☀️ Good morning!

There I was, face to face with the Goodyear blimp! I had just reached the top of the off-ramp next to the EAA AirVenture festivities. The airship was parked right in front of me, the sky was full of activity, and the grounds were packed. I was on my way to record some of the goings-on for Friday morning’s radio show.

Then my phone started blowing up. Gov. Tony Evers had just announced he would not be seeking a third term in 2026, triggering wide-open primaries in both parties for the state’s highest office. Time to race down to Civic Media’s WISS Radio to start writing reports.

Maybe next year will mark my first official AirVenture!

There will be much to say in the coming months about the making of Wisconsin’s next governor. For now, let’s thank Tony Evers for his selfless service, his dedication to Wisconsin’s kids, and for simply being a decent person. You didn’t have to agree with him to appreciate the way he showed how an ordinary teacher could quietly impress voters and win five statewide elections. May our next governor be someone else unafraid to show humility and speak forcefully, not loudly.

Enjoy your day. And, as always, if news breaks while you’re out and about, you can stay up to date with our weekday newsletter, our social media posts, and our morning radio show — either live or as a podcast.

⏮️ Last Week: What do you think of candidates running TV ads long before an election? 

🄰  I hate it – I’ll have an instant negative vibe about them. 

🄱  I get it – They’re necessary to build up name ID. 

🄲  I like it – I like the initiative.

While 20% of you selected B and said you understand the necessity of early ads, many of you added the belief that campaign seasons should be shorter. Much shorter.

Linda Z. – I get it, but still think all campaigns should be limited to 6 months prior to voting day.

The other 80% expressed various levels of outrage about early political ads.

Kathy M. – A. I hate it!  Too early to be spending $400,000 on a campaign.  Isn’t there a limit on how much can be spent?  This much money, so early in the campaign, means Republicans are afraid they might be losing their seat in the Wisconsin election.

There was one response for the other option…

Tim B. – C. Let’s get MORE people running all the time, earlier and with more campaigns out on more media!! I can’t get enough!! 

But we think we’re safe in assuming Tim has a way with sarcasm and his note belongs in the “A” column!

⏭️ This Week: What do you think of cryptocurrency? I will acknowledge I am no expert on the subject — but most of us know very little about it and that provides an avenue for scams. Two legislators, Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) and Rep. Ryan Spaude (D-Ashwaubenon) were on our radio show Thursday discussing their bill to ensure that ATMs in Wisconsin that deal in cryptocurrency abide by certain consumer protections. Which statement best describes you?

🄰  I’m good with crypto – I believe it’s part of the future of money. We can put proper safeguards in place. 

🄱  I’m a maybe – I’ve learned a little about it, but I can’t say if it’s a good or bad thing yet until I know more. 

🄲  I’m not sure at all – Count me among those who know almost nothing about it.

🄳  I don’t like it – Either because I’m convinced it’s a scam or I’m just skeptical enough, I don’t think our government and our dollars should be tied in any way to crypto. Even consumer guardrails can be undone.

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

Gov. Tony Evers blows a kiss to the camera at the conclusion of his video announcement that he would not be seeking a third term in 2026

Gov. Tony Evers would like to be remembered for his family-friendly initiatives, his stewardship of the Wisconsin economy during its pandemic recovery, and his tireless support for public education. 

But history might best draw a picture of Evers as a hockey goalie. He was the mild-mannered foil to frustrated Republicans whose control of the Legislature only extended to the limits of the governor’s veto pen. Evers frequently blocked GOP efforts to restrict voting accessibility, increase gun availability, limit reproductive rights, and strengthen private school vouchers at the expense of public education.

Wisconsin would be a very different place had Evers not unseated Gov. Scott Walker in 2018—and our state could still return to those days of gerrymandered maps, legislation far outside the mainstream, and economic stagnation. It could even happen with Walker himself. The former governor tweeted a photo of a Trump-style red hat that said “Make Wisconsin Great Again, 45-47” because in one of the state’s more quirky coincidences, just as Donald Trump was and is America’s 45th and 47th president, Walker was Wisconsin’s 45th governor, and voters will choose the 47th next year.

1️⃣ Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez became the first Democratic candidate hoping to succeed Evers. She posted an introductory video Friday morning. Rodriguez is a former emergency room nurse and legislator.

2️⃣ Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley was second out of the gate, mostly. Crowley said he would formally announce his candidacy in the near future. “In the weeks ahead, I will be taking steps toward entering the race for Governor,” Crowley said Friday in a statement. “The stakes are simply too high to sit on the sidelines.”

3️⃣ Expect many more Republicans as well as Democrats. When Evers first ran for governor in 2018, there were a dozen Democrats hoping to win the party’s primary and take on Walker, who was seeking a third term. Other potential Democratic candidates include state Attorney General Josh Kaul, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, former state party chairman Ben Wikler, state Sens. Kelda Roys and Chris Larson, and perhaps others.

On the Republican side, businessman Bill Berrien (and his incomplete resume) and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann (and his incomplete record) have already announced candidacies. With Evers stepping aside, several others will likely soon express public interest in running in the gubernatorial primary in August of next year. US Rep. Tom Tiffany and state Senate President Mary Felzkowski have not discouraged talk of their interest in the job.

1️⃣ Save the Billionaires! – To extend the Trump tax cuts for corporations and the super-rich, his megabill will cut $911 billion from Medicaid. See at a glance how many Wisconsinites in each congressional district will lose access to the stable, affordable healthcare coverage provided through Medicaid (known as BadgerCare in Wisconsin). 

2️⃣ New Childcare Support – It’s far short of what many advocates say is needed to prevent more childcare closings, but details of the new Child Bridge Payments Program have been released. Advocates recently gathered in Eau Claire to highlight the ongoing need for childcare support, especially in rural communities where working parents have fewer options that are affordable and safe.

3️⃣ The “Arrest Obama” Diversion – Why is US Rep. Derrick Van Orden calling for former President Barack Obama to be imprisoned? As we explain on our radio show, it’s part of a ham-handed effort by President Trump’s supporters to change the subject after it was learned that Trump was told by his attorney general about his appearance in files related to the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Catch our radio show weekdays from 6-9 a.m. on our Facebook and YouTube pages as well as stations across Wisconsin thanks to our friends at Civic Media. If you can’t listen live, listen on-demand by subscribing on Spotify.

📱 And 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 today’s update.

Have a great week.