☀️ Good morning!

It’s Sunday, January 4, 2026

🎉 Our original plan for this morning was to offer a simple “Happy New Year” and get into the details of what Wisconsin voters will be asked to decide in 2026. But this weekend’s events in Venezuela certainly changed that.

In fact, President Donald Trump’s use of the military — without Congressional review, much less approval — also changed the other message we were going to share this morning… about this week’s anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection.

You see, UpNorthNews went online exactly one year earlier: Jan. 6, 2020. So Trump’s attempted coup serves as an annual reminder to reaffirm our mission to inform Wisconsin about the actions of leaders in Madison and Washington — whether they are either engaged in public service for the people or working to tear apart the fragile fabric of our democracy.

Who would have guessed five years ago that Trump would not only evade consequences for attempting an extra-legal seizure of the US government but would be put back in the White House and then seize the government of another country less than a year later?

Understand that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro deserves no sympathy. Like Trump in 2020, Maduro worked to manipulate election results in July 2024 — the difference being he got away with it. But even if that were justification for US military involvement (it’s not), the Constitution’s language on the power to wage war is clear — but not to someone who wants to be “dictator for a day” and his enablers. 

Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin rightly noted that, “The President does not have the unilateral authority to invade foreign countries, oust their governments, and seize their resources. It’s time for Republicans and Democrats in Congress to reassert our constitutional role in authorizing military force when needed and holding President Trump accountable before the United States is engaged in another war the American people did not choose.”

US Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst) said, “I commend President Trump and the brave US personnel who carried out this efficient and effective operation.” 

This is not surprising, given that Tiffany was a leading supporter of Trump’s last attempt at regime change, by supporting a lawsuit that would have overthrown Wisconsin’s 2020 votes. Tiffany is emblematic of the zombie Congress that enables Trump’s unchecked power grabs. And now he is the leading Republican candidate for governor. What extra-legal power grabs would we face here at home if he were to win election later this year?

Needless to say, we are going to have a very busy news year. Read below to get a feel for the difference you can make in 2026.

Have a great day.

⏮️ Last Week:  Pardon power

Presidents currently have no limits on their power to pardon people convicted of crimes. How would you change things?

🄰  Almost nobody responded with “Not at all” besides a couple of our most dedicated MAGA-minded “fans.”  

🄱  A small number of respondents supported removing the pardon power entirely (by Constitutional amendment).  Katie D. was one of them: “Nothing more. Nothing less. I don’t think reforming would help because presidents like Trump would find ways around it.”

Liz C.: “Remove it from the Presidency and leave it at state level. It can’t be [reform] because there is no independent agency or group any longer.  The executive branch is hiring and firing people in all the congressionally established independent federal agencies.”

🄲  The overwhelming majority responded with “Reform it,” allowing presidents to still have some kind of power, but with oversight from Congress or recommendations from an independent panel. 

Mary D.: “I like the idea of creating an independent non-partisan group to make or screen recommendations from the public citizenry.”

Kim K.: “Reform it.  No one should be able to grant a pardon for the sole reason that it will be to their own benefit to do so.“

There were also some instances of “whataboutism” from people who pointed to the pardons from outgoing President Joe Biden, but Trump’s politicization of the Justice Department only underscores the need to reform presidential powers at both ends of the criminal justice process.

⏭️ This Week:  What kind of voter will you be in 2026?

Look below for our article previewing the four main election dates for 2026. We want to know which statement best describes you as a voter now and in the recent past.

🄰  I’m an all-star voter and not afraid to brag about it! I’ve been good for a long time about voting in practically every election that affects me: including August primaries and April nonpartisan races.

🄱  Similar to A: I’m pretty good about voting in almost every election, but I’ll admit that’s only happened in the past few years as I began to appreciate how every election matters in some way.

🄲  Much like a New Year’s resolution that lasts until the first time I see the dessert menu, I admit I’ve got some work to do! I almost always vote in November, but I need to do a better job of taking part in the August primaries and the spring elections for local offices, school boards, etc.

🄳  I’m not a regular voter at all. I follow the headlines through newsletters like this, but I still don’t really think my vote makes a difference and/or it’s just too much of a hassle to vote. 

To answer this week’s question, hit reply or email me directly at pat@couriernewsroom.com, and we may share it in a future newsletter.

Over the past few years, we’ve learned the hard way that our democracy is more fragile than we once thought — and therefore, every election is important. With that in mind, here’s what you need to know about Wisconsin elections in 2026.

Wisconsin voters will choose a new governor in the new year, with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers choosing not to run for a third term. There is already a large and growing field of candidates seeking the state’s highest elected office.

There will also be elections for other state offices, all eight of Wisconsin’s seats in the US House of Representatives, all 99 Assembly districts, about half of the state legislature’s 33 Senate districts, and some county-level offices and judgeships. And that’s just the fall election. There will also be spring elections.

🗓️ There are four dates to keep in mind: 

Feb. 17 – Primary elections, where needed, for local nonpartisan races (school boards, etc.) 

April 7 – Spring general election for local nonpartisan races and Wisconsin Supreme Court 

Aug. 11 – Primary elections, where needed, for partisan races

Nov. 3. – General election for partisan offices (governor, Congress, legislature, etc.)

This will be the first real battle for control of the Wisconsin Legislature in more than a decade. After Republicans racked up big wins in 2010, they redrew political maps to ensure they would dominate the Assembly and Senate. Democrats have won 15 of the 18 statewide elections since 2018, but could not overcome gerrymandered legislative maps. New, fairer maps took effect in 2024.

There will be elections in the state’s eight congressional districts, but only two of the races are considered competitive since those gerrymandered maps did not change in 2024. A new legal challenge has only a longshot chance of being resolved by next November.

Later this week we will know which of the spring nonpartisan races will require a primary in February. If you plan to vote next month, you should check your registration status at the state Election Commission website: MyVote.WI.gov

👉🏼 Bonus Tip: Now that it’s 2026, you can request to have absentee ballots sent to you — not just for the next election but for every election in the 2026 calendar year, provided you are properly registered. Use the  MyVote website to learn how to set yourself up to ensure you take part in every important election this year. 

By the way: Feel free to share this newsletter with a friend to make sure they have the info they need to make their voice heard this election season.

READ our full 2026 Election Year preview on our website.

📱 Remember, you can stay up to date all day with all of our team’s work through our social media feeds, including Instagram and TikTok.

🏁 Thanks for reading our update.

Have a great week!