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The Dem challenger won more primary votes than Steil. Can he flip a SE Wisconsin seat GOP has held for years?
The Democrat’s “victory” in the pink district comes with major caveats, experts say. Republicans have held the 1st Congressional District in southeastern Wisconsin for 20 years, and the last Democrat to sit that seat is now trying to win it back. With the House majority in sight, he got some encouraging news in the primary election earlier this month.
Liberal Dane County keeps growing, and voting in droves. Can Republicans still win statewide races in Wisconsin?
The deep blue county’s population has grown substantially since Trump’s narrow victory in 2016. Republicans have lost almost everything statewide since then. Wisconsin Democrats are on a winning streak in recent elections, and Dane County is providing much of the fuel. The state is one of the most...
The top donors to Rep. Bryan Steil in the 2024 election cycle (so far)
The Janesville Republican who represents the congressional district in southeastern Wisconsin has amassed a significant war chest as he faces his first serious political challenge. Facing his most serious challenge since he was first elected in 2018, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Janesville) is sitting on a large pile of campaign cash,...
Rep. Steil flush with cash as Dems eye his seat in more favorable district
The 1st Congressional District in southeastern Wisconsin has become more competitive and Steil is facing the first serious challenge of his young political career. Democrats may be coming hard for his seat, but U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil has plenty of cash and other built-in advantages to defend it. The 43-year-old...
Top donors to U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden in first half of 2024
Donations from big agribusinesses make up much of the congressman’s early financial support. After running behind President Donald Trump’s vote totals in his 3rd Congressional District in western Wisconsin, Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien) is a big target of Democrats looking to win back the majority in the U.S. House.
‘Waitress’ fundraising more than Dem competitors for U.S. House seat in western Wisconsin, but all trail GOP incumbent
The 2022 race for the 3rd Congressional District set fundraising records, and this year’s campaign could be even more expensive. Rebecca Cooke, a candidate for the 3rd Congressional District in western Wisconsin, raised more than $1.8 million in the first half of 2024, much more than her competition for the Democratic nomination, which includes a long-time state legislator.
Trump, Ted Cruz, Uihliens get involved in competitive NE Wisconsin congressional race
Popular Rep. Mike Gallagher’s resignation has opened up the 8th District, which includes Green Bay and Appleton. A Democrat leads fundraising, but three Republicans have split a larger pool of donations. For the last eight years, the Republican congressman in northeastern Wisconsin has crushed opponents, winning more than 60%...
With bipartisan wind at its back, Biden Admin’s aggressive antitrust action could bring lower prices, better products, experts say. But it may take years.
A range of cases are slowly moving through the courts that could bring major change for consumers. Lower prices on everything from meat to medication to airfare could be coming if a political movement to free up economic markets continues pushing forward. Unlike recent administrations from both parties, the Biden...
Illegal immigrants are reinforcing Social Security, not draining it
Every year, unauthorized workers in the U.S. pay billions into the Social Security system with little hope of ever getting it back. Projections estimate that the Social Security Administration will be unable to fully pay the benefits it owes Americans starting in 2035, unless Congress makes some changes. And some...
Milwaukee-area police who joined Oath Keepers resigned jobs after The Badger Project investigation
One is now working for a sheriff’s department. The other two are out of law enforcement, according to the state DOJ. Three of the four Milwaukee-area police officers revealed by The Badger Project to have joined the anti-government group the Oath Keepers resigned from their law enforcement positions soon after the stories were published.
Western Wisconsin congressman compares judge in Trump case to Nazi, calls him “Communist Scum” after jury convicts on all counts
Many Republicans attacked the justice system after a jury convicted Donald Trump in his hush-money trial. But Van Orden’s comments, one expert said, were “unhinged.”. U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden is not hesitant to use strong or insulting language on social media. But even for him, his response...
The Badger Project wins bronze at Milwaukee Press Club journalism awards
The Badger Project won first prize in the contest in 2022 and 2023 for its investigative journalism on law enforcement. The Badger Project won third place in the Milwaukee Press Club’s Online division for Best Investigative Story or Series division earlier this month. The series of stories, Oath Keepers in Wisconsin, revealed active law enforcement officers in Wisconsin who had joined the radical Oath Keepers organization.
‘Wisconsin does not, and should not, have secret police’ – The Badger Project sues state DOJ for full list of law enforcement officers
Along with co-plaintiff the Invisible Insitute, The Badger Project is seeking the records to continue its work on wandering officers. The Badger Project filed a lawsuit against the Wisconsin Department of Justice Thursday after it again refused to release a list of all certified law enforcement officers in the state.
‘Not sexy, but critical’ – Bolstered by increase in state revenue, Mount Horeb plans to shore up police and fire
The village is using the funding bump to hire new public safety staff. More money is always nice. For Mount Horeb, it could mean a safer community. The village, like every municipality in the state, got a big increase this year in one type of funding from the state. The extra cash will help improve and maintain emergency services here, the police and fire chiefs say.
New, compacted political maps in Marathon County boot long-time legislator from old district
Republicans had drawn Wausau’s state Assembly district to include state Rep. Patrick Snyder’s Schofield residence. Democrats left him out. Since 2016, state Rep. Patrick Snyder has represented the 85th Assembly District, consisting of Wausau and some surrounding areas. So the Republican was probably surprised earlier this year to...
New legislative districts in NW Wisconsin give Dems a better chance in 2024, experts say
Moved out of his district, Republican Sen. Romaine Quinn says he will decide later on whether to run again in 2026, and if so, where. A Tyrannosaurus Rex took a big blue bite out of the 73rd Assembly District in Douglas County and spit it into the neighboring district. That’s...
Number of Milwaukee police officers decreased 16% in past five years
The force has gone from more than 1,900 officers in 2019 to about 1,600 today. The city says help is on the way. The total number of officers employed by the Milwaukee Police Department has declined by more than 15% in the last five years, from more than 1,900 to about 1,600.
Here’s how Superior, Douglas County will use state funding bump in 2024
SUPERIOR — A raise is always nice. The city of Superior and Douglas County both aim to use the bump to improve their communities, in ways both seen and not. The city and county, like every local government in the state, got a big increase this year in a type of funding from the state called shared revenue. Superior received a boost of more than $1.7 million, an increase of 23%, to bring its 2024 shared revenue total to nearly $9.3 million.
See how your U.S. House rep voted on aid to Ukraine, Israel/Gaza, Taiwan and a possible TikTok ban
The votes this weekend split the Wisconsin congressional delegation of six Republicans and two Democrats in unusual ways. While the U.S. House overwhelmingly passed a $95 billion foreign aid package that provides funding to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan on Saturday, it divided the eight congressional representatives from Wisconsin in unusual ways. A bill that could lead to a nationwide ban of the video-sharing app TikTok also passed.
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