WisPolitics Capitol Chats

In this week's Capitol Chats episode, soon-to-be Democratic Party of Wisconsin Executive Director Sarah Abel says Tammy Baldwin would have won reelection against Republican Eric Hovde even if America First candidate Thomas Leager, who Dem donors helped put on the ballot, hadn't been in the race. Hovde has blamed Leager for his loss.

In this week's Capitol Chats, GOP strategist Bill McCoshen and Dem strategist Joe Zepecki join a special edition of the podcast on this week's elections in Wisconsin. McCoshen credits President-elect Donald Trump for winning over more voters in rural areas and Zepecki touts Dem U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin winning reelection despite Trump carrying the state. Baldwin is the first Wisconsin candidate for U.S. Senate since 1968 to win an election when the nominee for the other party won the presidential race.

In this week’s Capitol Chats episode, former Dem U.S. Senate candidate and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes talks about his The Long Run PAC, which aims to support nontraditional candidates. Barnes says his experience running for U.S. Senate puts him in a position to support candidates who feel things aren't going their way or are being bombarded by racist or misogynistic attack ads.

In this week's Capitol Chats episode, UW-La Follette School Director Susan Webb-Yackee shares how the Main Street Agenda program, a partnership between the La Follette School and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, has sought to bring Wisconsinites together across political lines.

In this week’s Capitol Chats episode, Republican 8th CD candidate Tony Wied says his opponent, Dem Kristin Lyerly, is a "rubber stamp" for the Biden-Harris administration. Wied also declined to share his thoughts on a GOP proposal to ask voters to weigh in on a 14-week abortion ban.

In this week’s Capitol Chats episode, 8th CD Dem candidate Kristin Lyerly, an OB-GYN, says she believes her message in support of abortion resonates in the district, arguing abortion “is not something rare and unusual.” This interview was conducted before Lyerly and GOP opponent Tony Wied agreed to a debate.

In this week’s Capitol Chats episode, American Bar Association president-elect Michelle Behnke shares her thoughts on being the second Wisconsinite to lead the organization and what she hopes to accomplish. Behnke also reflects on her milestones as the first person of color and fourth woman to lead the State Bar Association.

A special edition of Capitol Chats reviews the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. WisPolitics President Jeff Mayers speaks with Stan Milam of the Janesville Gazette, Grace Segers of The New Republic, Ruth Conniff of the Wisconsin Examiner and Matt Smith of WISN TV, co-host of WisPolitics partner show, “UpFront.”

In this week's Capitol Chats episode, state GOP Chair Brian Schimming says while there may be a honeymoon period around Dem presidential nominee Kamala Harris' candidacy, he expects it to be cut short once voters learn more about her record.

In this week's Capitol Chats episode, State Dem Party Chair Ben Wikler says Wisconsin DNC delegates who haven't formally endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign have "absolute clarity" that they support her over former President Donald Trump.