Wedge Issues

On this week's episode, Jack talks with Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, who represents the state’s 1st congressional delegation, which encompasses large portions of southeast Wisconsin, including Janesville, Lake Geneva and Racine. They discuss the debt limit deal negotiated by President Joe Biden and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, if he’s supporting a particular candidate in the Republican primary for president and more. Support the show: https://tinyurl.com/supportwedgeissues Subscribe to Wedge Issues, the newsletter: https://captimes.com/newsletters/ Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of Wedge Issues, Jack spoke with Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Baldwin, who is gearing up to run for a third term in the U.S. Senate, has been a mainstay in Wisconsin politics for more than 25 years. And even though she doesn’t yet have a Republican challenger in 2024, she’s wasting no time getting back on the road in Wisconsin to meet with voters.  Jack spoke with Baldwin last week at her campaign office in Madison about her work on the Respect for Marriage Act, what she learned from the 2022 midterm elections, why she’s seeking a third term in the Senate, and what’s to come over the next year and half. Support the show: https://tinyurl.com/supportwedgeissues Subscribe to Wedge Issues, the newsletter: https://captimes.com/newsletters/ Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin Sen. Kelda Roys, an attorney and small business owner, was elected to the Senate in 2020. She previously served in the Assembly from 2009-2013. She now serves on the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, which — among other things — revises the governor’s state budget proposal before it goes before the full Legislature. In this episode, the Madison Democrat talked with Jessie and Jack about budget negotiations, the state Supreme Court and abortion access. And, of course, she was put through the rigors of the lightning round.  Subscribe to Wedge Issues on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or anywhere else you find podcasts. We’ll have new episodes every other week. And be sure to subscribe to the weekly Wedge Issues newsletter here. Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Jessie speaks with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. Vos, a Republican from Rochester in southeastern Wisconsin, is the longest-serving speaker in state history. He’s held the post for a decade, and has been in office nearly 20 years.  In this episode, Vos talked with Jessie in his state Capitol office, one day after the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee took its first votes on the 2023-25 state budget and Republican lawmakers introduced a massive proposal to overhaul the state’s approach to shared revenue and to boost local government funding. Vos talked about his policy priorities, his hopes for the future of the Republican Party and how his efforts to hit the “reset” button with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers are going. And, of course, he was put through the rigors of the lightning round.  Enjoy the show! Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of Wedge Issues, Jack spoke with Brian Schimming, chair of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. Schimming assumed his role as head of the state party in December, becoming its first paid chairman in years. He’s been tasked with bolstering a state party — which trails its Democratic counterpart when it comes to fundraising — that has long relied on the work of volunteers. In the episode, Schimming walked Jack through what he envisions for the state party, how significant the Republican National Convention will be to Milwaukee in 2024 and what Republicans need to do to shift the political headwinds they’ve faced since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, thereby reactivating a longstanding ban on abortion in Wisconsin. Support the show: https://tinyurl.com/supportwedgeissues See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of Wedge Issues, Jessie and Jack spoke with Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski. Godlewski, a former state treasurer, was appointed to the role earlier this month. She replaced longtime Secretary of State Doug La Follette, who was just reelected in November but unexpectedly retired March 17 after four decades in the office. In the episode, Godlewski walks through what she’s envisioning for the office’s future, her conversation with Gov. Tony Evers before he appointed her to the role and what her new gig means for her work on restoring abortion access in Wisconsin. And, of course, we put her through the rigors of the lightning round. Support the show: https://tinyurl.com/supportwedgeissues Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the latest episode of the Cap Times’ politics podcast, Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Daniel Kelly talks about being a constitutional conservative. Kelly, a conservative, is vying for a seat in the (ostensibly) nonpartisan race against Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Janet Protasiewicz, a liberal. Ideological control of the court is on the line, which has attracted a flood of national attention and made the race the most expensive judicial contest in American history. In the episode, we asked Kelly about cases that could come before the court including a challenge to the state’s 1849 abortion ban and a new look at the state’s electoral maps. We also discussed his endorsements and previous work, his judicial philosophy and why he believes he is the right person to fill the seat being vacated by retiring conservative Justice Patience Roggensack. And, of course, we put him through the rigors of the lightning round.  Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The April 4 Wisconsin Supreme Court election features liberal Milwaukee County Judge Janet Protasiewicz and conservative former state Justice Daniel Kelly. In this episode, Protasiewicz talks abortion, redistricting, recusal rules and more. Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers talks with Cap Times politics reporters Jessie Opoien and Jack Kelly about his new budget proposal, working with Republicans and cream puffs.

To commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the introduction of and historic protests over the legislation that would later become Act 10, the Cap Times is producing a series of stories and podcasts over the next month. Led by Cap Times’ K-12 education reporter Scott Girard and state politics reporter Briana Reilly, the series will run to mid-March and be available at captimes.com. The podcast discussions will be made available through Jessie Opoien’s Wedge Issues feed on most major podcasting platforms, and at captimes.com. In the final episode of the series, West High School Dean of Students and Madison Teachers Inc. President-elect Michael Jones speaks with Girard and Reilly about what it was like to be a new teacher when Act 10 was passed, and how he thinks it has changed his profession.  Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.