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The Democratic Party of Wisconsin has a new leader that last week's state convention
Members elected Devin Remaker as chair of the party
After he previously served as the party's political director and he joins us now
Thanks for being here
Thanks for having me, appreciate it
So Ben Wickler is a name that a lot of people recognize from Democratic politics
He was a chair of the party the last six years, oversaw a lot of very successful elections
What will change what will be different from in the transition from Ben to you?
Yeah, absolutely
Well, I think we have a fantastic opportunity to be able to build on the success that Ben Wickler has laid down
And what he built on the successes of chair Martha Lanning before him
We have a fantastic year-round organizing program
We have a robust donor strategy for large, medium, small donors
Across this country
And we also have an opportunity to do more in 2026
So I'm really excited to get to work expanding our 72 county strategy
To make sure that we have robust infrastructure in every corner of the state
Above and beyond just organizing and knocking on doors
Improving our messaging and communications with localized messaging
And each and every community in the state
To make sure that we can authentically connect with voters
And keep our eye on the prize
With the chance for a trifecta next year
So we've seen party chairs in the past
Keep a lower profile in the public sphere
And obviously Ben became the face of the party in a lot of ways
What's your style?
Well, I think that we have a really unique opportunity to change the way that we communicate
And to reach voters in places that we haven't been able to before
One thing I'm really excited about coming into this role
Obviously as a 32-year-old, I'm a little bit younger
Than a lot of folks may otherwise be in politics
And I think that that can give me an opportunity to connect
Particularly with younger voters that our parties have some difficulty with in the last election
To be able to reach them in authentic engaging ways
In addition to all the traditional media that Ben has done before
I'm also really excited to partner with first vice chair, secretary of state, Sarah God-Luski
To also maintain a lot of the communications work that we've done
And I think that we're going to get out the gate pretty strong
So you mentioned your donor network
And the democratic party has certainly outpaced the republicans in Wisconsin
And one of the things that Wickler seemed to excel at
Was convincing people from around the country that they should invest in Wisconsin politics
Even at the local level
How do you keep convincing them that Wisconsin assembly and state senate races
Are where if someone's attention elsewhere?
Absolutely
So I think that there is a
There's two reasons people give to the democratic party of Wisconsin
One, obviously, is because we're a very important state
And every election can have big implications for the state
And for the nation when it comes to our presidential elections
But at the same time, it's also because they trust what we do
At the democratic party of Wisconsin
Donors have grown to really believe in the team
Our work, our effectiveness, and our efficiency
And I think as someone who is part of building that operation
It really helps me be able to sort of continue to maintain
And then build trust with additional folks around this country
We have one of the largest monthly giving programs in the nation
Amongst democratic campaign committees
And that is also just built on trust
It's not taking small dollar grassroots donations for granted
And instead making sure that we don't engage in harmful practices
Like selling their information to other campaign committees
I think everyone's had the experience of you sign up for a political list
And then you get all of a sudden text from a congressional candidate
In some far-flung state
We don't do that at the democratic party of Wisconsin
And I think treating people with respect
Making sure that we're earning their dollar
Not taking it for granted
And putting it to the most effective use possible
Is behind our success
And something I think I am primed to be able to continue
My calls with donors have been going really well this week
I think they're excited to continue to engage
And figure out how they can support our efforts to win the trifecta next year
So national polling shows the image of Democrats
It is not great right now in the Trump era
Do you expect that to change due to national events?
Or is that something that you have to change yourself?
Well I don't think we should take for granted
That someone's going to come over the hill as cavalry
And be able to change what we're doing here in Wisconsin
I think we have to build the plan to win
And advance our candidates here in the state
Ourself and if we can get help with that
That is fantastic
But at the end of the day
I think that we have had a very distinct sort of set of outcomes
In Wisconsin that is different than national Democrats across the country
I mean in 2024
Not many people would have put money on Wisconsin
Being the closest out of all the battleground states
To the left of Michigan and Pennsylvania
Even when that just hasn't been the case
In 2020 or 2022
So I think that the way that we've done that
Is by making sure that we are supporting our candidates
Year round every spring, special, fall election
Connecting with folks authentically on the issues that they care most about
And really what I'm trying to do is just take that work to the next level
And build the plan that we need here
Now you've mentioned Wisconsin being to the left of Michigan
And some of those other traditional blue wall states
Over the last 15 years we've seen a political realignment
With rural working class voters shifting more towards Donald Trump
And the Republican Party and Democrats doing better in suburban areas
With college-educated voters
There are people that think the Wisconsin is actually more ripe for Republicans to do well
Because there are more traditional Democratic voters that have not swung the Republican Party
And that is why Wisconsin is still to the left to a slight degree
What do you do to keep those voters?
You talked about your youth
How do you connect with some of those people that are coming up
That may be disengaged from that party?
Absolutely
Well I think that my background also helps a lot
I was born in two rivers Wisconsin
And I think that the story of two rivers and neighboring Manitowoc
It mirrors a lot of communities around this state
There was a factory in two rivers named Hamilton's
They closed up in the mid to late 2000s
And the jobs went to Mexico to a new factory there
Which then promptly got overrun by a drug cartel
But what happened was thousands
I think at its peak it employed 3,000 people in the city
And I think when it left around 800
These were good paying union jobs with great benefits
It was hollowed out
And all that was left was basically an empty lot of land
Contaminated with chemicals that are basically stuck in the ground
And they're trying to mitigate right now
And it kind of ripped the heart out of this community
Right and this was a community that took pride in being working class
And making something
And once that was gone
It really lost a little sense of soul
And I think that you see that all over the state
And I think that that is something that Democrats haven't been as effective in speaking to
Is that sort of lost sense of self and identity to working class voters
And I think that is where Republicans have had some success filling that void
So something I want to do is just be more attentive and attuned
Because it's my lived experience
I've had to connect with people and talk about a positive, optimistic vision of the future
That they can actually connect with and speaks to sort of that identity
As working class people that want to work hard and earn a fair wage
And don't necessarily just want to be given something
You've mentioned a couple times about the possibility of a trifecta
Democrats winning control of the legislature in 26
How closely are you watching those GOP potential targets
And especially as they're struggling to pass a budget right now
Incredibly closely
And I think that they're making a grave mistake by not coming to the table
And finishing out the budget process with Governor Reavers
I mean, candidly, they're also fighting with themselves at this moment in time
Which I don't think is good for their party in the long term
But I mean you have folks like Howard Marklein
Who didn't even bother to consider the fact that Medicaid cuts
Could be coming from the federal government when they originally were thinking about this budget
I mean, it's ridiculous, it's hard to take that seriously
And I think that we're going to be very aggressive in making sure that voters this summer know
About what their representatives and senators are doing
Or rather not doing
I mean, they need to get back to work, negotiate with the governor, and get a deal done to move the state forward
Obviously, there was a political and national tragedy in Minnesota
With the shooting of legislators there
Does that impact your ability to recruit candidates, especially since there were Wisconsin Democratic names
On the list of the shooter
Yeah, well, we haven't seen any impact as to this point in time
But I think that, you know, for myself personally
And many people, it was a terrifying moment
You know, and I'm glad that we could sort of put politics aside
And as human beings, see Democrats and Republicans put out a strong statement
Condemning that, obviously it happened during our convention weekend
And, you know, one of the first conversations I had with my wife after being elected chair
Was about, do we need to adjust our own sort of security measures or precautions?
Is this something we need to worry about?
And I don't think anybody in politics should have to worry about their livelihood
We'd take it away from them
And I, although I won't get any details of, you know, procedures or anything like that
I do think that we need to find ways to take down the temperature and the rhetoric a little bit
Which is also why I'm so disappointed to see Representative Derek Van Orden
Right after sort of making up his performative statement
Just lean right back into vitriol and conspiracy theories
As he has throughout a lot of his tenure in office
I mean, I think he might be, you know, a little bit scared about his own prospects for re-election
And lashing out a little bit because of that
But I think that sort of behavior is exactly what we need less of in politics
And from my experience working for Congressman Ron Kind for four years
Something that voters in western Wisconsin really don't respond well to
Alright, Devin Emicker, thanks for your time
Thank you, really appreciate it