2022 Election Results

Based on available results as of Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at 10:30 AM. United States Senate Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (50.5 percent) won a third six-year term, defeating Democratic challenger Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (49.5 percent). Governor Democratic Gov. Tony Evers (51.2 percent) defeated Republican challenger Tim Michels (47.8 percent). Evers’ running-mate Rep. Sara […]

Continue Reading ›

Statewide Candidates Hold October Debates

October has been the month for political debates in Wisconsin as candidates try to close the deal with voters in the final weeks before the general election on November 8. Read on for more information about the debates between candidates for statewide offices. U.S. Senate (October 7 & 13) Incumbent U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R) […]

Continue Reading ›

Judge Rules Legislative Oversight of DOJ Settlements is Unconstitutional

A relatively new law, requiring the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) to seek legislative approval to settle or discontinue a civil action, is facing a legal challenge brought by Attorney General (AG) Josh Kaul. Enacted in December 2018 during a “lame-duck” extraordinary session, 2017 Wisconsin Act 369 granted the review power to the Legislature’s budget-writing […]

Continue Reading ›

With Legal Challenges Pending, OSHA Suspends Vaccine Rule

Earlier this month, the federal government released the details of two administrative rules affecting an estimated 100 million workers or more, about two-thirds of the United States’ active labor force. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is requiring all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure that their employees are either vaccinated against COVID-19 or […]

Continue Reading ›

Wisconsin Supreme Court Holding Oral Arguments September Through December

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has announced its schedule for oral arguments for the remainder of 2021. Earlier this year, the court heard cases in January through April and one case in May, then took a break over the summer and began hearing cases again in September. Below is a summary of the court’s schedule for […]

Continue Reading ›

Former Lawmaker Enters AG Race, Calls on Other Candidates to Join

After shrinking last month, the field of Republican candidates for Wisconsin Attorney General has expanded again. As we reported here, UW-Madison professor Ryan Owens announced in early October that he was leaving the race. That decision left Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney as the only person seeking his party’s nomination for the position. Then, […]

Continue Reading ›

Statewide Election Updates: Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General

First Democratic Candidate Enters Race for Lieutenant Governor Wisconsin will hold elections for its statewide partisan offices in 2022, including for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general. With Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes running for U.S. Senate, Democrats will hold a primary election to select Governor Tony Evers’ new running mate. State Senator Lena Taylor of […]

Continue Reading ›

PFAS Update: State Hires California Firm to Litigate PFAS Claims; Other Lawsuits in Progress

On August 25, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul (D) and Governor Tony Evers (D) announced that the state had hired a law firm, Sher Edling LLP, to litigate against companies responsible for discharging PFAS compounds in Wisconsin. According to a press release from the Department of Justice (DOJ), Sher Edling “represents state and local governments […]

Continue Reading ›

PFAS Update: State Seeks Outside Lawyers to Litigate Against PFAS Dischargers

On Friday, January 22, Governor Tony Evers announced that his administration is soliciting bids from law firms to find a legal team to litigate against companies responsible for discharging PFAS compounds in Wisconsin. This is one of many recommendations from the state’s PFAS Action Plan, published late last year by the governor’s PFAS Action Council. […]

Continue Reading ›

WSBU v. Brennan & Bartlett v. Evers (Gubernatorial Vetoes)

Released on the same day, WSBU v. Brennan (2020 WI 69) and Bartlett v. Evers (2020 WI 68) both involve challenges to gubernatorial vetoes. The court dismissed WSBU v. Brennan but declared 3 of the 4 challenged vetoes in Bartlett v. Evers unconstitutional. Under the Wisconsin Constitution (Article V, Section 10), governors can partially veto […]

Continue Reading ›