1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 You 2 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:35,680 Governor Evers making a comment there on political fortunes going forward 3 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:38,800 What will those fortunes look like in the midterm elections? 4 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:45,600 We welcome our political panelists Republican Bill McCation and Democrat Scott Ross and hello. How are ya? Pretty good 5 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:52,600 So Bill Tom Tiffany said Republicans got their bots kicked Tuesday night. How in your view did that happen? 6 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:54,760 Well, he's right about that 7 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:59,520 If you're gonna win statewide, you need three things you need money organization and message mom 8 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:01,800 We had no money 9 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:03,800 Didn't look like we had any organization 10 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:09,200 And I'm not sure what the message was so I think we failed on all three of those points and ultimately 11 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:18,080 It wasn't the worst Supreme Court election in state history, but it was pretty close and you know when when 12 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,840 Maria Lazar is losing her home county of Waukesha by 13 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:29,320 43,600 she got 43,600 fewer votes than Brad Schimmel did in her own 14 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:34,360 County that's a rough night Scott wasn't about the money advantage for Chris Taylor 15 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:36,720 No, because we've seen advantages before where I mean 16 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:43,320 I've been part of ones where the Republicans had all the money and the liberal candidate didn't have any and we've never I haven't 17 00:01:43,320 --> 00:01:46,880 You know the most I saw was like I think seven points back in 2013 18 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:52,440 But the fact is is that this is a combination of a couple things first and foremost that the Republican brand has broken 19 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,120 The Donald Trump Republican Party has taken us to war 20 00:01:56,200 --> 00:02:00,080 It's taken us into the poor house and it keeps doubling down 21 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:04,640 And I would point out that you know in the same interview where Tom Tiffany said they got their butts kicked 22 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,200 He also endorsed you know Trump's you know 23 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:09,200 announced 24 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,200 intention to commit war crimes and 25 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:15,000 Every economic policy that he has pushed forward including 26 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,440 Trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election 27 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:21,320 Considering this race was about 28 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:22,840 fairness 29 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:24,840 freedom and rights 30 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:30,920 There's no wonder that the Republicans lost so Bill how big a factor is Trump in these elections 31 00:02:30,920 --> 00:02:33,920 I don't think the race was nationalized. I don't agree with Scott on that 32 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:38,120 It may have had something to do with some people staying home 33 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:42,280 I mean the truth is they didn't know Mariel is ours. She raised less than a million dollars 34 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:45,560 Which is far less than Brad Schimmel. I mean a year ago 35 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,880 We had the most expenses of pre-court race in history a hundred and fifteen million dollars 36 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:54,960 This one combined was around 10 million. So people didn't know who she was 37 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:59,160 So I'm not I'm not sure that Trump was a huge factor in this race 38 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:04,480 But the truth is you know congrats first of all to Justice elect Chris Taylor 39 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:12,280 But she won seven out of eight congressional districts including Tom Tiffany's and they went up 71 71 of the 72 counties had a higher 40 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:16,440 Performance than in 2025 in ages. So how does this travel into November? 41 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:20,960 Well, I think that I think that the trend is irreversible in terms of the Republican performance in Trump's brand 42 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:22,280 And I would just this I mean again 43 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:25,600 I just have to disagree because if you look at past elections, you know 44 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:31,440 Like for instance in 2016 where Rebecca Bradley means she lost she won by 94,500 votes 45 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:36,200 You know when there were 97,000 more Republicans who voted in the presidential primary that year 46 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:40,760 That's not even close to 20 percent. It's not even close to double digits in terms of the difference between the two 47 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:44,300 You know Republicans have in the in the Trump era lost 48 00:03:44,660 --> 00:03:46,980 Races were tons of money the most money ever spent 49 00:03:47,420 --> 00:03:50,740 They've lost when not a lot of money spent. They've lost by 50 00:03:51,460 --> 00:03:56,540 Double digits each time that we've had these things. It's just again. It's the brand is broken 51 00:03:56,540 --> 00:04:01,780 They are doubling down the cult will continue Tom Tiffany Derek Van Orton and whoever 52 00:04:02,180 --> 00:04:05,060 Republicans can finally try and get to be leader of the Senate and 53 00:04:05,740 --> 00:04:08,560 Assembly Democrats or Republicans, you know come November 54 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:14,400 You know, it's just a disaster, but again Democrats have to do the work in order to get there 55 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:20,440 Not a great correlation between spring elections and fall elections in the state of Wisconsin if you look at 2023 56 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,000 Janet pro to say it's won a Supreme Court seat by 10 points 57 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:28,080 2024 Donald Trump wins Wisconsin with the most votes of any statewide candidate in history 58 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:33,400 So it's it's not a perfect correlation, but I would say it's a warning sign for Republicans 59 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:38,040 They ought to take it that way. So Bill what about the war in Iran and its repercussions at home? 60 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:43,880 I think it's having an impact in in this respect gas prices are up whether it's a buck buck 50 61 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:50,200 And people feel that so at the fundamental question that every voter has to answer when they go into the voting booth 62 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:53,400 Is what's in it for me if I vote for x or y and right now? 63 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:59,280 That's not great for Republicans for Republicans to have a shot this fall gas needs to be at or below three bucks a gallon 64 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:05,760 And if it's not it's gonna be a tough cycle. Yeah, 33% gas prices have gone up since Trump's war of choice in Iran 65 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:13,400 So if if that somehow gets resolved and those gas prices come down and inflation comes down 66 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:19,680 Is it does it kind of revert to a regular cycle then because people are still losing their health care? 67 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:21,680 They're still seeing ice, you know 68 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:24,400 The Gestapo in our streets, you know 69 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:32,480 Killing Americans who do nothing more than protest like those things are gonna stop and the cult of Trump within the Republican Party of elected officials 70 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:39,000 Specifically Derek Van Orton and Tom Tiffany who both is built correctly pointed out lost the congressional district 71 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:44,400 I mean Derek Van Orton lost his district or Chris Taylor won Derek Van Orton's district by 22 points 72 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:50,600 Oh Claire and La Crosse were nearly 40% it could it could revert to a normal cycle before the 73 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:56,960 War broke out in the Middle East the generic ballot was a couple points favorable towards Democrats 74 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:01,400 That's something that Republicans can and compete in and win in now 75 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:07,120 It's five or six and in some polls it's eight points. That's a much tougher environment for Republicans 76 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:12,720 So Scott what about for Democrats and their splintered primary for governor with so many candidates 77 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:17,960 I mean that just means there's more coverage of what Democrats are talking about because they're not attacking each other not going after each other 78 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:19,200 It's same thing from 2018 79 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:25,680 I mean there were hardly any even contrast leveled in the 2018 primary for for Democrats and what ended up happening 80 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:30,920 Tony Evers upset Scott Walker who was trying to win a third term and didn't you know 81 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:36,040 I think that on top of you know not just that ballot, but talking I'm sorry to your question 82 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:40,600 Not just talking about the Democrats in the in the in the primary 83 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:44,360 But what that's gonna do for the down ballot the state Senate and state assembly 84 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:46,440 I mean we saw things like you know is 85 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:50,960 Some of the targets the the best target the Republicans have in the state Senate Jeff Smith 86 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,320 Chris Taylor one is district by 30 points like you know 87 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:59,760 That's all I mean there's even there's new there's new meat on the tables results of Tuesday night not surprising 88 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:05,000 But a different take there's a hundred and twenty three days until the primary if they do not define one another 89 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:10,480 Francesca Hong will be the Democratic nominee. What's the money race gonna look like? It's gonna be very different this fall 90 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:18,560 Maria Lazar got no outside help including from ally groups like the Federalist Federalist Society and WMC who have always spent seven figures in 91 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:24,640 Supreme Court races this fall the money will be there for Tom Tiffany and what about the money on the Democratic side? 92 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:30,480 Golly, yes, I think that the money is gonna be there for Democrats because they have been an incredible fundraising machine for the last like 93 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:32,920 You know since wickler thankfully is wickler's gone 94 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:33,760 so 95 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:40,080 But Devin's doing a good job of raising the money to you know again Democrats need to do what in order to win these races 96 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:45,560 It's not about out raising the Republicans. It is about a consistent relentless assault on what? 97 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,680 Republicans stand for and how they are hurting the people of Wisconsin two hundred and seven days to go 98 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:52,520 It's time to get the war over and get back to domestic affairs 99 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,800 Okay, Bill McCauson Scott Ross. Thanks very much 100 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:03,320 For more on this and other issues facing Wisconsin visit our website at PBS Wisconsin dot org and then click on the news 101 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,920 Tap that's our program for tonight. I'm Frederica Freibert. Have a good weekend 102 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:24,520 You 103 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:54,520 You 104 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:24,520 You