>> MY PLEASURE. >> ASSEMBLY SPEAKER ROBIN VOS
HAS OFTEN SAID IT'S NOT THE MAPS THAT RESULT IN OUT-SIZED
REPUBLICAN MAJORITIES IN THE LEGISLATURE; IT'S THAT THEY HAVE
BETTER CANDIDATES. SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER, ZAC
SCHULTZ, IS HERE NOW WITH ADDITIONAL FACTORS THAT IMPACT
ELECTIONS. HI, ZAC.
>> HELLO, FREDERICA. >> SO IS IT TRUE THAT
REPUBLICANS HAVE BETTER CANDIDATES AND MESSAGING AND
ORGANIZING? >> WELL, WHEN ROBIN VOS SAYS
THAT, WHAT HE'S REFERRING TO IS, IN 2018, WITH TAMMY BALDWIN'S
SENATE RUN, IN 2022 WITH GOVERNOR EVERS' RE-ELECTION,
THEY EACH WON AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET A NUMBER OF ASSEMBLY
DISTRICTS AND ENOUGH THAT THE DEMOCRATS WOULD HAVE HAD THE
MAJORITY IN THE ASSEMBLY IF ALL OF THEIR DOWNBALLOT DEMOCRATS
HAVE WON THEIR RACES AND HE SAYS THAT PROVES THAT DOWN-BALLOT
REPUBLICANS WEAPON WIN ON THEIR MESSAGING. THERE'S ALSO THE F
ACT THAT IN WISCONSIN SPLIT TICKET VOTERS
EXIST AND THEY DO SEPARATE OUT THEIR FEELINGS ON WHO SHOULD BE
A U.S. SENATOR OR A GOVERNOR AND WHO SHOULD RUN FOR ASSEMBLY.
THERE IS TRUTH IN WHAT HE'S SAYING BUT A DIFFERENT DISTRICT
MAKEUP WILL AFFECT THAT AS WELL. >> SO AS TO THE QUESTION OF
INCUMBENTS LANDING IN THE SAME DISTRICT WITH NEW MAPS, HOW BIG
OF A DEAL IS THAT? >> WELL, THAT HAPPENS EVERY 10
YEARS DURING REDISTRICTING ANYWAY. IN THE PAST, THE LEG
ISLATURE HAS TRIED TO AVOID THAT BECAUSE IT'S
THEIR INCUMBENTS. REPUBLICANS IN 2011 UNDER SCOTT
WALKER TRIED TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF INCUMBENTS THAT WERE
AFFECTED BY THAT AND THE SAME THING THE LAST ROUND.
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL AND WISCONSIN'S LAWS ON WHO CAN RUN AND WHAT
DISTRICT ARE VERY LOOSE. SO RESIDENTS REQUIREMENTS DON'T
LIMIT AN INCUMBENT WHO IS JUST OUTSIDE THEIR NEW BORDER TO RUN
OVER HERE, GET AN APARTMENT, MOVE IN AFTER THEY WIN.
WE'VE GOT CASES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY OWNED HOMES THIS
OTHER DISTRICTS AND TAKEN PROPERTY TAX CREDITS ON THOSE
HOMES BUT STILL REPRESENTED SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THERE ISN'T AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM. IT'S NOT THAT BIG
OF A DEAL BUT IT'S SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT IF
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO MOVE IF ONE WANTS TO RETIRE OR THEY'RE GOING
TO RUN EACH OTHER IN A PRIMARY. >> SO WHAT ARE OTHER
IMPLICATIONS OF THE NEW MAPS IN TERMS OF GOVERNING?
IS IT MOST CONCEIVABLE ITERATIONS THAT THERE ISN'T --
THAT MOST OF THESE MAPS, THERE WOULD STILL BE A REPUBLICAN
ADVANTAGE? >> WELL, THAT'S THE GEOGRAPHIC
NATURE OF THE STATE, THE DISTRIBUTION OF DEMOCRATIC
VOTERS IS CONCENTRATED IN THE CITIES AND IN URBAN AREAS AND
REPUBLICANS ARE A LITTLE MORE SPREAD OUT AT THE MOMENT.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T DRAW DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS IN URBAN
AREAS OR BY TAKING OUT CHUNKS OF CITIES.
THAT'S BEEN DONE AND PROVEN THESE MAPS ARE POSSIBLE, BUT THE
AVERAGE MATHEMATICIANS HAVE TOLD US IN THE PAST WILL SLIGHTLY
FAVOR REPUBLICANS, BUT THAT DOESN'T TALK ABOUT SWING
ELECTIONS, WAVE ELECTIONS AND CANDIDATE QUALITY, AS ROBIN VOS
HAS TALKED ABOUT. >> SO YOU SUGGESTED THE
REPUBLICAN MAPS ARE DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
BUT EXPERTS SAY THAT IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY IT WOULD GO
THERE. >> WELL, THIS IS THE
REPUBLICANS' HAIL MARY. THEY WANT TO KEEP ALL OF THEIR
OPTIONS IN SO IF THE SUPREME COURT DOES WEIGH IN AND SAY THE
ONLY THING WRONG WAS THE NONCONTIGUOUS DISTRICT, THE MAP
FIXES THAT PROBLEM WITHOUT CHANGING ANYTHING AND KEEPS A
MAJORITY IN FAVOR OF REPUBLICANS AND THEY'RE HOPING THAT IS THE
OUTCOME THAT COMES OUT OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, IF IT DOES
GET THERE. GET THERE.