Democrats are
getting more
aggressive about
jumping primaries.
We look at a
few examples from Congress
to the state legislature,
plus two
legal decisions
that could affect
Wisconsin's political
maps for years
to come.
This is
inside Wisconsin politics. I'm Shawn
Johnson here
with colleague
Zac Schultz Anya van Wagtendonk and
Rich Kremer in Eau
Claire. everyone.
>> Hello. >> Hey,
Shawn. before
we get started with
some specific
examples I want
to start with
why this kind
of caught our
attention. And for me,
it's because
in the very
recent past, you
had Democrats and
liberals very
wary jumping into
primaries. What's
changed Zac?
>> I think the
biggest isng that's changed
Democrats see more
opportunity to win some
of these
over the
past years.
Basically, the
Scott era.r
On when the
maps didn't favor
Wisconsin theperhaps
political climate
didn't favor candidates
statewide. was ae
concern primary just
took up too resources that were
limited, mainly
money and
time, and the threat that
if they went
negative against each
other, it really
hurt their opportunity to
win statewide.
Since haveocrats
gotten on a roll
in 1 of these races for
governor, AG, state
Supreme Court, and
they've got better
maps, they see
more opportunity. And
so there's more
options for people to
get in, because the doesn't look quite
as know, for me as
I this,inking about
I almost feel
like it's
directly related
to whatever the
national political
situation is the
time. So we
are right now
in the
Trump midterm.
Where were we?
A agow years
in the Biden midterm,
you had
Democrats jumping
out of a
primary for
Senate, forring the way
Mandela Barnes.
Where were we in
the first Trump
midterm in
2018? You had
about a dozen
Democrats running
for governor that
year. And on
and on Iand on.
think it's kind of a
really simple flow chart.
Is it a
midterm? Yes.
Is your
president in the
white House?
No. Well, in that
case, you're probably going to want to jump
into a chanceive a
for your party. Let's
jump into one
of specific
examples this
week. And, you
know, I want to characterize this
as the opportunity
knocks kind
of a Democratic
primary in
the first
congressional District, where
we have
Representative Bryan Steil, a
Republican, is
seen as
a strong
candidate. district
leans Republican.
And yet
this week we
had a
Democratic candidate
say, hey,
it's too late
for me to jump in. Tell us about
what I mean, there have
been several Democrats that have been running for
quite havee of them
really been a clear front runner. None of
them amount of money.
Bryan very good contrast,
campaigner and a hasod fundraiser. He
quite a lot in chest. And
so there had thise rumblings that
older person from was going to jump
in. And he did. Burgess, he is
currently a Milwaukee Council.
He does And the district.
so him coming out, really interesting because
he's essentially saying, I am the person who
can get requiredhat is
to flip this makes trying to
the argument that it is more flippable than
Democrats think. It is considered a of Wisconsin's
kind of two
ish congressional
districts, the
safer one for Republicans. But
he's if we,
can get money, can get in the
game. >> Rich, you've
been district this
for while
now. Why
would Peter Berg
Ellis look the
field here and say,
you know,
why not me?
>> Well, exactly what
Anna said.
So, Steil, here's
an example
of how
good of a fundraiser
he is.
He's currently
sitting on more
than $5.5 million in
his campaign war
chest. And
during the first three
months of
the year,
he raised
more money
than any
I mean, excuse
me, he
spent more
money than any
Democrat even
raised. So
maybe jealous
is thinking
I'll get that Democratic
money, etc.
But to
the that
this is
this is an
interesting district
because on paper it
it is competitive.
But Steil just
been a powerhouse
and he's
easily defeated
every Democrat that has come
up against
him. So
I don't
know if this is
enough of
a Democratic
wave year,
potentially , that
it could make it
a little closer. But
it seems
like Democrats
think it's worth
a shot.
>> Zac, can somebody
come from
outside the district? And
I'm very
prominently outside of a
district, too. I mean, holds elected office
outside the district. Can
he come in and
say, I want be your
congressman? >> Well,
running outside the
district is not
uncommon at all in Wisconsin. You don't need
to live in the You're only supposed
to take time you
office. So he doesn't even have to set
up campaign there. in
Even if he that'she nomination,
not uncommon. It is a matter of winning
a there, because
he has to the voters in that
district that he should the Democrat to
represent fall. Andnst Steil
that is a little bit of a tougher
ask. That saying, I'm the one
that's different from the rest of these that
you around in the past.esced
And of trying toepresent
bring in would requirention,
a national upset Steil in this
district. When you look district congressional
ats in
Wisconsin, the
national Dems didn't
even invest into the
third, which is a much
closer pastict. In
races, close to't come
investing in sohe first, and
it would require a completely different
landscape for national
money to really
come in the
Democratic Party
to say we see
the first in play.
>> It
could be a they just
want toryan Steil
spend his money and
not for a futuretting
election, too. difference.g
>> Let's move on
to another
primary. And since
I'm naming
stuff today, going
to call this one the
Opportunity Knocks.
No, we did
the knocks primary. I
need to I'mme straight. If
going to do this. is the don't
tell me what do primary. An important
distinction in Democratic primaries.
We've got a couple
of examples today.
Let's start with one in the third
Congressional District.
Rich, I've
heard becausethis district
it's our most competitive
congressional district.
Derrick isan Orden
the Republican incumbent.
I've heard a lot about
Rebecca Cooke, the Democratic
challenger haso
outraised him recently
and seems to lot getting a
of attention. There is
a primary
there who's
running. >> So
the primary
is between Cooke, who's
an Eau Democrat
raised on a
dairy farm
in the county
and, you know,
has done
some political
consulting work,
fundraising work for Democrats in years
past. But now
she's back.
She's really
portraying herself
as kind
of of the
district, you know,
born and bred
Wisconsin, etc.
Republicans are
trying to,
you know,
focus the attention
on her
consulting work, etc.
The other
Democrat is
longtime Citylaire
Council member,
former council
president, until
just recently,
Emily Berg
of Eau Claire.
And she
she's portraying
herself as
the grassroots
choice in this
race. And
national Democrats
came in and
started sending
resources, staff,
etc. back in
February to
Cooke's campaign.
And Berg
said, well,
that's pretty
dirty. know,
she essentially
said D.C.
shouldn't be deciding
who is the
Democrat to face
Van Orden.
It should be
the people of Eau
Claire. And just
anecdotally, when
I'm walking through
the city,
I don't see a
lot of Cooke signs.
In fact, I don't remember seeing any. But
I bunch ofle
Berg signs.
So this
being one of the more, if
not the
most populous
areas in the
third district,
maybe that makes
a difference.
But in
terms resources,
Cooke is
way, way,
way ahead of
Berg. In all the
fundraising reports that I've
seen. >> Zac,
do you get the
sense that this is,
you know, a
competitive primary
here? >> It
could be
it really
depends on how
much the
primary voters pay
attention. And
that's the issue
in some these primaries is
name recognition makes a
big National Partyhy
comes in puts
resources behind
Cooke. It's
not necessarily
that like her
more. It's betteras the
chance to win in fall and get
her moving. wehe old mentality
talked about at the beginning of the show
of primaries in therats
past? It it can getrces,
ugly, it can get negative.
It could hurt the Going into the
fall. I ran
into Berg when
she was
campaigning with Hongncesca
for governor
in Crosse. They
were doing an
event at the same
bookstore. And
it's not a that while we
were talking about were talking
going and seeing them
there isret stop.
a kind of thematic fit with that campaign
of grassroots,
more theom
bottom up
and running
against party
types who tell
us who our
candidates should be.
Parties like to
dictate sometimes
who the candidate
can be so they
can focus resources.
Sometimes that does run
up why yours wall,
title for this Tell Me What to
Do, candidates whouse
are going to no. Let the people
decide. People have to attention though.
All right, we've got another. Don't tell me
what inna. This isy
one of the state districts that we're
watching that could e
control of the
Wisconsin state Senate this
year. The
17th state Senate
district. is thed Marklein
Republican incumbent,
and the
Democratic Party had
been sending
strong signals that
they knew who they
wanted to run
for a
while now.
And yet
there's candidate who
says, want
to run aboutell us
it. who currentlyon,
serves in the Assembly,
has been sort of the anointed Democratic
ce to
run against
Howard Marklein for this
district, which also
has been
redrawn in a way that
could be more favorable for
Democrats. So
Marklein sort on his
heels in that way.
But then
yesterday we thet
announcement that Corrin
Hendrickson, who if have
written an article
or read an article
about care
advocacy in the
last three years, you have
heard that name. She been at the
Capitol. She asmall business owner,
daycare owner in New
Glarus. That was very
much issue. And
now she's running
for office. So a
political newcomer,
somebody with this kind
of particular set
of policy
expectations and preferences
challenging a
fellow Democrat.
And so that is
a caught our
attention for
that reason, that
it's a
competitive district.
It's not
safe for Democrats.
So here's somebody
coming in and
saying, I want to
throw hat in, and
I want to for my specific
approach to
politics. >> And, you
know, likeo feel
we have this debate about primaries pretty much
every single primary
about whether it's
going to orelp
hurt the
candidates. I arek they
making thiset
year that they can afford to
have those debates.
And the forgument
it helping theym is that
are going to kind of
dominate the
news cycle for a
little while in August and get more attention
than candidates
that don't ahave
primary. Okay.
One primary
that is really
big this
year in our
world, the Democratic
primary for
governor, we're not to talk about
today, but if
you had to name
that one,
anybody got
any takers
here? >> The
why not think everyone
and their governor inr
the state. we've got at least
seven candidates running governor. Rich, you got
any labels for it? >> Ana
stole mine.
>> I want to
add. I want to a small
amendment to
yours. why
not me?
You know,
primaries, actually, what I
had thought about. So you stole both
of ours. It kind of one of
those see awhere you
race that's
kind of there for
the taking. Why not
jump >> So
Shawn, let's thisp
on its head for because part of
the idea the pastes in
or not having them was fear of wasting
resources. But the other end of it was
you can andle, test,
whoever comes through
a primary is
a better
candidate for
the general
election. So
what's on a wide
open primary like
this? How
can it help
Democrats if there
are battling
this many
people there?
>> I think
that, you know,
there are plenty of
examples in the
recent past,
particularly among Republicans,
where you come
out of a battle tested
primary and you
are wounded.
And it did very help them
much in the
general election. I think
in 2018,
Tony Evers came out battle tested
primary and little bit out of
money. So there is to it,k
but it does also get
attention, I guess is the thing that
it does for sure.
>> I think another this too,
is that it's very easy to kind of
present a whena partynt
you're in the minority, because it doesn't really
matter, right? You don't have power. And so
we might thend of behind
scenes, the further Democrats and the more
centrist Democrats don't along or disagree, but
then they all come and kind of
vote in we'reow whatnd
seeing, because ofittle bit more
a sense that perhaps they could actually win
things and gain power. There's also, I think,
a whatight forf
will the Democratic like,isconsin look
vote like, will they be further left? Will
it be a Hong kind of
situation? Will they be more moderate, more kind
of Democrats? And so Ial
think kind of play that
out or tension out in a lot
of these We have a bunch
of court get to here today,
including another t, this
one Democratic primary, but you
have a couple candidates running for the 2027
Supreme Court race already.
Anya, how did
this We just had
a court race. We sure did. So
two the courter, I
race was resolved,
Lindsay Brunet
threw in hat.
And she is
a former
prosecutor, much like of the
current sitting
liberals. And then a
couple days
ago, Pedro Colon, who
is a Milwaukee
area judge,
threw his hat.
And he is
also a
liberal judge, but comes from
a law making
background. And so we're
seeing two
types of
judicial candidates,
one who more
closely therrors
Susan Crawford,
Janet Protasiewicz
kind of model
of the last couple
of years, a
Democrat, but with a
law then one whockground,
more closely theylor withs
lawmaker advocacy
background, which again, think
shows that little bit
of this wanting push pull for what
kind do we want?udge
Because liberals
have the court, no
matter what
they think, that they
probably have the election
in bag. And so,
again, in what direction
will the
liberal justice
land? >> What
what do
we call goingwe? We're
to win this one anyway. Let's do what
we let thisd maybe
one go. If we don't have a good
name, be on a bumper
sticker. Rich, you talked to Pedro Colon about
why he And,o the race.
you know, these usually prettye
boring. They don't say
too much. I
feel like
Pedro Colon told some
stuff. >> Yeah. He
did. I
asked, you know, what
differentiates you
from Judge
Brunet? And
he said,
unfortunately, it's
experience. She doesn't
have the
substance substantive
experience that he
does, which
includes the
decade or so
in the
legislature and
his onears
the bench
and the state appeals
court in Milwaukee.
So that
surprised me. I
was not
expecting him
right out the gate to
take little
swipe at his
competitor. And
the Brunet
campaign sent me a
statement saying,
as much as
well. They
said, look,
a number of
justices have had
the same amount of
experience as
Judge Brunet
and have been
elected the state's
highest court.
So there's
that. And they also said it's
interesting that
on his
during his announcement, he
attacked Judge
Brunet. >> So
already a.
>> Little. of fireworks. Yeah.
And and
endorsements too,
as you
reported on
you, justice
elect Chris Taylor
has endorsed
Pedro Colon. >> Immediately,
immediately. >> And then
we also have an
endorsement from Congressman Mark
Pocan endorsing
Pedro Colon . Mark
Pocan and
Pedro Colon were
like budget
buddies on the Joint Finance
Committee in 2005.
I can tell
you that
they spent
a lot of time
together writing, you
know, arguing against
that Republican
budget that year.
So you get to
know each other in
politics, relationships can be
a deal
sometimes. >> Well, what's
interesting race this
is we've got
two on
the Liberal side
that are in. I
heard those
names on
election night.
I had someone
in a
campaign tell
me, Judge
Brunette's going to
announce, just watch
your inbox.
That'll be out. That
was night.ection
Judge Cologne
was the
election party.
I interviewed him and talked
to him and
he was oh, we'lle
have to wait and see. But his name
had been So ifr campaigns.
we're looking for this is. It used
to your turn one at
a time. I think liberal candidates
realizing I might
have wait a long
time to wait my turn. Why wait?
Just get in
there. >>
Seven justices, ten
year terms. If you
want to do it,
better get in.
Zac. aWe had
couple decisions this
week. Court
decisions on redistricting, one
in state court,
which I'll
summarize too quickly
here to say
that three
judge panel basically
said we
are not going to
deal the
congressional this
year. Another
big decision
by the U.S.
Supreme Court,
which, know,
court watchers
have is going
to gut the Voting
Rights Act.
What could
that mean for
Wisconsin? >> Well,
they're kind of
tailed together a
little This is the second
three judge panel that
has thrown out
challenges to our
congressional lines.
The Wisconsin Supreme
Court repeatedly
said, we don't
want to handle this
right now. The
United States
Supreme Court decision
that went theter
Voting Rights Act
has to do with
minority majority
districts, which
the fourth Congressional Gwen Moore
district in
Wisconsin is one of
those. So if
lines are going to get
redrawn, look going to
at this, that could mean some of those
lines inting shifted
the they're drawn,
without of thatho protect
minority and district
in Milwaukee. So there's a
lot implications,
one of which
is will this
new makeup of
the Supreme Court. Now
take a these lines again,
especially with new judgment
from the
United Court.Supreme
>> Yeah. And it
seems like
nationally, I've
seen a lot
about how this could be a
benefit to
Republicans in
southern states. I think in
Wisconsin, it's an open
question about which party
would benefit.
Does feel like it
is potentially
detrimental, though,
to minority
representation nationwide.
That's all time
we have for today.
Thanks for joining us.
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