😠 Have you ever had disagreements with your friends? Not a big blowout, but also something more than a minor difference of opinion? Something that makes you a little miffed, even a bit angry, but something you know you’ll eventually overcome?

🥃 You wouldn’t be the first person to sit at the bar of a supper club, maybe alone with your glass of something and muttering, “I can’t believe he did that.” Or, “I can’t believe she said that.” Or maybe, “I can’t believe I said that.” You’re pretty sure things will get patched up, but there will be a rough patch in the meantime.

🐘 People active in both the Democratic and Republican parties are going through that right now. Republicans are about to start their annual state convention in Wisconsin Dells, and they have a very real split about whether their current party chair should stay or go. They have a very real split over whether Sean Duffy’s son-in-law is getting the skids greased to slide into the congressional seat up north. And they’ll disagree over how to avoid a midterm bloodbath in November.

💔 Many Democrats have a split right now with their own governor. To them, Gov. Tony Evers has been a godsend for much of his eight years in office. A Hall of Fame goalie when it comes to blocking bad bills from Republicans who’ve run the Legislature for 16 grueling years. And on the verge of a potential Democratic return to majority status, some of them feel like the governor, a lame duck, made a bad deal to spend away most of the current projected budget surplus on short-term measures. Their votes killed the measure Wednesday night, leaving Evers and some supporters feeling betrayed and disrespected after negotiating a good agreement.

🤝 My view from behind the bar is that all of these folks are going to be much more (though not entirely) united in the run-up to Election Day. They just need to talk it out over a plate of warm and gooey cheese curds and live to fight another day — maybe not against each other next time.

Before we continue our coverage, let me wish you a happy weekend, urge you to sign up for our daily Wisconsin newsletter, and remind you to stay up to date with our social media posts.

Also: Keep scrolling to a story about Rep. Derrick Van Orden that you and our newsletter subscribers are seeing before anybody else. We don’t get to use the word “lickspittle” nearly enough, but it works in this case.

In case you missed the details on this week’s big story, here’s some background. 

The latest estimate for the current two-year budget cycle in Wisconsin shows a potential surplus of around $2.5 billion because more revenue is coming in compared to what was expected last year when the state budget was written.

The plan drawn up by Evers, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu spends $1.8 billion of it in five key areas:

Some of the Democratic candidates for governor were unhappy that Evers struck a deal because they believe Democrats have a good shot at winning a “trifecta” in November — holding the governor’s office and taking control of the state Assembly and Senate, which would allow them to craft a long-term solution to school funding and taxes.

Evers and others say it’s smart to get a deal now because there’s no guarantee of a trifecta; plus, people and school districts need relief right now. 

After hours of negotiations, the Assembly passed it on a 61-32 vote, with 10 Democrats joining all Republicans in voting yes. But only minutes later, it died in the Senate, 18-15, with three Republicans joining all Democrats in voting no. 

Get more details in my full story on our website.

It was a weirdly bipartisan debate, with presumptive Republican gubernatorial nominee Tom Tiffany opposing the deal negotiated by the Legislature’s two GOP leaders.

So here’s the Relish Tray, a review of reactions to a roller-coaster 48 hours. And then we’re going to ask how you’d vote on the deal.

🧀 Gov. Tony Evers – “Wisconsin’s kids and schools aren’t going to get the investments they desperately need this year because Tom Tiffany and a few Republican and Democratic lawmakers chose to blow up a bipartisan plan to invest in our K-12 schools, lower property taxes, and help working families afford rising costs, all because they’d rather do what’s best for the next election than what’s right for the people of our state.”

🍄‍🟫 Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton) –  “This reckless proposal was not something we could support. When Democrats are in the majority, we will steer a course to a Wisconsin in which our economy works for all, where schools are sufficiently funded, and health care is affordable and accessible.”  

🫒 Rep. Christine Sinicki (D-Milwaukee) called it a “smoke and mirrors” deal – “What they also aren’t telling you is that 20% of Wisconsinites will not be eligible to claim this rebate, as they need to have had a tax liability in 2024. This means those who need the money the most, people on a fixed income, for example, will not receive a check, but millionaires will receive the full $300.”

🏆 Rep. Deb Andraca (D-Whitefish Bay) –“This proposal is a turducken, because it is a turkey, that was put together by a bunch of lame ducks, by a Republican legislature that is too chicken to confront the structural affordability.”

This wouldn’t have been the first time direct checks were mailed to voters in an election year. So what do you think? Was this deal shrewd politics or shameless pandering? 

Click the blue box to answer over on our website. Leave us a comment and your first name and hometown for a chance to see it featured in this newsletter next week.

🏫 We asked whether there should be a constitutional amendment over the hundreds of millions of dollars being funneled away from public schools and into private school vouchers. 

One reader reminded us: “Three states had statewide ballot questions regarding voucher/school choice programs in the 2024 November election. Residents of all three states (Kentucky, Nebraska and Colorado) voted against statewide voucher programs.”

There were a handful of the usual critics about “government schools,” but 91% of our readers have grown weary of paying for two school systems in Wisconsin.

🔊 Therese in Frederic: “Growing up I attended a parochial school for 12 years. My family felt strongly about it, so they paid for it. It was their choice and they never thought other taxpayers should pick up the tab.”

🔉 Pam in Wind Lake: “At first, there was an income limit in order to qualify. Then the Republicans voted to open it up to any and everyone. It’s like a person wearing a mink coat going to the food pantry.”

🔈 But someone else warned: “Given how popular charter and choice schools are in blue strongholds like Milwaukee, Racine, and Beloit, I bet a statewide referendum wins by a Chris Taylor margin. Careful what you wish for.”

Thank you, as always, for some great table talk about using your taxes to educate our children.

✏️ Editor’s Note: As a subscriber, you are seeing this story first. It will appear tomorrow on our website.

The Derrick Van Orden who was an unsuccessful candidate in 2020 would probably have some real issues with the Derrick Van Orden currently serving in Congress when it comes to the matter of “independence,” according to a review of his floor votes over his two terms in office.

It was exactly six years ago this week, May 13, 2020, that Van Orden was making the rounds of conservative media attacking incumbent Democratic Rep. Ron Kind for voting in line with Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 95% of the time. 

“I’m coming to the table honestly, that I will reach across the aisle and I’ll do what is best for the people of the third district of the state of Wisconsin,” Van Orden said in another interview. “I have an in-depth, very unique background that allows me to understand how to communicate effectively with people.”

We can debate his degree of communicating “effectively,” but the real question is whether he showed a degree of spinal fortitude once he was elected in 2022 — and in his first term, you could say he did. A review of votes shows his party unity score was 88%. 

👉🏼 But by 2024, it had risen to 94%. And in 2025, Van Orden voted in lockstep with Speaker Mike Johnson 97% of the time. That seems higher than Kind’s 95% score that bothered him so much.

Speaker Johnson has also steered more than $600,000 to Van Orden’s campaign warchest through various political and campaign accounts.

If a Democrat were doing this, one can easily imagine Van Orden using the word “lickspittle” in one of his many snarky social media posts.

Our favorite supper clubs often have a bulletin board filled with information about upcoming events and local services. Here’s our version: a “Do Something!” calendar of opportunities to get involved in your community. Find the full calendar on our website.

Saturday [May 16]

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin: HIV Prevention Healthy Neighborhood Canvass (Milwaukee, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.) Canvass to connect with community members about the high HIV rates in the greater Milwaukee area and share information about the prevention, testing, treatment, and support services available through Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin health centers.

Wednesday [May 20]

Fair Maps Coalition: Wisconsin Fair Maps Community Hearing (Appleton, 6:30 p.m.)

A statewide community hearing on the proposal for an independent redistricting commission to ensure fair voting maps for future generations. (Also Thursday in Menasha at 7:00 p.m.)

Thursday [May 21]

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin: Mom-umental Moments (La Crosse, 5-7 p.m.) & (Oregon, 6-8 p.m.)

A community gathering honoring moms, celebrating Wisconsin’s extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage to one full year after birth, and discussing ways to get involved in volunteer opportunities over the summer. Attendees will have the opportunity to assemble and take home a custom bouquet.

Citizen Action of Wisconsin: Racine Living Wage Town Hall with State Representative Angelina Cruz (Racine, 6 p.m.) A town hall meeting about affordability and comprehensive living wage legislation with Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Assembly Rep. Angelina Cruz, and members and supporters of Wisconsin’s Living Wage Coalition.

Send your events and announcements to State Organizing Coordinator Abigail Deatrick at abigail@couriernewsroom.com (at least one week before the event).

📱 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 weekend!