I’m sorry. I know you weren’t expecting a painful gut punch memory from a cold night in January 2004 on this warm August evening, but you get my point. In life, the next twist or turn can bring joy or sorrow. It could be the Packers giving up a 28-yard pass to the Eagles with 1:12 left and losing a playoff game. It could be a commanding lead in the polls that evaporates in the final week of a campaign.

And then? You get up and tackle what’s next. In this case, it’s about jumping right into a general election campaign. Many believed it was the supporters of David Crowley, Kelda Roys, Mandela Barnes, and other candidates who’d have to make the pivot and work to elect Francesca Hong. Instead, it’s Hong’s supporters who need to get up and tackle what’s next: the real possibility of Tom Tiffany becoming Wisconsin’s next governor. 

If everyone who supported any of those good Democratic candidates keeps their focus on November, it means Tiffany has already had his best day of 2026 — as voters begin to get daily reminders of his record:  support to overturn election results, not opposing a slush fund for Jan. 6 insurrectionists, taking healthcare coverage away to pay for billionaire tax cuts, and an almost gleeful desire to see the Northwoods overrun with strip mines and strip malls. 

By any measure of the issues, Tiffany should be back on his heels — a 4th and 26 situation. But if some of the players leave the field because the primary election didn’t go their way, it’ll be heartbreak all over again.

Have a good weekend. And stay on top of our social media feeds on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and more.

The voters have spoken and Wisconsin has two major party nominees for governor. Two men with distinct stories and visions for the state. Both men proudly refer to themselves as “girl dads,” with three girls at home. And while they share a common path that will take one of them to the governor’s residence, their personal stories both have much more humble starts.

US Rep. Tom Tiffany, 68, was born in Wabasha, MN, and raised along with seven siblings on a farm near Elmwood, in Pierce County. He was first elected to the Legislature in 2010 and to Congress in 2020.

Tiffany’s website features a brief “Solutions” page that is scant on specific ideas, with much of its language dedicated to bashing Democrats and offering broad and vague concepts of a plan. (“Tom will deliver real results, higher standards, and honest report cards.”)

Tiffany said on his website and in his launch video that he will “freeze property taxes,” but did not say how he would address a freeze that would leave  a massive hole in education funding. There was no suggestion of how —  or even if — he would replace those dollars.

David Crowley, 40, grew up in Milwaukee’s most economically challenged neighborhood. In his launch video, he said he chose to become a community organizer so that other kids from neighborhoods like his would be less likely to face an upbringing like his, with parents facing addiction, poverty, and homelessness. Crowley was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 2016 and won election as Milwaukee County Executive in 2020.

Crowley’s website features a “Badger Basics” page that gives details on 93 different initiatives or pledges. Examples include a public option for BadgerCare health insurance coverage, using state incentives for storefront growth in commercial corridors rather than corporate subsidies, and making AI data centers pay the full cost of necessary electrical grid upgrades.

There is much more about the two candidates in my full story on our website.

Remember our question a couple of weeks ago when we asked about the winning margin of the Democratic gubernatorial primary? Here again is how you responded:

34% – The winner will get at least 40% and win by five points or more.

21% – The winner will get at least 40%, but someone else will come very close.

39% – The winner will get less than 40% but still be a clear winner.

Only 5% said the race will be very close, with someone winning by about 1% or less.

If only those 5 percenters had made their prediction at a betting window in Las Vegas! David Crowley won by only 0.5% and got less than 40% — 39.8%, to be exact!

Now let’s turn our attention to your guess for November. It might be a little early to ask this question — with supporters of the losing candidates still dealing with their disappointment — but here goes:

Click the box above to be taken to our website where you can select your response. Feel free to say more in the comment box—and leave your first name and hometown so we can share your answer in our next newsletter.

In light of attacks from the Tiffany campaign about old tweets from Rep. Francesca Hong, we asked if you feel voters will stay focused on who would be best to address their needs or fall prey to distractions that have little bearing on what kind of leader each candidate would be. 

47% said (A) and are optimistic that voters will largely make decisions based on current issues.

👉🏼 Margaret in Manitowoc offers us a yes-but: “I’m more concerned that Trump will somehow interfere with the peaceful transfer of power when Democrats win a majority.”

53% said (B) and are pessimistic that the campaign will revert to “silly season” and side issues.

👉🏼 Carol in Whitewater: “I would like to be optimistic, but I still worry that too many folks are easily distracted by crazy ads and unrealistic claims. Hopefully common sense and realistic expectations will prevail!”

Thank you for your responses!

You probably won’t recognize the acronym, but you’ll quickly understand the issue after we tell you that “National Week of Action Against ALPRs” takes place August 16-22, 2026.

What’s an ALPR? You know them better as Flock cameras, which are a brand name for automated license plate readers (ALPRs). These cameras store and collect data on vehicles whether there was a crime committed or not. As more stories emerge of people and agencies abusing their camera privileges, the push for regulation is rising across Wisconsin to push back against mass surveillance.

Click here to read the full story on our website that gives you information on learning where Flock cameras are located, how you can sign a petition to Congress, or attend one of around a dozen “week of action” events across Wisconsin — like this Facebook page for a group in Oshkosh or this website for folks in Dane County.

Send your events and announcements to Abigail Deatrick, UpNorthNews’ regional community development organizer, at least one week before the event to see them here.

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

🏁 Thanks for reading our update.

Have a great weekend!