00,379
governor. But in a democratic

524
00:16:00,380 --> 00:16:02,339
primary, pitching that business

525
00:16:02,340 --> 00:16:04,039
message, especially at this moment

526
00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:05,919
in time, it seemed like a hard sell.

527
00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:07,679
She also did kind of go for that

528
00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:09,220
moderate lane a little bit there.

529
00:16:10,500 --> 00:16:12,459
Month or so ago when she was the

530
00:16:12,460 --> 00:16:13,839
only one who came out really in

531
00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:15,679
support of that field surplus

532
00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:17,739
deal that was negotiated by

533
00:16:17,740 --> 00:16:19,819
Tony Evers and Robin

534
00:16:19,820 --> 00:16:21,759
Voss among other Republicans in the

535
00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:22,760
legislature.

536
00:16:23,260 --> 00:16:24,899
The other thing that made her unique

537
00:16:24,900 --> 00:16:25,999
is that she comes from Western

538
00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:27,139
Wisconsin. That's right.

539
00:16:27,140 --> 00:16:28,399
She's the only one.

540
00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:30,119
This sort of bastion of democratic

541
00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:31,779
politics that has moved very far

542
00:16:31,780 --> 00:16:32,599
away from that.

543
00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:34,159
Every other candidate is Milwaukee

544
00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:35,119
or Madison.

545
00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:36,799
And so it's also, I think, a little

546
00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:38,639
bit of a signifier that she was

547
00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:40,159
not able to make much of a splash,

548
00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:42,359
even with that more rural farmer

549
00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:44,359
focused Western Wisconsin background

550
00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:46,119
that again, as we look at where is

551
00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:48,079
the party going, that it seems to be

552
00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:50,459
going towards the major bases of

553
00:16:50,460 --> 00:16:52,059
Milwaukee County, Dane County.

554
00:16:52,060 --> 00:16:54,199
OK, another open question

555
00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:55,099
here, I guess.

556
00:16:55,100 --> 00:16:57,059
Is there any connection, do you

557
00:16:57,060 --> 00:16:59,019
think, to the Francesca Hong story

558
00:16:59,020 --> 00:17:00,880
that we've been talking about?

559
00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:03,539
And Missy Hughes endorsing someone

560
00:17:03,540 --> 00:17:04,679
like Sarah Rodriguez.

561
00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:06,739
Is she making a bet that, look,

562
00:17:06,740 --> 00:17:08,598
this candidate's politics kind

563
00:17:08,599 --> 00:17:09,818
of aligns with mine.

564
00:17:09,819 --> 00:17:11,759
We got to unite and

565
00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:13,759
stop the candidates from the

566
00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:14,818
left.

567
00:17:14,819 --> 00:17:15,919
I mean, I don't know what's in her

568
00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:17,578
heart, and I would never guess.

569
00:17:17,579 --> 00:17:19,318
But again, from this idea of not

570
00:17:19,319 --> 00:17:21,098
wanting to kind of crowd out people

571
00:17:21,099 --> 00:17:22,679
who are similar to you, who have

572
00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:23,919
similar politics, who you think

573
00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:26,118
could do a good and effective job in

574
00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:27,999
making those politics a reality,

575
00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:29,479
if you have one quite popular

576
00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:31,239
candidate who is Francesca Hong,

577
00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:33,079
again, polling shows her towards the

578
00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:34,639
top, and then you have a number of

579
00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:36,039
people kind of further towards the

580
00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:37,479
center, all fighting amongst

581
00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:38,299
themselves, right?

582
00:17:38,300 --> 00:17:40,019
Missy Hughes voters and Fran Hong

583
00:17:40,020 --> 00:17:41,779
voters were probably never going to,

584
00:17:41,780 --> 00:17:43,349
you know. Nobody's vacillating

585
00:17:43,350 --> 00:17:45,109
between those two candidates.

586
00:17:45,110 --> 00:17:47,009
And so that's maybe a way of

587
00:17:47,010 --> 00:17:48,289
trying to bring some more strength

588
00:17:48,290 --> 00:17:50,589
into the not democratic socialist

589
00:17:50,590 --> 00:17:52,629
wing of the democratic party,

590
00:17:52,630 --> 00:17:53,909
going into what's expected to just

591
00:17:53,910 --> 00:17:55,529
be an incredibly tight general

592
00:17:55,530 --> 00:17:56,069
election.

593
00:17:56,070 --> 00:17:58,369
She did say something in

594
00:17:58,370 --> 00:17:59,789
her press conference where she

595
00:17:59,790 --> 00:18:01,389
endorsed Sarah Rodriguez.

596
00:18:01,390 --> 00:18:02,609
She can't come out there and say,

597
00:18:02,610 --> 00:18:03,829
hey, I'm kind of the moderate

598
00:18:03,830 --> 00:18:05,049
candidate. I support her.

599
00:18:05,050 --> 00:18:06,949
But she said, we got

600
00:18:06,950 --> 00:18:08,069
a lot of good things going on in

601
00:18:08,070 --> 00:18:09,349
this state. We don't need to tear it

602
00:18:09,350 --> 00:18:10,189
all down.

603
00:18:10,190 --> 00:18:12,169
So that to me is a signal that

604
00:18:12,170 --> 00:18:13,829
she supports the kind of politics

605
00:18:13,830 --> 00:18:15,649
which is similar to

606
00:18:15,650 --> 00:18:17,989
what we've got already in Wisconsin,

607
00:18:17,990 --> 00:18:19,489
including the Evers administration,

608
00:18:19,490 --> 00:18:21,609
which she and Sarah Rodriguez

609
00:18:21,610 --> 00:18:23,399
have served under.

610
00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:24,339
So that's all the time we have for

611
00:18:24,340 --> 00:18:25,939
today. Thanks for joining us.

612
00:18:25,940 --> 00:18:27,679
Our colleague, Zach Schultz, will be

613
00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:29,019
back next week.

614
00:18:29,020 --> 00:18:30,579
This has been Inside Wisconsin

615
00:18:30,580 --> 00:18:31,459
Politics.

616
00:18:31,460 --> 00:18:33,019
Be sure to follow us on

617
00:18:33,020 --> 00:18:35,819
pbswisconsin.org, wpr.org

618
00:18:35,820 --> 00:18:37,679
YouTube, or wherever you get your

619
00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:38,680
podcasts.