With Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers officially out for a third term, the race for 2026 is already heating up—and WTMJ’s Kristin Brey dives in with Republican strategist Bill McCoshen and Democratic State Rep. Deb Andraca.

They break down who’s already running—and who might

Plus:

🔥 Kristin weighs in on the Epstein files firestorm, calling it “scratching an itch” as national Democrats push for full transparency.

💰 She also tackles concerns about the future of Social Security, answering real-time listener questions.

And don’t miss:

🗓️ A Week-In-Review of the biggest stories

🎙️ A one-on-one interview with newly announced gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, where she discusses her campaign, challenges in a purple state, and what sets her apart in the race to lead Wisconsin.

Kristin Brey takes the reins for a wild, insightful ride through Milwaukee’s latest headlines and national developments.

She kicks off with:

📺 The Jeffrey Epstein files and her reaction to the Netflix documentary

📉 How shows like The Wire shaped perceptions of Baltimore—and how new leadership is flipping the narrative with real crime reductions

👮Mayor Cavalier Johnson joins to share how Milwaukee is working to replicate that success—highlighting local initiatives like Camp Rise

⚠️ Emergency Alert System overuse and “alert fatigue” explained by expert Dr. Jeanette Sutton—how climate change plays a role

🗞️ Breaking News: Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan has passed away

Then:

🏘️ Urban Milwaukee’s Jeramey Jannene drops by with updates on:

-Milwaukee’s growing Housing Authority deficit

-Results of traffic calming measures like raised crosswalks and speed humps

-A city proposal to add sprinklers to affordable housing

-Financial fate of Mitchell Park Domes

-An auction for the notorious beached boat “Deep Thought”

-Hope for the Villa Theater revival

-And... a bar owner busted for having cocaine and live chickens

Donald Trump accuses Barack Obama of treason over the 2020 election—Steve Scaffidi and Kristin Brey aren’t buying it, calling it another deflection from the ongoing Epstein files controversy.

Also in this episode:

🏫 Wisconsin school funding—is relying on property taxes holding the state back?

🎥 A viral Jubilee YouTube debate puts journalist Mehdi Hasan face-to-face with fascists—Steve and Kristin ask: is fascism a belief or a warning sign?

🍔 The Brewers snap their 11-game streak—meaning no free George Webb burgers for anyone

🍁 Canada protests U.S. liquor tariffs—and American distillers might soon feel the hangover

💸 Dr. Margaret Hughes-Morgan (Marquette) breaks down why Kohl’s is now a meme stock, and if investors should be worried

🏛️ Could the Kennedy Center really be renamed after Melania Trump?

Ask Us Anything:

🎡 Gov. Evers sightings at the State Fair, Steve’s time as mayor, Sicilian travel tips, women's suffrage, swearing, and school detention drama

The Brewers are one win away from free George Webb’s burgers—but Steve Scaffidi and Kristin Brey aren’t just talking baseball. They’re diving deep into the political heat of the day:

🗺️ Early redistricting battles are brewing—Republicans want it now, Democrats like Beto O’Rourke want to fight back hard. But with gerrymandering from both sides, Steve and Kristin ask: Is democracy even real anymore?

🎙️ Hunter Biden lashes out at Democrats and George Clooney in a fiery podcast—what does this say about the fractured party post-Biden?

Also in this episode:

🛑 Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly recesses Congress—guess why.

📁 Trump releases some files on the MLK Jr. assassination—but holds back others

🤖 Local journalism under fire for inaccurate AI-written stories—and is AI becoming predatory in the ticket market?

Steve Scaffidi and Kristin Brey are joined by WISN’s Matt Smith to break down the latest shakeups in the Wisconsin governor’s race—starting with new Republican contender Bill Berrien. Hear exclusive clips from Berrien’s UpFront interview on Donald Trump and the state of the GOP.

Also in this episode:

📍Could Green Bay host another NFL Draft? Matt shares insights from Visit Green Bay

🎂 One year since President Biden dropped out—what could’ve changed the 2024 race?

⚾ Trump demands the Guardians and Commanders return to their old names—Steve and Kristin say it’s just a distraction from the Epstein files

🎧 A taste of their new You Need to Listen podcast as they react to Scottie Scheffler’s existential moment

💰 Annex Wealth CEO Dave Spano joins to talk cautious optimism in the markets

💼 Will Trump really fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell?

Plus:

🍟 National Junk Food Day favorites, grocery inflation woes, and listener texts to wrap it up

WTMJ hosts Steve Scaffidi and Kristin Brey are joined by political strategists Joe Zepecki (D) and Bill McCoshen (R) for a fiery, funny, and heartfelt episode.

They kick off with the newly uncovered bawdy birthday letter Trump once sent to Jeffrey Epstein, and unpack why this story still dominates headlines. Then it’s on to the Senate’s rescission bill, the growing speculation around Governor Tony Evers’ third-term decision, and the early rumblings of the 2028 midterms.

Also in this episode:

🎤 Stephen Colbert’s Late Show end had been announced—what does it say about modern media?

🎥 Coldplay’s kiss cam goes viral—for all the wrong reasons

🎖️ Netanyahu nominates Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize—should he get it?

👊 Mark Pocan vs. Derrick Van Orden: immature meltdown or just politics as usual?

NEW SEGMENT ALERT:

💬 Say Something Nice About the Other Side—Kristin challenges everyone to find common ground

Is Governor Tony Evers about to decide on running in 2026? Steve Scaffidi and Kristin Brey react to the rumors.

Also in this episode:

🎤 Shane Gillis stirs controversy at the ESPYs with jabs at Caitlin Clark and the Epstein list

🎙️ U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin joins live to sound the alarm on Trump’s rescission bill and its threat to rural healthcare and public media in the north woods, the federal deficit and if she knows Evers' next move.

PLUS: Jeramey Jannene (Urban Milwaukee) stops by to unpack:

Summerfest attendance

Food truck hotspots and trampoline politics

Granny flats, Third Ward hotels, and more.

Kristin Brey returns from a long weekend, just in time to jump back into the fire with Steve Scaffidi. First up: the unrelenting demand for the release of the Epstein files—and why it won’t go away.

Also in this episode:

📺 Steve and Kristin debate the Senate vote to defund NPR and PBS, and whether they could live without public media.

👷‍♀️ Former Wauwatosa Mayor Jill Didier joins in-studio to preview the “Build Like a Girl” event encouraging young women to enter the trades

🏛️ Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s potential run for president...again.

Plus:

❓Ask Us Anything: Gun laws, Ron Johnson, "Booyah", lawn care, and Brewers phenom Jacob Misiorowski

🎙️ A preview of the next Scaffidiology and You Need to Listen podcast episodes

Steve Scaffidi is joined by political writer James Wigderson to explore how Senator Ron Johnson has strayed from his small-government roots and Congressman Derrick Van Orden’s online outbursts.

Then:

📰 Christian Schneider joins to talk Trump, the Epstein files, what Christian learned from watching every episode of SNL and more.

And Ripped from the Headlines:

⚖️ Wisconsin Justice Rebecca Bradley’s empty campaign war chest

💰 Trump's tariffs and their impact on Wisconsin

🏛️ Supreme Court lets Trump dismantle the Department of Education

⛽ Steve weighs in on the Oak Creek Buc-ee’s controversy

WTMJ’s Steve Scaffidi is solo today and is joined in-studio by WISN’s Matt Smith for a fast-paced hour on where Wisconsin politics stands—and where it’s headed. They break down new Democratic Party Chair Devin Remiker’s first major messaging push, what’s next for Governor Evers, and new scrutiny over uncounted ballots in Madison and more.

Also in this episode:

📈 Annex Wealth CEO Dave Spano on Trump’s budget, tariffs, and investor fears

🛑 Why former Trump officials are suddenly silent on the Epstein list—despite past demands