Then Missy Hughes exited and endorsed Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, followed by David Crowley getting out of the race and endorsing Rodriguez.

Then the Rodriguez campaign blew up like someone threw a match into their fireworks warehouse— but the match came from inside.

It’s not so much that someone cooked the books on the Rodriguez campaign. It’s that the book was thrown into a wood chipper, with no clear picture of which donations were real, which expenses are missing, and whether Rodriguez can get back on track with only 26 days until the Aug. 11 primary. 

Rodriguez is putting on a brave face, but I have run in three elections and cannot fathom the feeling of having someone you deeply trusted do the kinds of things that cause you to risk losing everything you’ve worked for. I have reported on countless news stories about hard working people—from small businesses to Little Leagues—who lost it all because someone close to them embezzled funds or got caught up in a cascade of mistakes. It leaves a wound that will never fully heal.

Needless to say, we now understand why Rodriguez was a last-minute cancellation at last Saturday’s candidate forum in Lake Tomahawk, but I still need to give my heartfelt thanks to the organizers, the candidates who attended, and the nearly 200 people who packed a community center on a hot morning. 

Despite the campaign drama, there are still very real issues that voters want resolved by Wisconsin’s next governor, and so we turn back to the campaign with a reminder to have a plan to vote in the primary elections. In-person early voting starts in less than two weeks at your local clerk’s office.

(Graphic via USA Today, The Wildland Fire Interagency Geospatial Service, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, and NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations.)

Have a great weekend — hopefully a less smoky one. 

And be sure to stay up to date with our posts on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Click on the photos to read more about each story.

Catch our weekday morning newsletter, chock full of Wisconsin features that often link to stories on our website. This week, you would’ve seen these Blue Plate items:

🥪 6 summer markets that go beyond fruits and veggies.

🍔 11 day trips to make before school starts.

Sign up for our daily newsletter from Ellie Bourdo.

WJFW-TV screenshot

It’s been 16 years since Democratic Rep. Dave Obey’s retirement from Congress, ending a 40-year tenure that has since been followed by two Republicans, Sean Duffy and Tom Tiffany. Duffy is now US Transportation Secretary and Tiffany is leaving the US House to run for governor. In a year where Republicans are facing headwinds, three Democrats are hoping to win the rural district as part of a “blue wave” in November. They faced off in a debate this week on WJFW-TV in Rhinelander.

Former Assembly Rep. Fred Clark, a forester by training, said his highest priority will be to find federal avenues to stimulate the northern Wisconsin economy and diversify the forestry markets for timber, pulp, biofuels, and more. 

Attorney Ginger Murray frequently returned to a theme of collaboration and seeking solutions in areas including healthcare and affordable housing.

Retired software business owner Chris Armstrong hammered President Trump on accountability, promising to support the introduction of articles of impeachment on his first day in office because, in his words, “today is the worst day of the Trump administration—until tomorrow.”

Watch their full debate on the WJFW-TV website.

There’s no denying what needs to be asked this time around in our Question of the Week: Now that you’ve had a couple of days to take in the news, what is your current opinion on Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez and her campaign for governor?

🄰  She should drop out—Rodriguez will either not win the primary or will lose to Tom Tiffany if she wins the primary.

🄱  She should stay in—She’s done exactly what a leader should do when confronted with a problem: seek out the source and take action to make things right. 

🄲  Let’s give it one more week–The primary is in 26 days. Let’s see if her crisis management skills get the focus back on issues that matter more to voters, like affordability and healthcare.

Click the blue box above to visit our website and select the answer closest to your point of view. We’d really appreciate you adding your comments and your first name and hometown.

I thought last week’s complex question about healthcare reform ideas would not get a lot of answers. I was wrong; it was actually one of our more popular questions. You definitely want to see progress on making healthcare more secure and affordable. Here’s what you said.

🄰  74% wanted “Medicare For All” or some form of single payer insurance coverage.

👉🏼 Duane in Baraboo: “Overall health care costs should be reduced by eliminating the for-profit middle man of the insurance industry.” 

🄱  6% wanted a government-run healthcare system.

👉🏼 Kathryn in Pulaski: “Get rid of insurance companies! Why can’t we have government-run health care like other countries? We are behind and doing a terrible job.”

🄲  9% want a Public Option

👉🏼 “I think we need to start with a public option and work toward government run. Trust in government institutions will need to be re-earned, and protections against things like DOGE.”

🄳  8% want to expand the Affordable Care Act

👉🏼 Jill in West Bend: “We were on the right track with ACA. Finish the job.”

And 1% said no changes were needed. 

👉🏼 “Eliminate the middle man and keep the government out of health care since they tend to [🤬] up everything they touch by making it more expensive.”

Thank you for your responses!

This weekend kicks off with “The Good Trouble Lives On” Weekend of Action, a nationwide civic mobilization honoring Congressman John Lewis, the late civil rights leader who encouraged nonviolent protests as a form of “good trouble, necessary trouble” to demand change.

Taking place July 17–19, the weekend centers on three pillars: teach, reach, and preach. Hundreds of voter registration drives, rallies, and training are taking place across the US, with events across Wisconsin.

See the full listing of events on our website. 

FRIDAY

Madison, 12-4 p.m.: Join the free cookout job fair featuring fair-chance employers with food, music, and “good trouble” in Madison. 

Milwaukee, 6-8 p.m.: Watch the movie “Selma” at a free community screening hosted by the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition in Milwaukee.

SATURDAY

Eagle River, 12-1 p.m. 

Oshkosh, 12-3 p.m.

SUNDAY

St. Croix Falls, 1:30-4 p.m.

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!