The Wisconsin Examiner will be publishing a series of profiles of candidates in this year's primary and general elections. @bspears.bsky.social is up first with a look at Mandela Barnes, running two years after his near-miss Senate race.

Some high-profile election hopefuls fall short of ballot requirements wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/06/03/m...

State Rep. Francesca Hong, one of the leaders in the Democratic primary for governor, was sued last week by Capital One Bank over nearly $30,000 in credit card debt her campaign says has since been paid in full, @henry-redman.bsky.social reports. wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/06/02/c...

hi folks, i'm back from vacay, back to the leg and election season

I'm out of state the rest of this week for my sister's graduation, so really thankful @henry-redman.bsky.social could stay late at the Capitol to follow this wild day.

Gov. Evers, Wisconsin GOP leaders announce $1.8B tax relief and school funding deal via @bspears.bsky.social wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/05/11/g...

Story to come via @wisconsinexaminer.com

Evers in Barneveld this morning. He'll talk with reporters soon about the $1.8 billion tax/school funding deal reached w/ GOP lawmakers It includes $300 million for school aids, $300 million to reach a 50% special ed reimbursement, $300 tax refunds for individuals, no tax on tips/overtime

Madison May Day march is making its way to the Wisconsin State Capitol. @wisconsinexaminer.com

A GOP-led committee that fancies itself as a state version of DOGE is scrutinizing the Department of Public Instruction's conference a couple of years ago. Democrats aren't impressed. @bspears.bsky.social has the details. buff.ly/OMYECRi

Senate Democrats lay out affordability agenda, criticize GOP for suspending special session. @bspears.bsky.social has the story.

And more GOP retirements this week wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/gop-s...

in case you missed it, yesterday's special session on gerrymandering was left open by GOP lawmakers wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/04/15/l...

ICYMI: Gov. Tony Evers signs sports betting, NIL and internet crimes bills into law, citing his belief in tribal sovreignty. But he also includes a rare signing statement that expresses reservations and says "the real work begins" now. Via @bspears.bsky.social

Erika Colón, president of the Milwaukee Chapter of the Hispanic Nurses Association, said she knows at least two nurses who could come back to Wisconsin bc of the law: “This will be able to bring two people back to the workforce here and to care for our communities that greatly need it."

Regents' Prez says Rothman "knows that it was ongoing situations that we had many discussions with him about.” The info led lawmakers to put off vote on firing the regents. Via @bspears.bsky.social buff.ly/rQr4qGm

Election day again Wisconsin!

UW regents meet today to talk about ousting President Jay Rothman. Evers and state lawmakers react to their recent action putting him on notice that he could quit or be fired. Via @bspears.bsky.social buff.ly/P6IvSNd

UW Board of Regents to meet Tuesday to consider terminating Jay Rothman wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/evers...

UW President Jay Rothman says Regents told him to resign or be fired without clear reasons. Via @bspears.bsky.social wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/04/02/u...

ICYMI: UW President Jay Rothman says Regents told him to resign or be fired without clear reasons. @bspears.bsky.social has the backstory.

In case anyone is curious at all about what's happening on X, Azaelia Banks is currently recommending Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the GOP candidate for guv, run for president

Gov. Tony Evers vetoes Wisconsin's participation in a new federal school choice tax credit program via @bspears.bsky.social wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/03/30/g...

Lots of American flags out today at Madison's protests, including some upside down ones, a sign of distress.

Madison protestors just started making their way to the state Capitol from Brittingham Park. "One, two, three, four, we don't want your bloody war! Five six seven eight stop the killings, stop the hate!"

I’m in Viroqua this morning covering today’s No Kings protest for @wisconsinexaminer.com from the closely watched 3rd Congressional District where a few hundred people have lined a high traffic intersection downtown

I'm headed over to Brittingham Park to cover today's No Kings protest in Madison for @wisconsinexaminer.com. Before that though, over on X, Wisconsin Republicans are trying to use the day as an opportunity to criticize Gov. Evers and his use of the state's partial veto power.

Milwaukee senators call for traffic cameras to deter reckless driving, prevent deaths and injuries. Via @bspears.bsky.social

ICYMI: via @bspears.bsky.social Evers vetoes GOP efforts to limit rulemaking, prohibit rights of nature ordinances

Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu announces exit, joining other Republicans who won't seek reelection via @bspears.bsky.social wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/03/19/w...

'Gail's Law' will now require additional breast cancer screening coverage for high-risk women in Wisconsin. @bspears.bsky.social covers the emotional bill signing wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/03/19/g...

The potential for Republicans to lose the Senate majority in the next election cycle cast a shadow over the Wisconsin State Senate’s last regular day of work. @bspears.bsky.social reports wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/03/18/w...

A retirement and GOP tensions over Senate Majority Leader LeMahieu bringing bills to the floor without 17 GOP votes marked the Senate's floor session Tuesday. Includes some outlooks on what could hurt GOP chances for keeping the Senate majority in fall wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/03/18/w...

Want a break from bad news? @bspears.bsky.social covers this young activist's push for legislation ending animal cruelty in cosmetics testing wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/03/11/w...

Wauwatosa middle school student leads charge for a state ban on animal tests for cosmetics via @wisconsinexaminer.com wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/03/11/w...

My column from Monday. Alabama plans to execute a wheelchair-bound, 75-year-old man who did not kill anyone. There is no reason to do so except a cruel and pig-headed insistence on process, one that a daughter of the victim opposes. It’s another example of the injustice of the death penalty.

Assembly fights over 400-year veto, school funding and protecting children online via @bspears.bsky.social wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/02/20/a...

Wisconsin Assembly passes bill to ban soda and candy from SNAP and fund positions to keep error rate low via @bspears.bsky.social wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/02/20/a...

Another ICYMI: Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is retiring. wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/02/19/a...

ICYMI: The Assembly voted yesterday to send Gov. Tony Evers a bill to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to a year and a bill to expand health care coverage for screenings for women with dense breast tissue, which puts women at a higher risk of breast cancer. wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/02/19/w...

Vos said a heart attack in November pushed him towards retirement. “My service in this chamber will end when the new class of freshmen are sworn in,” he said. “I’ve been so honored to serve with all of you in this chamber." Story here: wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/02/19/a...

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who has held the position for the longest amount of time in Wisconsin's history, announcing that he will not be seeking reelection this year.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who has long held up these bills, declined to comment on why he changed his mind. GOP authors happy the bills are getting done, saying personal stories helped change minds, but angry at Democrats who pushed for a vote. Story here: wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/02/19/v...

Rep. Todd Novak and a handful of other Republican lawmakers announcing that a bill to extend postpartum coverage to a year and a bill to cover cancer screenings for women with dense breast tissue will receive a vote in the state Assembly on Thursday.

No action would likely leave decisions about the budget surplus until after the November elections when the makeup of the next Legislature could look quite different with control up for grabs and the next governor could be either a Republican or a Democrat and will be new to the office.

Evers and legislators negotiate property tax relief; Assembly passes WisconsinEye bill. Via @bspears.bsky.social

The ongoing immigration surge has created a climate of fear — not just for the criminals and undocumented immigrants they claim to be targeting — but for ordinary families trying to maintain the routines and normalcy of childhood. minnesotareformer.com/2026/02/10/t...

Scoop from @henry-redman.bsky.social, who has been in Western Wisconsin & Minneapolis all week: Twin Cities ICE presence extends into Wisconsin wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/02/06/t...

1/ ProPublica collected handwritten letters in mid-January from children held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, the same facility where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was taken. Hundreds of kids are still detained. We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵

The Whipple Federal Building is still drawing protesters, read more about it in my report from the Twin Cities, where I've been all week helping out with the @minnesotareformer.com minnesotareformer.com/2026/02/04/e...