On their latest political podcast, Milfred and Hands talk housing, Ridglan Farms and more with Democratic candidate for governor Mandela Barnes. He says his narrow loss to U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, four years ago is a big reason voters should trust him to win now. “I went through that race and I came out much stronger," Barnes says. "And ultimately, coming out 1 (percentage) point short in 2022 is what has uniquely prepared me for this moment. I know exactly what I’m up against, and I know how we're going to get the job done." Barnes, Wisconsin's former lieutenant governor and a former state lawmaker, was considered the frontrunner in the Democratic primary for months. The race now seems wide open, following Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley's return with Gov. Tony Evers' endorsement. State Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, also polled ahead of Barnes in early voter surveys. 

On their latest political podcast, Milfred and Hands talk ICE, affordability and ERs with Democratic candidate for governor Sara Rodriguez. She's Wisconsin's lieutenant governor, a former state lawmaker and emergency room nurse who has been surging in the race for the Democratic nomination. She won a straw poll at the party's convention and earned endorsements from two former opponents in Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and former Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. leader Missy Hughes. The wife of a first-generation Mexican immigrant, Rodriguez wants to step up opposition to masked federal agents conducting raids in Wisconsin. She also touts her record of winning a seat in the Legislature from conservative-leaning Waukesha County. Rodriguez could become the consensus candidate, especially if the field of five main challengers for the Democratic nomination thins further. “I’ve always been on the front lines," Rodriguez says. "I have always run to the problem."

Milfred and Hands talk with Joel Brennan, one of the least known Democratic candidates for governor with the most executive experience. Brennan has been far back in the polls and didn’t do well in the straw poll at the recent Democratic Party convention. Yet he’s raising a lot of money and starting to tout his impressive resume in TV ads and at campaign stops across the state. Brennan was secretary of the Department of Administration under Gov. Tony Evers and considers himself a “pragmatic progressive.” “You cut me open,” Brennan says, “I’m going to have Wisconsin values.” He understands that he needs to introduce himself to a lot of Wisconsin voters before the Democratic primary on Aug. 11 because of low name recognition. “That’s the thing I’m up against in this race more than anything else,” he says. The likeable Brennan ran the state’s largest science museum before joining the Evers administration and then leading a Milwaukee business and civic leadership group. He’s fed up with President Donald Trump, but says that’s not good enough for the state’s next governor, even though the Republican president is unpopular because of his war and rising prices. “If what people are looking for is just somebody who wants to howl in the wind about what’s going with Donald Trump, there are plenty of us who can do that,” he says. “But for me, it’s never enough just to be angry. It’s got to be about how do you use that to get something done.” Milfred and Hands ask him about schools, taxes, gerrymandering and his favorite card game.

Milfred and Hands talk with Democratic candidate for governor Francesca Hong about raising the minimum wage, instituting a wealth tax and smoking cigars with Republicans. Hong surprised many people by leading early polls for the Democratic nomination among a crowded field of candidates. But can a democratic socialist who represents the ultra-progressive Isthmus and East Side of Madison appeal to voters statewide in Wisconsin? Hong says she's exciting younger voters and others who want an outsider candidate. "They see me as the working-class person, the everyday person because I am," she says. "I don't think I'm better than anyone else." The restauranteur turned state Assemblywoman could win the party's nomination Aug. 11 with around 27% of the primary vote, she says. Milfred and Hands ask about her past statements about defunding police as well as her biggest accomplishment in the Legislature and top priority if elected to lead the state.  

Milfred and Hands talk to David Crowley about his bid for Wisconsin governor, which he says the GOP fears because of his broader appeal. He won reelection as Milwaukee County executive with 85% of the vote. But only 16% of voters in the Madison region know who he is, according to the Marquette Law School poll. That could change soon, because Crowley led Democrats in fundraising the last time numbers were reported, allowing him to spend money on advertising. Crowley touts his record of improving the finances of Wisconsin's largest county while reducing homelessness. 

Milfred and Hands talk with state Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, about her bid for governor. Roys says she's the most experienced leader with results who best measures up against presumptive Republican nominee U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minoqua. "I'm the candidate who can actually say, 'Here's what I've done,' not just 'Here are my ideas that I've never been able to accomplish.'" She touts her endorsement from the state teachers union, her independence and favorite Wisconsin supper club.

Milfred and Hands talk politics and film with Wisconsin native Michael Bauman, the cinematographer for "One Battle After Another," which won six Oscars last month. Bauman, who grew up about 60 miles northeast of Madison in the Fond du Lac County village of Brandon, was nominated for an Oscar and won a BAFTA Award for best cinematography. He talks about the blockbuster movie and its implications for immigration and border policy. He also recounts his experience in the film program at UW-Oshkosh and explains why bigger productions shoot in Illinois rather than Wisconsin -- including "Monster: The Ed Gein Story," which he worked on. Hands thinks Sean Penn's character, Col. Lockjaw, for which he won a supporting actor Oscar, is too real in the Trumpian era to be absurd. Milfred, who grew up with Bauman in Brandon, picks a star to play Bauman in a future biopic.

Milfred and Hands assess the flurry of data centers being proposed across Wisconsin in communities such as Mount Pleasant, Beaver Dam, Janesville, Grant County and, until recently, DeForest. The billion-dollar projects are needed to support our phones, computers, electronic devices and artificial intelligence. But they also will consume, in many cases, more energy than the cities where they hope to locate. That risks undermining Wisconsin's goal to be carbon neutral by 2050 if the Public Service Commission approves more natural gas plants to power the centers. Our political podcasters play audio clips from the Wisconsin Policy Forum's recent forum in Milwaukee on data center development. 

Milfred and Hands play Nostradamus, with apologies to Conan O'Brien, predicting who will win the races for Wisconsin governor, state Supreme Court, Trump's affections and the Big Ten conference in 2026. Milfred sees a future with lots of candidates lining up to run for Madison mayor. Hands makes an easy call about the direction of Madison's property taxes.

This week, we're sharing something a bit different: Scott Milfred joins Richard Kyte and Scott Rada on "The Ethical Life," Lee Enterprises' podcast exploring ethical questions in contemporary life.

Instead of the usual Center Stage format, you'll hear Milfred as a guest in a three-way conversation about predictions, accountability and what the year ahead might bring. The discussion ranges across politics, technology, sports and health care — examining not just what could happen in 2025, but why we're drawn to forecasting in the first place and what last year's predictions reveal about how we think about the future.

If you're looking for the regular Center Stage interview format, we'll be back to that soon. But if you're curious to hear Milfred in a different setting, wrestling with bigger questions about uncertainty and how we make sense of what's coming, give this one a listen.