Wedge Issues

Francesca Hong is a restaurateur, a mom, an activist and (with relative certainty) the next representative of Wisconsin's 76th Assembly District. She joins Jessie Opoien to talk about her priorities in office, what drove her to run, what it means to be the first Asian American in the Wisconsin Legislature, and so much more. Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Madison native Kristin Brey entered 2020 with a plan to move back to Wisconsin from Los Angeles to make a political documentary as the state prepared to host the Democratic National Convention. Then a pandemic hit. Brey, who currently lives with her parents in Wisconsin Rapids, instead launched "As Goes Wisconsin" — a digital media project that uses humor and facts to educate voters and encourage them to participate in the political process. Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seven Democratic contenders vying to replace long-serving state Sen. Fred Risser in Wisconsin's 26th Senate District faced off in a Cap Times candidate forum on July 29. Cap Times political reporter Briana Reilly posed questions to Brian Benford, William Davis III, Nada Elmikashfi, John Imes, Amani Latimer Burris, Aisha Moe and Kelda Roys. The candidate who emerges from the Aug. 11 primary will represent the district, as there is no Republican challenger on the November ballot. Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seven Democratic contenders vying to replace state Rep. Chris Taylor in Wisconsin's 76th Assembly Districtt faced off in a Cap Times candidate forum on July 22. Cap Times political reporter Briana Reilly posed questions to Dewey Bredeson, Heather Driscoll, Francesca Hong, Ali Maresh, Nicki Vander Meulen, Marsha Rummel and Tyrone Cratic Williams. Voters will choose one of these candidates in the Democratic primary on Aug. 11, and the winner will go on to face the lone Republican candidate in the race, Patrick Hull. Stay tuned for more debates for Madison's four vacant legislative seats. Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four Democratic contenders vying to replace state Rep. Melissa Sargent in an Assembly district covering Madison’s north and east sides faced off in a Cap Times candidate forum on July 8. Cap Times political reporter Briana Reilly posed questions to Madison City Council Alds. Samba Baldeh and Lindsay Lemmer, attorney Walter Stewart and economic developer Jason Vangalis. Voters will choose between Baldeh, Lemmer, Stewart and Vangalis in the Democratic primary on Aug. 11, and the winner will go on to face the lone Republican candidate in the race, Samuel Anderson, whose Facebook page says he's running “on a Libertarian platform.” Stay tuned for more debates for Madison's four vacant legislative seats. Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two Democratic contenders vying to replace state Sen. Mark Miller in Wisconsin's 16th Senate District faced off in a Cap Times candidate forum on June 24. Cap Times political reporter Briana Reilly posed questions to state Rep. Melissa Sargent and Monona Grove School Board President Andrew McKinney. The candidate who emerges from the Aug. 11 primary will face Sun Prairie Fire Department Lt. Scott Baker, the lone Republican in the race for the heavily Democratic district, in November. Stay tuned for more debates for Madison's four vacant legislative seats. Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin's Spring Election was three weeks ago, but the debates about its lessons are still raging — here and throughout the country. What does it mean for the November election? Washington Post political reporter David Weigel and UW-Madison political science professor and pollster Barry Burden joined Jessie live, via Zoom, for a virtual chat. Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stacey Abrams says she’s not campaigning to be Joe Biden’s vice president — but, if you ask her if she’d take the job, she won’t shy away from sharing her qualifications.  The former Georgia House Minority Leader and and 2018 gubernatorial candidate joins host Jessie Opoien this week, along with Cap Times politics reporter Briana Reilly, to discuss her voting rights group, Fair Fight, and what she thinks the rest of the country can learn from Wisconsin’s spring election. Abrams also discussed her Madison roots and, of course, the presidential election. Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

April 7 was a big night for Katie Rosenberg. Not only was she elected mayor of Wausau, she also went viral on Twitter with her response to the news: "HOLY BALLS." At 36, Rosenberg is the second woman and the youngest woman ever to serve as mayor of the town where she grew up. Rosenberg joined Wedge Issues host and Cap Times opinion editor Jessie Opoien to discuss her campaign, her plans for the city, what she loves about Wausau and, of course, the tweet. Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Kendzior doesn’t hold back in her assessment of the Trump administration: "We do not have a government; we have a transnational crime syndicate masquerading as a government." In her new book, "Hiding in Plain Sight: The Invention of Donald Trump and the Erosion of America," she details Trump’s rise to power dating back to the 1980s. She was supposed to come to Madison to promote her book this month, but no one’s doing much traveling these days — so we chatted about the book with each other from our own homes.  Support the show: https://checkout.fundjournalism.org/memberform?org_id=capitaltimes&campaign=7013i000000U67DAAS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.