JR Ross

Filing: Musk’s America PAC spent $27 million on ‘petition incentives’ Elon Musk’s America PAC, which offered Wisconsin voters $100 if they registered their opposition to “judicial activists” through a website, spent more than $27 million on “petition incentives” during ...

A new federal filing shows an Elon Musk PAC spent $27 million on “petition incentives” during the first half of '25 as he offered Wisconsin voters $100 if they registered their opposition to “judicial activists” during the SCOWIS race.

See more:
pro.stateaffairs.com/wi/elections...

News: A source close to @GovEvers said no final decision has been made on seeking a 3rd, his team hasn't called potential Dem contenders to tell them he's out, and there will be no announcement in the next 24-36 hours.

See more in today's PM Update:
pro.stateaffairs.com/wi/pm-update...

Budget talks between Evers, GOP leaders break down GOP legislative leaders late today declared budget negotiations with Dem Gov. Tony Evers had reached an impasse and said they will now turn to the Joint Finance Committee to build their proposal.

Quick story on the breakdown in budget talks between GOP leaders, @GovEvers:

pro.stateaffairs.com/wi/budget/bu...

Trump administration labels Wisconsin's deep-red Shawano County ‘sanctuary’ community refusing to cooperate on immigration Jim Davel, the county administrator, told WisPolitics in a phone interview he has “no idea what the heck this is about whatsoever.”

Jim Davel, the county administrator, told @wispolitics in a phone interview he has “no idea what the heck this is about whatsoever.” www.wispolitics.com/2025/trump-a...

Vos: Lawmakers working to schedule another budget meeting with Evers It would be their third day of meetings after they first got together March 26. Vos, R-Rochester, also confirmed legislative leaders met with Evers last week.

It would be their third day of meetings after they first got together March 26. Vos, R-Rochester, also confirmed legislative leaders met with Evers last week. www.wispolitics.com/2025/vos-law...

Evers, GOP leaders met twice on budget Dem Gov. Tony Evers met twice with GOP legislative leaders this week as budget talks have ramped up, according to multiple sources.

Bjt nugget: Dem Gov. Tony Evers met twice with GOP legislative leaders this week as budget talks have ramped up, according to multiple sources. www.wispolitics.com/2025/evers-g...

Taylor said Justice Rebecca Bradley, who said she plans to run next year, "has prioritized a right-wing agenda over keeping the judiciary fair and independent, in my opinion, and she is just not the justice that Wisconsinites deserve and need on the Supreme Court.”

TUE AM Update: Taylor launches state Supreme Court bid Subscribers: Please give us your feedback and get free entry into a WisPolitics event.  Take the short survey here. From WisPolitics ... -- Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor, a former Dem lawmaker, is ...

'26 SCOWIS news: Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor, a former Dem lawmaker, today formally launched her bid for state Supreme Court next year, when liberals will look to expand their 4-3 majority.

See more in today's AM Update:
www.wispolitics.com/2025/tue-am-...

Hannah Dugan Legal Defense Fund: Defense fund launched Defending Against the Unprecedented Attack on Independent Judiciary Will Require Significant Resources The Hannah Dugan Legal Defense Fund has been established to defend against the unprecedented atta...

Hannah Dugan’s supporters have created a legal defense fund to fight what the group calls an “unprecedented attack on the independent judiciary by the federal government" as she faces charges of interfering with immigration officers.

See the release:
wispolitics.com/2025/hannah-...

Bjt NEWS: LFB today projected the state will finish the '23-25 budget with a more than $4.3 billion surplus -- a slight improvement over its January estimate -- but also now expects lower tax collections over the following two-year period.

Challenge with claim '11 House map was a partisan gerrymander is there's evidence undercutting that assertion. The former Paul Ryan aide who took the lead on drawing those lines said in a deposition his boss told him "we need to be fair and we need to try and be bipartisan."

Dem voters asks Wisconsin Supreme Court to overturn congressional maps Dem voters in two separate suits have asked the state Supreme Court to overturn Wisconsin’s congressional map and put new lines in place for the 2026 election.

There are 2 suits before the court seeking to overturn the maps on 3 issues:
*least-change standard now out
*districts malapportioned
*'11 process to draw map that's foundation for new lines "quintessential partisan gerrymander."

www.wispolitics.com/2025/dem-vot...

Evers again insists any tax cut deal be part of budget, wants education funded ‘at every level’ Gov. Tony Evers isn’t backing off his demand that any tax plan he’d sign be included in the state budget, and he wants Republicans to fund education “at every level” to move forward on budget negotiat...

The guv's office said staff for Evers, Vos, LeMahieu met yesterday to continue talks. LeMahieu says he's wants an in-person meeting with Evers by end of next week to keep budget deliberations on schedule.

www.wispolitics.com/2025/evers-a...

Clark County judge tells WisPolitics she’s passing on Supreme Court bid in ‘26 Clark County Judge Lyndsey Boon Brunette is passing on a run for state Supreme Court next year, telling WisPolitics in a statement that 2026 “is not the best time to pursue a seat on the state’s highe...

Clark County Judge Lyndsey Boon Brunette is passing on a run for state Supreme Court next year, telling WisPolitics in a statement that 2026 “is not the best time to pursue a seat on the state’s highest court.” www.wispolitics.com/2025/clark-c...

TUE PM Update: Madison investigation found clerk broke city policies, but not the law in missing 193 absentee ballots From WisPolitics ... -- The former Madison clerk failed to perform her work duties when local officials missed 193 absentee ballots from the November election and her office didn’t report the issue to...

'26 guv race nugget: Washington Co Exec Josh Schoemann, who's been considering a run, has a “historic summer kickoff cookout” on Sunday. Spokesperson says he'll talk w/ his friends & neighbors about future of Wisconsin.

See more in yesterday's PM Update:
www.wispolitics.com/2025/tue-pm-...

WED AM Update: Godlewski announces bid for WisDems 1st vice chair From WisPolitics ... -- Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski announced today she is running for first vice-chair of the state Dem Party, saying in a statement to WisPolitics that democracy is at stake w...

Party news: @sarahgodlewski.bsky.social is running for @wisdems.org 1st vice-chair, telling WisPolitics democracy at stake w/ Trump’s return to power.

Campaign says post wouldn't interfere w/ her plans 2 run for re-election as SOS.

See more in today's AM Update:
www.wispolitics.com/2025/wed-am-...

Senate approves extending Medicaid coverage to 12 months for new mothers The state Senate overwhelmingly approved the legislation. But like last session, it continues to face opposition from Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.

The bill still faces hurdles in the Assembly, where Speaker Vos said his position has been clear.

“I've never supported an expansion of welfare. I can't imagine that I would ever support one, but we have to talk about it as a caucus.”
www.wispolitics.com/2025/senate-...

Supreme Court upholds Evers’ 400-year education veto A split state Supreme Court today upheld Dem Gov. Tony Evers’ veto in the 2023-25 budget that wrote into state law for the next four centuries annual increases in how much schools can spend per studen...

Quick story on today's ruling. Will be updated.

A split state Supreme Court today upheld Dem Gov. Tony Evers’ veto in the 2023-25 budget that wrote into state law for the next four centuries annual increases in how much schools can spend per student. www.wispolitics.com/2025/supreme...

BREAKING: Split Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds Dem Gov. Tony Ever’s veto in the 2023-25 budget that wrote into state law for the next four centuries annual increases in how much schools can spend per student.

GOP leaders holding off on tax cut plan following talks with Evers GOP legislative leaders, who have pledged to pass a tax cut before taking up the budget, have held off introducing a plan after talks with Gov. Tony Evers on a possible compromise, according to multip...

GOP legislative leaders, who have pledged to pass a tax cut before taking up the budget, have held off introducing a plan after talks with Gov. Tony Evers on a possible compromise, according to multiple GOP sources. www.wispolitics.com/2025/gop-lea...

State GOP launches review of ‘25 Supreme Court race ahead of ‘26 contest The state GOP announced to members that it’s launching a postmortem on the 2025 state Supreme Court race that conservative Brad Schimel lost by 10 points as the party prepares for next year’s contest.

The state GOP announced to members that it’s launching a postmortem on the 2025 state Supreme Court race that conservative Brad Schimel lost by 10 points as the party prepares for next year’s contest. www.wispolitics.com/2025/state-g...

Subscribers Only Archives

SCOWIS '26 nuggets:

Pedro Colon won't run, citing personal reasons.

Fellow liberal appeals court Judge Chris Taylor has been "heartened" by encouragement, will have more to say bid coming weeks.

See more in yesterday's @wispolitics subscriber products:
www.wispolitics.com/category/sub...

Never Out of the Fight PAC: Announcement

Nugget: Bill Berrien, who's been considering run for guv in '26, today announced the Never Out of the Fight PAC to advance conservative policies, help GOP candidates win.

Others have launched similar groups ahead of running themselves.

See the release:
www.wispolitics.com/2025/never-o...

Already, Devin Remiker has announced he'll run for @wisdems.bsky.social chair this summer:
www.wispolitics.com/2025/remiker...

And Zepecki says he'll spend the next week talking with others about a possible bid:
www.wispolitics.com/2025/zepecki...

See more in today's PM Update.

Wikler not seeking reelection as state Dem chair Ben Wikler, who shepherded the state Dem Party through an unprecedented run of financial success, announced today he won’t seek another two-year term as chair this summer.

Quick story on @benwikler.bsky.social's decision.

We reported in January Dem operative Joe Zepecki, 3rd CD Chair William Garcia had been making calls about a bid in case Wikler didn't run. Sen. Kelda Roys also said at time she'd been encouraged to consider.

www.wispolitics.com/2025/wikler-...

NEWS: Michael Gableman and the OLR have reached a deal that would suspend the former Supreme Court justice’s law license for three years to settle the discipline case over his conduct during a review of the 2020 election.

Now goes to referee in case. SCOWIS will have final say.

NEWS: Conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley tells WisPolitics she plans to run for reelection next year to “ensure that there is a voice for the constitution and for the rule of law.”

At least 2 liberal appeals court judges are considering bids.

See more in today's Report.

In a statement, Kaul defended his agency’s actions, saying he was “proud of the extraordinary effort our team put into this case.”

Judge rips Kaul’s effort seeking Musk restraining order as woefully deficient, abuse of courts A Columbia County judge accused Dem AG Josh Kaul of abusing Wisconsin’s judicial system with his last-minute attempt to prevent Elon Musk from handing out $1 million checks to those who have voted in ...

A Columbia County judge accused Dem AG Josh Kaul of abusing Wisconsin’s judicial system with his last-minute attempt to prevent Elon Musk from handing out $1 million checks to those who have voted in the spring election.
www.wispolitics.com/2025/judge-r...

Wisconsin Supreme Court: Justice Ann Walsh Bradley elected as chief justice Justice Bradley will finish her 30-year career with a two-month stint as chief, and then will be succeeded by Justice Jill J. Karofsky Madison, Wisconsin (April 3, 2025) – Wisconsin Supreme Court Just...

SCOWIS news: Court elects retiring Ann Walsh Bradley as chief justice for two months.

She'll be succeeded by fellow liberal Jill Karofsky on July 1.

See the release:
www.wispolitics.com/2025/wiscons...