Former leader confident they will be successful in fighting for policies that truly serve Wisconsin’s working families.

MADISON - Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) released the following statement congratulating Assembly Democratic Leader-Elect Greta Neubauer and Assistant Leader-Elect Kalan Haywood:

“I want to congratulate Assembly Democratic Leader-Elect Greta Neubauer and Assistant Leader-Elect Kalan Haywood. I look forward to working with both of them to push for Democratic values and priorities in the State Assembly.

“As our next Leader, Rep. Neubauer will bring fresh energy, policy experience, unmatched organizing skill, and a clear vision for the Assembly Democratic Caucus. With Rep. Neubauer as leader, I am confident Assembly Democrats will remain strong and continue to be united in pushing back against increasing Republican extremism and attacks on our democracy while also offering a positive Democratic vision for Wisconsin.

“Rep. Haywood will help build our caucus into the future as our next Assistant Leader. His fresh perspective and commitment to uplifting individual caucus voices is more important now than ever. The stakes are incredibly high in Wisconsin, and we know Assembly Democrats are strongest when we work together.

“With Rep. Neubauer and Rep. Haywood at the helm, I am confident that Assembly Democrats will be successful in fighting for policies that truly serve Wisconsin’s working families.”

MADISON – Wisconsin State Representative Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) released the following statement following her election as Assembly Democratic Leader:

“First and foremost, I would like to thank Rep. Hintz and Rep. Hesselbein again for their service to our caucus and to the people of Wisconsin. Their leadership over the past four years has been invaluable, and I look forward to continuing the hard work of making Wisconsin a place where we all can thrive.

“As Assembly Democratic Leader, I will work to build the relationships, the strategy, and the infrastructure to move our shared values and priorities forward. I will make tough decisions and push back when necessary. And I will do everything in my power to provide more opportunities for every member to lead on the issues they are most passionate about.

“I am extremely grateful for the support I have received from my colleagues today and for their vote of confidence. I look forward to continuing our work to build a more equitable and resilient Wisconsin.”

Madison - Representative Lisa Subeck, today announced her endorsement of Alex Lasry to be Wisconsin’s next U.S. Senator.

“Alex Lasry is the right choice to represent Wisconsinites in the U.S. Senate,” said Rep. Subeck. “The people of Wisconsin are tired of all the political fighting in Washington and are ready for a Senator that will go to Congress and get things done to improve their lives. Through his work with the Bucks, Alex has a proven record of doing just that.”

“Alex is building the strong statewide campaign that it will take to beat Ron Johnson next fall,'' continued Rep. Subeck. “I’m proud to be a part of the team that is going to help protect the Democratic Majority in the Senate, and I can’t wait to get to work.”

“During her time in the State Assembly on the Madison City Council, Rep. Subeck has been a tireless advocate for the people of Madison and Wisconsin,” said Alex Lasry. “I’m honored to have her support, and I look forward to working with her to win this seat and to deliver for people across our state.”

Rep. Subeck joins a growing list of endorsements for Lasry, including fellow Madison-area State Representative Shelia Stubbs and several Wisconsin unions including Teamsters Joint Council 39, IBEW Local 494, Operating Engineers Local 139, IATSE Local 18, and the Wisconsin Pipe Trades Association.

The Democratic Primary Election for the United States Senate will be held Tuesday, August 9th, 2022. For more information about Alex Lasry’s campaign, visit www.alexlasry.com.

We won’t stop until every single Wisconsin voter knows how the Democratic Party is delivering for them, say Democrats in Cap Times Op-ed.

Oshkosh lawmaker to relinquish leadership role after four years, wants to continue to serve in Assembly.

More Wisconsin farmers are tapping into a state support program meant to offset the negative effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

MADISON, Wis. -- Agriculture producers across the state are getting a bountiful harvest this winter - thanks to Governor Evers, almost 20,000 farmers have been approved to receive thousands of dollars in state COVID aid, helping producers, especially our dairy industry, moo-ve past this pandemic.

The agricultural industry is a cornerstone of our state’s economy - contributing nearly $105 billion annually and supporting more than 435,000 jobs. That’s why Governor Evers has made supporting farmers a priority - so far, he’s allocated $100 million through the Wisconsin Farm Support program. This latest crop of funding will ensure the agricultural industry can build back stronger than before.

Read more about Gov. Evers’ Wisconsin Farm Support program below.

WPR: Nearly 20K Wisconsin farms will receive state COVID-19 aid

More Wisconsin farmers are tapping into a state support program meant to offset the negative effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

[...]

Gov. Tony Evers first created the program using federal COVID-19 recovery funds in 2020 to provide direct payments to farmers. Last year, the state awarded $3,500 to just over 15,000 farmers who made between $10,000 and $5 million in gross income the previous year.

Randy Romanski, secretary of the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, said almost 20,000 people have so far been approved for the program. Farmers who had problems with their application have until 4:30 p.m. on Friday to resolve them with the Department of Revenue before payments are made.

Romanski said the $50 million available for the program will be evenly split among approved applicants, with farmers currently expected to receive around $2,500. The state will begin issuing payments on Dec. 17.

While officials don’t know for sure why more farmers applied for the program this year, Romanski said he believes the early announcement from Evers about the availability of funds and the Department of Revenue sending out letters to all eligible farmers helped increase awareness about the availability of funding.

"There was an understanding of how quick and easy it was to fill out. And someone who may not have applied last time may know a friend, neighbor, relative that applied and they decided to get in this time," he said.

[...]

MADISON, Wis. -- Yesterday, during stops in Milwaukee, Chilton, Stevens Point, and Holmen, Gov. Tony Evers announced that he has delivered on his promise to invest $110 million in federal funds to Wisconsin’s school districts.

That’s a $133.72 increase in per pupil funding delivered directly to every single school district in Wisconsin. This funding will allow schools to hire additional educators and staff, provide more educational and extracurricular opportunities, invest in mental health supports, buy art supplies or computers, or keep the lights on — whatever each school needs to do what’s best for our kids.

For Gov. Evers, a strong education system is the key foundation for a vibrant Wisconsin. A former science teacher, principal, district superintendent, and Superintendent of Public Instruction, Gov. Evers has long said that what’s best for our kids is what’s best for our state. 

Gov. Evers’ student-first education policies stand in stark contrast to Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch’s radical cuts to education. During his first term, Gov. Evers has increased funding for public schools, stood with teachers and students throughout the pandemic while Republican legislators sat out of session for 300 days, and supported Wisconsin’s vibrant universities and technical colleges.

Gov. Evers continues to clean up the previous administration’s neglect of Wisconsin public schools. In 2011, Walker and Kleefisch passed a budget that cut public education funding by $800 million, and in 2015, their budget failed to increase K-12 funding and slashed the University of Wisconsin’s funding by $250 million. Walker and Kleefisch also supported legislation that attacked educators and led to a historic teacher shortage. 

See below for a roundup of coverage on Gov. Evers delivering on his promises. 

Channel 3000: Evers follows through on promise to give Wisconsin schools $110 million in federal aid

WISN: Gov. Tony Evers delivers $110M in COVID-19 funds to Wisconsin schools

Fox 6: Wisconsin invests $110M in kids, schools via federal COVID relief funds

TMJ4: Gov. Evers announces $110 million in additional education spending

CBS 58: Gov. Evers announces $110 million of federal coronavirus relief funds will go to Wisconsin schools

WKBT: Evers announces $110 million education investment

WKBT: Watch: Gov. Evers talks education in Holmen

WLUK: Evers directs $110 million in COVID relief to schools

WFRV: Gov. Evers visits Chilton school, touts $110M headed to schools statewide

WMTV: Over $100 million in COVID-19 funds going to state schools

WKOW: Gov. Evers announces $110 million in new funding for Wisconsin schools

WPR: Gov. Evers announces $110M in additional funding for schools

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Gov. Tony Evers directs $110 million in pandemic relief funds to Wisconsin school districts, with $9 million going to MPS alone

Wisconsin Examiner: Gov. Evers announces $110 million for Wisconsin schools

Tomahawk Leader: Evers directs federal coronavirus relief funding to state schools; Tomahawk to receive $152,000.00

Wisconsin State Journal: Madison School District to receive more than $3.5 million in federal funds

MADISON, Wis. -- Today, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers vetoed the GOP’s partisan redistricting plan, defending our democracy and right to vote in a free and fair election. Wisconsin’s GOP-controlled legislature passed rigged maps, in an attempt to cement their legislative majorities for another decade.

Wisconsinites overwhelmingly support nonpartisan redistricting. Over the last several years, 55 Wisconsin counties, representing nearly 83 percent of Wisconsin residents, have either held referendum votes or have had resolutions approved by a county board supporting nonpartisan redistricting.

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler released the following statement:

“With Governor Evers’s veto, the Republican attempt to re-gerrymander our state and thwart our democracy has slammed into a brick wall. Governor Tony Evers has demonstrated once more that he is the last line of defense against anti-democratic attacks. Republican legislators in Wisconsin have lost sight of how a democracy works — voters are supposed to choose their elected officials, not the other way around. The process of drawing legislative maps should be fair, transparent, and nonpartisan, but as we’ve seen, Republicans will stop at nothing to hold onto power.

“We’re still paying the price for last decade’s rigged Republican maps, which were drawn behind closed doors by GOP politicians without any public input. Ever since the people of Wisconsin elected Governor Eversin 2018, Republican legislators have used their gerrymandered majorities to block and obstruct the people’s agenda — and at times have not even shown up to their jobs as legislators.

“A decade of life in Wisconsin under Republican gerrymandering has made clear that it’s time that Wisconsin receives the fair maps it deserves. Gov. Evers vetoed these bills because he is committed to fair maps that are crafted transparently — not maps created by political insiders and lobbyists that allow Republicans to maintain their gerrymandered grip on Wisconsin.”

MADISON, Wis. -- Wednesday, Gov. Tony Evers traveled across Wisconsin to announce $15 million in grants to local tourism organizations as the Badger State’s tourism and entertainment industries continue to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Thanks to Gov. Evers, 120 destination marketing organizations from every corner of the state are receiving grants that will help them attract more visitors to explore all that Wisconsin has to offer.

Wisconsin’s tourism industry contributes over $17 billion to the state’s economy, and a new report released last week showed the industry is experiencing a strong economic rebound. Gov. Evers’ continued investment in Wisconsin tourism and bold action to respond to the pandemic is spurring economic growth and ensuring that Wisconsin’s tourism and entertainment industries bounce back stronger than ever before.

See below for a roundup of coverage on Gov. Evers’ tourism investments. 

Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh, Fox Cities convention and visitors bureaus get $1.1 million in state destination marketing grants

Milwaukee Business Journal: Wisconsin Gov. Evers awards Rescue Act funds for tourism, including $1M to Visit Milwaukee

Eau Claire Leader-Telegram: In Eau Claire stop, Gov. Evers announces tourism grant

Racine County Eye: Real Racine Receives State Destination Marketing Grant

Channel 3000: Gov. Evers hails tourism rebound, announces local investments

WKBT: La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau gets $451,500 grant among $15 million statewide

WLAX: “Visit Eau Claire” receives tourism grant

WEAU: Gov. Evers announces $15 million in tourism grants

WAOW: Governor Evers awards $140 million in grants to tourism industry

WSAU: Evers Uses Statewide Tour to Announce $15 Million in Tourism Grants

WQOW: Gov. Evers awards grants to local tourism organizations

WBAY: Area tourism organizations receive $15 million in grant

Uses his Veto Pen as last line of defense against Republican legislative overreach.

MADISON, Wis. -- During his first term, Governor Evers has been the last line of defense against Republican attempts to take Wisconsin backward by passing egregious legislation. From attacks on voting rights and reproductive freedom to attempts to slow down federal aid to businesses, the GOP’s agenda for Wisconsin would deeply hurt our state, underscoring the importance of re-electing Governor Evers in 2022.

GOP gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Kleefisch has said she will sign voter suppression legislation, called for wasting taxpayer dollars on sham election reviews, and refused to rule out overturning the results of a democratic election should she not like the outcome.

Read more about how Governor Evers has protected our state from harmful legislation below.

UpNorthNews: Voting Rights, COVID Safety, and Abortion: Evers Has Vetoed Numerous Harmful Bills

One year from now, Wisconsin voters will have chosen to either re-elect Democratic Gov. Tony Evers or elect his Republican opponent, currently expected to be former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch.

As legislative Republicans move forward with their proposed gerrymandered maps, entrenching their advantage in the Assembly and Senate, the governor’s race will mean the difference between having a balance of power between the parties in a decidedly purple state and allowing Republicans to run the state unchecked.

As the Democratic governor to a Republican-led statehouse, one of Evers’ powers has been the veto pen, blocking legislation that would have exacerbated the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic—especially on the un- or under-employed—made voting more difficult, and restricted abortion rights.

But with control of all three branches of state government in Wisconsin, what would be Wisconsin Republicans’ priorities? And what would they push through if unhindered?

While Kleefisch has not provided a plan for how to guide the state through the ongoing pandemic and doesn’t even mention COVID-19 on her campaign website or her priorities for the state under the 1848 Project, she spoke before an anti-vaccine organization before coming down with COVID-19 herself, and has said that she does not support vaccine or masking requirements, despite their effectiveness with reducing the spread of COVID-19.

The priorities she does list include funding charter schools, pushing back against police reform, and so-called election security, a phrase legislative Republicans have used to justify legislation that would make it harder for lawful voters to access the ballot box. Kleefisch has also said she would sign a Texas-style “heartbeat” abortion restriction and declined to say whether she would sign a bill allowing the Legislature to overturn elections.

[...]

Republican Priorities

The first legislation out of the gate in the 2021-22 legislative session was the COVID-19 package put forward during the winter 2020 special session. After 300 days of inaction in the Statehouse chambers and a litany of lawsuits against public health measures, Assembly Republicans unveiled a COVID-19 relief package that was short on relief and loaded with mandates, punitive measures, and requirements that public workers return to offices despite the obvious dangers.Senate Republicans reached a compromise with Evers, but it was shot down by Assembly Republicans. Even after weeks of negotiations, and a veto, Evers said the bills that were finally passed fell well short of expectations and the need across the state.

Legislators then introduced some of the toxic provisions from the first bill—such as micromanaging federal COVID-19 relief funds, banning private workplaces from setting vaccine requirements (against the protests of healthcare facilities), banning public health officials from setting safety requirements at houses of worship, and requiring public employees to stop working from home—as separate bills that Evers then vetoed.

The next big priority for statehouse Republicans was so-called election reform. Based on the “Big Lie” that former President Donald Trump actually won the 2020 election, legislative Republicans followed suit with their counterparts around the country and rolled out several bills that would limit ballot access or result in more ballots being disqualified.

Several of them would have set limits on absentee ballots: how people could receive them, how they could return them (particularly limiting municipalities to one ballot drop box), and prohibiting clerks from making corrections on addresses so ballots wouldn’t be thrown out. Disability advocates in particular argued the bills would limit their community from exercising their right to vote.

Evers stated publicly that he would veto any bill that restricts voter access, but Republican lawmakers still passed several restrictive bills. Evers followed through and vetoed them.

[...]

Legislative Republicans have introduced bills to limit abortion access as well. They have not made their way to Evers’ desk, but are moving along through the legislative chambers. Four of them are almost exact copies of four bills that Evers vetoed in 2019.