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...

Quick story on the breakdown in budget talks between GOP leaders, @GovEvers: pro.stateaffairs.com/wi/budget/bu...

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...

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...

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.”

'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’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."

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...

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 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...

'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-...

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-...

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-...

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 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...

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...

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...

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.

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.”

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...

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...

Good morning, Wisconsin. At least 2.337 million of you voted yesterday. Nearly half our voting age population. For perspective, it tops the 2.1 million who voted in April '16 with contested Dem, GOP prez primaries on ballot. AND the 2.2 million voted in the Nov. '10 guv race.

And that SCOWIS streak began in '18 as the Wisconsin electorate got a bluer shape of purple in off year elections in the Trump era. When I started doing this 25 years ago, Republicans had the upper hand in spring races. That has completely flipped.

This solidifies liberal control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court through at least '28. And that's only if conservatives can defend the seats of Rebecca Bradley in '26 and Annette Ziegler in '27. Conservatives have now lost 4 of past 5 SCOWIS races. www.wispolitics.com/2025/250401s...

Justices Dallet, Karofsky didn't offer a rationale for rejecting recusal motions. Still, Justice Ann Walsh Bradley wrote "rule of necessity overrides recusal in this instance.” Doctrine states a judge can hear a case they shouldn't otherwise if court would be left w/out a quorum.

Quick story on this evening's ruling: Supreme Court rejects Kaul request to block Musk from giving $1 million awards to voters www.wispolitics.com/2025/kaul-as...

News: The Wisconsin Supreme Court has rejected Dem AG Josh Kaul's request to block Elon Musk from giving $1 million awards to two voters. The decision came just minutes before his Green Bay rally was to begin.

Update: Less than 30 minutes from Elon Musk starting his town hall in Green Bay, no decision yet from the court on Josh Kaul's lawsuit. But Justices Dallet, Karofsky have rejected motions by Musk attorneys seeking their recusals, according to online court records.

Having been rebuffed by two courts in his quest, Dem AG Josh Kaul has now asked the state Supreme Court to block Elon Musk and his PAC from giving out $1 million payments this evening to Wisconsinites who have cast ballots in the spring election. www.wispolitics.com/2025/kaul-as...

While you (and I) were sleeping, Columbia County judge declined to hear AG Josh Kaul's request for an emergency order blocking Elon Musk from paying two Wisconsinites for voting. Kaul has now asked the 4th District for such an order. See our updated story: www.wispolitics.com/2025/kaul-su...

SCOWIS news: Spending in Wisconsin's Supreme Court race has now eclipsed $100 million, nearly doubling the previous record. See today's WisPolitics Report for an overview of the groups driving that spending and where they've been putting their money.

For those of you following today's Elon Musk saga, a statement from AG Josh Kaul: "Based on our understanding of applicable Wisconsin law, we intend to take legal action today to seek a court order to stop this from happening."

Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford outraised conservative rival Brad Schimel more than 2-to-1 during the most recent reporting period, largely thanks to the strength of her individual donor network, a WisPolitics review finds. www.wispolitics.com/2025/crawfor...

SCOWIS fundraising #s: Susan Crawford outraised Brad Schimel more than 2-to-1 during the pre-election period, largely on the strength of her individual donor network. See more in today's AM Update: wispolitics.com/2025/tue-am-... But here are some highlights from latest reports: 1/

SCOWIS nugget: Elon Musk gave $2 million to the state GOP the same day the party transferred $1.2 million to Brad Schimel. Latest example in race of big donations flowing to parties ahead of transfers to candidates. See more in today's AM Update: www.wispolitics.com/2025/mon-am-...

SCOWIS fundraising #s: @crawfordforwi.bsky.social says she raised $17 million in pre-election period, pushing overall haul to record $24 million. Filing deadline for latest reporting period is tomorrow. See the release: www.wispolitics.com/2025/crawfor...

Quick story on tonight's SCOWIS debate. Will be updated. www.wispolitics.com/2025/crawfor...

As of yesterday, I'd tracked $33.3 million to support Schimel, $25.5 million to back Cawford. But looking at gross ratings points on broadcast TV, Crawford had the edge. The advantage of most of the TV money being spent by her campaign rather than independent groups.

Nearly $59 million has been dropped on the race between Susan Crawford and Brad Schimel, breaking the previous record three weeks ahead of voters deciding ideological control of Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, according to a WisPolitics tally. www.wispolitics.com/2025/wispoli...

I tracked a record $56 million in spending on Wisconsin's '23 Supreme Court race. I've tallied $48.6 million in the '25 race. And there's still three weeks to go. See more on the spending in today's WisPolitics Report.

With Marquette Law poll of Wisconsin voters in '25 about to drop, some reminders about Donald Trump's past numbers. Fav-unfav split: 43%-57% in Oct. 24, '24 poll Job approval: 47%-52% in Oct. 25, '20 poll