Why A Judicial Race In Wisconsin Is A Big Deal For Midterms
The Supreme Court race is “a statewide election and it’s the kind that conservatives have been winning since 1995,” said Scot Ross. [Buzzfeed]
State GOP, business lobby dump money in Supreme Court race
Reports filed with the state show of the roughly $900,000 Screnock has raised for the race, 38 percent, or $345,000, came from the state Republican Party. [Associated Press]
The Strange Race for Supreme Court
Some $1.5 million has been spent by the WMC to support him, including ... $898,430 for the general election, according to figures compiled by One Wisconsin Now. [Urban Milwaukee]
Are Wisconsin GOPers Blocking Elections To Protect Their Gerrymander?
“The elections would create pressure points for people,” Scot Ross, executive director of the progressive group One Wisconsin Now, told TPM. [Talking Points Memo]
Michael Screnock wants to continue his public service on the Supreme Court
He has also faced scrutiny for not saying whether he would step away from cases involving the state’s business lobby, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. [Wisconsin State Journal]
Advocates call on Green Bay to expand early voting
Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal Madison group One Wisconsin Now, and state Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, urged the city to offer early voting at UW-Green Bay. [Green Bay Press-Gazette]
Walker calls special session on school safety
The liberal group One Wisconsin Now accused Walker of trying to hand the school safety checkbook to a "fellow NRA lackey," Brad Schimel. [Lakeland Times]
Tammy Baldwin’s Tough Reelection Fight in Hyperpolarized Wisconsin
“You couldn’t have two more different people,” Scot Ross, who leads the progressive group One Wisconsin Now, told me. [New York Magazine]
The dark days of open government
As Matt Rothschild and Scot Ross pointed out in a joint column, Walker has generally been a hostile force to transparency for much of his tenure as governor. [Lakeland Times]
Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s fight to win back Wisconsin for Democrats, explained
First thing Walker does in the morning is check the polls, stick his finger in the air, and then figure out how to spend our tax dollars based on the first two. [Vox]
Did Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Michael Screnock ‘vow to uphold’ the NRA platform?
The mailing, revealed by the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, urged NRA members to vote for the "pro-Second Amendment" Screnock. [PolitiFact]
Judge suggests Twitter compromise
A similar lawsuit was filed in October against three Wisconsin state representatives who blocked the Twitter account for One Wisconsin Now. [World]
GOP Crusader Walker Reaches to Center in Volatile Wisconsin
"In trying to win a third term, Scott Walker is campaigning as if his first two terms did not exist," said Scot Ross, director of One Wisconsin Now. [Associated Press]
Matt Rothschild and Scot Ross: Open records watchdog FOIC’ed up with Walker award
The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council could not have picked a worse recipient for its political openness award than Scott Walker. [Capital Times]
Joanna Beilman-Dulin: Judge Michael Screnock campaigns against himself
If Michael Screnock applies his own rhetorical standard for judges to himself, could he earn his own support? It seems the answer would be no. [Wisconsin State Journal]
GOP partisan hack Brad Schimel makes laughable claim he’s “independent”
According to records obtained by One Wisconsin Now, Schimel invited a lobbyist from the NRA into his office on his second day in office. [Democratic Party of Wisconsin]
Wisconsin Democrats Demand Special Elections
Mike Browne, deputy director of the progressive organization One Wisconsin Now, said the governor is stalling. [Public News Service]
Scott Walker Refusing To Hold Elections GOP Might Lose
The fact that Scott Walker is afraid to hold elections when he’s on the ballot in nine months is not the worst story to have out there. [Talking Points Memo]
Gov. Scott Walker shifts position in reaction to school shootings
“To know where Governor Walker will end up, you need to follow the money and look at what he’s done, not what he’s saying today,” said Scot Ross.. [Associated Press]
Supreme Court candidate Michael Screnock releases email that won NRA backing
An NRA mailing sent to voters in Wisconsin before the primary, obtained by the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, said that Screnock "vowed to protect your firearm freedom." [Associated Press]
Trump’s judicial nominees for Wisconsin spark protests
“He is not qualified for a lifetime judicial appointment and he ought to do the right thing and withdraw himself from consideration for this nomination” [Wisconsin Gazette]
Analiese Eicher: Red flags should sink judicial nomination of Michael Brennan
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee set aside common decency and longstanding traditions when it voted to approve Donald Trump’s nomination of Michael Brennan. [Capital Times]
Wisconsin AG Brad Schimel says he’d train gun-carrying teachers if state law allowed it
Josh Kaul, Schimel's Democratic opponent for attorney general, and the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, blasted Schimel's remarks. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Screnock knocks Dallet as activist; she slams rival as tool of special interests
One Wisconsin Now tallied $584,000 spent by the WMC Issues Mobilization Council on broadcast, cable and satellite TV praising Screnock. [WisPolitics]
Editorial: Vote today for an independent judiciary — and against the NRA’s candidate
An NRA-ILA mailing obtained by the group One Wisconsin Now identified Screnock as “the candidate who has committed” to the group’s agenda. [Capital Times]
The key facts that you need to know about tomorrow’s election
Conservative groups backing Screnock have spent nearly $670,000 on television and other advertising to benefit his campaign, according to One Wisconsin Now. [Associated Press]
Republican bills seek to reduce workers’ rights and ban transgender protections in Wisconsin
“It’s in tune with how this Republican-controlled Legislature has operated,” said One Wisconsin Now program director Analiese Eicher. [Wisconsin Gazette]
Republican Party gave Supreme Court candidate $110,000
The liberal group One Wisconsin Now said Tuesday [right-wing special interest groups] have spent nearly $550,000 so far. [Associated Press]
Editorial: Tim Burns and Rebecca Dallet are credible Supreme Court candidates
Michael Screnock was on the payroll of the legal team defending Governor Walker’s divisive policies in court and working to rig state... district lines. [Capital Times]
Panelists Discuss How To Connect With Voters In Trump Era
Scot Ross of One Wisconsin Now participated in a lively discussion on the failures of the 2016 election and some early successes in the last year. [UAW]
Republicans take heat for facilitating event hosted by radical anti-abortion group
Joanna Beilman-Dulin, One Wisconsin Now research director, condemned Wichgers’ endorsement of the AAW sponsored event. [Badger Herald]
Residents Forced to Move as Foxconn Incentives Hit $4 Billion
Mike Browne, deputy director of One Wisconsin Now, said the deal with Foxconn will take money directly out of the pockets of Wisconsinites. [Efficient Gov]
‘Pro-lifers’ who’d execute women
One Wisconsin Now reports that Wichgers is inviting colleagues to join him at a meeting with Trewhella’s group at the state Capitol on Feb. 7. [Patheos]
College Loan Default Rates Rise 20 Years After Enrollment
Similarly, another study from One Wisconsin Institute found that loan repayment takes 19.7 years for bachelor’s degrees and 23 years for graduate degrees. [Study Breaks]
Wisconsin Republicans to donate contributions tied to Steve Wynn after sexual misconduct allegations
The RGA received $250,000 from Wynn Resorts in December 2016, according to records provided by liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now. [Wisconsin State Journal]
Paul Ryan, Ron Johnson to return money from group associated with accused billionaire Steve Wynn
One Wisconsin Now called on Walker and the Republican Governors Association "do the right thing" and give back all of the money. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Wisconsin Republicans Returning Money Received From Wynn
The liberal group One Wisconsin Now called for two other Republican groups to return donations it received from Wynn. [Associated Press]
Rural voters getting extra attention as next election looms
The bill also drew ire from liberal political group One Wisconsin Now, which argued the bill "would do less than nothing" to address Wisconsin student loan debt. [WisPolitics]
Walker Travels Wisconsin To Sell New Child Tax Credit Plan
The liberal group One Wisconsin Now said the governor is literally seeking to buy votes, handing out money months before the November election. [Wisconsin Public Radio]
Conservative lawmaker Jesse Kremer announces he won’t seek re-election
Scot Ross, executive director of liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now, had called on Democrats to challenge Kremer in the November election. [Wisconsin State Journal]
Senator Grassley’s hypocrisy on judges worsens
Why won’t Sen. Grassley stand up to those in his own party who want the blue-slip process to end, as Sen. Leahy did, or live up to his past promises? [Des Moines Register]
Stunning Special Election in Wisconsin Shows Scott Walker’s Foxconn Deal Isn’t the Political Winner It Was Sold as
One Wisconsin Now, a major progressive non-profit in the state, says the deal has “absolutely” become a liability for Walker electorally. [the Intercept]
Scott Walker has nearly four times more cash than the Democratic field
Mike Browne, deputy director of One Wisconsin Now, said the Democratic fundraising total shows “a fair amount of enthusiasm” on the Democratic side. [Wisconsin State Journal]
How Wisconsin’s Political Parties See the 10th Senate District Results
Republicans had solid advantages going into the race Tuesday, including more money, a compressed timeline and name recognition for Jarchow, said Mike Browne. [Capital Times]
Changing direction: Dem Schachtner beats GOP’s Jarchow for 10th Senate District seat
According to One Wisconsin Now, both the Republican State Leadership Committee and Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce also spent a combined $78,000 on issue ads. [Dunn County News]
Supreme Court race showing its political stripes
“What happens is the conservative (candidate) always hides what their ideology is and then the Republican Party uses their entire machine to turn out (votes).” [Wisconsin State Journal]
Tuesday’s Wisconsin Senate special election could be bellwether for 2018 legislative races
The Wisconsin Alliance for Reform and Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce combined to spend about $80,000 on ads in the race. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Wisconsin progressives need to build a bigger boat
The divisive, distracted, disappointing quarter century of Scott Walker as a Wisconsin elected official could mean progressives will need a bigger boat in 2018. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Next week’s special Senate election first to test national Democratic wave in Wisconsin
And at least two other groups, the RSLC and WMC have combined for $78,000 in issue ads, according to One Wisconsin Now, [Wisconsin State Journal]
State’s New Top Policy Wonk
One Wisconsin Now created “WISTAX Watch,” which came complete with a quiz where you got to guess if certain comments were made by the state GOP or by WISTAX. [Urban Milwaukee]