Wisconsin
Judges reject challenge to Wisconsin congressional maps
Gov. Tony Evers urges Wisconsin lawmakers to pass gerrymandering ban
Gov. Tony Evers has called lawmakers in to take up a constitutional amendment banning partisan gerrymandering in Wisconsin’s redistricting process.
MADISON – A second three-judge panel on Tuesday dismissed a challenge to Wisconsin’s congressional maps, ruling it has no authority to act on the claims without further input from the state Supreme Court.
“Until the [state] Supreme Court says otherwise,” the lawsuit’s claims are “non-justiciable and non-cognizable under Wisconsin law,” the judges wrote.
The law firm that brought the suit said it would immediately appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court.
The decision is one of two cases that have been under consideration by separate panels composed of three judges from different counties appointed by the liberal-led state Supreme Court. The lawsuits, filed in July 2025, followed multiple failed attempts to redraw the maps, which are currently represented by six Republicans and two Democrats.
This case, brought by Law Forward representing the group Wisconsin Business Leaders for Democracy, contends the current maps amount to an anti-competitive gerrymander.
Republican members of the state’s congressional delegation and others sought to dismiss it.
“The three-judge panel got it right,” said Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty deputy counsel Lucas Vebber, an intervenor in the case. “This is a victory for the rule of law in our state.”
The state’s high court issued orders Nov. 25 concluding the two legal challenges constituted “an action to challenge the apportionment of any congressional or state legislative district” under a 2011 state law that requires such challenges to be heard by a panel appointed by the Supreme Court.
It was the first time the 2011 law had been invoked in a redistricting case.
The three-judge panel, led by Dane County Circuit Judge David Conway, wrote in its April 28 order that while plaintiffs presented a “detailed theory to support their claims,” the state Supreme Court already held in 2022 that the “partisan composition of electoral districts raises a non-justiciable political question.”
The panel, “as an inferior court, is obligated to obey them,” the judges wrote.
“The Supreme Court is the ultimate interpreter of our state constitution. When the Court speaks, its words are final unless and until it says otherwise. Because this panel is bound by the Court’s interpretations, it must alternatively dismiss Plaintiffs’ claims for failure to state a cognizable constitutional cause of action,” the panel wrote.
A separate three-judge panel last month rejected a parallel case on similar grounds.
“This is the first anti-competitive gerrymandering case ever filed in Wisconsin courts, and it deserves to be heard,” Law Forward director of litigation Doug Poland said in a statement. “
Under the 2011 law that required these challenges to be heard by panels of circuit court judges, the order may only be appealed to the state Supreme Court.
“We will therefore appeal the case to our state supreme court and look forward to the opportunity to prove that the state’s congressional maps must be redrawn to ensure that Wisconsin voters are given a real choice in voting for congressional district candidates and that the legislature does not dictate which political party’s candidate will prevail by skewing the composition of districts to protect incumbents and political parties,” Poland said.
Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, one of several Democrats vying to be the party’s gubernatorial candidate, posted on X in response to the ruling that “a 50-50 state with a 6-2 delegation isn’t a fair map” and said as governor he would use every option available to me to protect our democracy.”
A campaign spokesman said Barnes would “work with the Legislature to pass fair maps next session.”
President Donald Trump last year pushed Republican-leaning states to redraw their congressional maps to add GOP-held seats in the U.S. House. The effort prompted some Democratic-leaning states to embark on their own efforts to add blue seats.
Gov. Tony Evers seeks a nonpartisan redistricting process
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who is not seeking a third term, has said it would be a mistake for Wisconsin to engage in the partisan arms race to draw new electoral maps.
“I don’t think we’re in a position to do that. We could draw them as crazy as possible, but … we couldn’t pick up enough seats to make a difference. I just think it would be bad politics for the Democrats to try to do that, and I just don’t think there’s a way to do it,” Evers told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last fall.
Evers has said implementing a permanent nonpartisan process to create new electoral maps is a priority before he leaves office.
The governor signed an executive order last month calling the Legislature to open a special legislative session to pass a constitutional amendment barring the use of partisan gerrymandering in the state’s redistricting process.
Republicans who control the Legislature have left the special session open rather than immediately gaveling out of it as they have done more than a dozen times when Evers has made similar calls. In doing so, they said they were leaving the door open to “continue meaningful dialogue” on the issue – but Evers said there’s nothing to negotiate.
“Lawmakers either want to ban partisan gerrymandering in Wisconsin or they don’t. It’s that simple,” Evers countered. “If lawmakers fail to take a public vote on this basic question, then Wisconsinites have no choice but to assume their lawmaker’s position on this issue.”
Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
After landing three-star edge rusher/defensive lineman Yahzeen Zion on Saturday, the Wisconsin Badgers got another key commitment at the position on Sunday, as three-star Darin Graham committed to the program.
Graham, a native of Illinois, stands 6’5, 220 pounds, and hails from Mount Carmel, which is where the Badgers got running back Darrion Dupree from in the 2024 class.
The three-star edge rusher was a part of Wisconsin’s first group of official visitors last weekend, but left campus without announcing his commitment.
The two other top suitors here were Ole Miss, which was expected to get an official visit this weekend, and Purdue, but Graham elected to shut down his commitment this weekend and committed to the Badgers on Sunday.
He caps off quite the weekend for outside linebackers coach Matt Mitchell, who now has a loaded room with Graham and Zion (if he sticks at edge) joining three-star in-state recruit Isaac Miller.
Wisconsin also had three-star Texas Tech edge rusher Brody Pfannenstiel on campus this weekend, being a top contender there as well. But, it’s unclear if the Badgers will take another edge rusher after their success this weekend.
Graham becomes commit No. 20 in the class for Wisconsin, and the Badgers still have more to come.
Luke Fickell just landed a massive 2027 commitment that should have Wisconsin stoked for. Yahzeen Zion, a 6-foot-4, 265-pound defensive lineman from Arizona, pledged to the Badgers, and the punch line isn’t just his size. It’s who Wisconsin beat to get him.
Zion’s offer list immediately separated this from a routine early-cycle win. He held offers from LSU, Oklahoma, Penn State, Miami and USC, with Georgia interest floating around as well. Wisconsin has lived for decades on developing three-star linemen into NFL players, but that model gets harder when opponents stockpile blue-chip disruptors up front. Pulling a national-recruitment defensive lineman out of Arizona signaled Wisconsin’s recruiting footprint has expanded under Fickell in a real way.
On the field, Zion fits the modern profile Wisconsin has needed more of on the defensive front. He arrived at football as a converted basketball player, and that background showed up in the movement skills on his film. Zion shows versatility at multiple spots on the defensive line, winning both on the edge and inside with speed-to-power and an active motor that didn’t shut off snap to snap. Wisconsin has leaned on scheme and development to generate pressure, but Big Ten games usually swing when a defender can win one-on-one without help.
Zion projects as that kind of disruptor.
The bigger point for Wisconsin is what this kind of pledge can do inside a class. Recruiting builds on itself, and momentum is real right now for Wisconsin. Next up, watch whether Wisconsin can stack more out-of-state wins off Zion’s momentum and turn a splashy 2027 start into a true foundation class.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.
LA CROSSE — Several athletes from Central Wisconsin left La Crosse as state champions, and several more snatched podium finishes after a dominant two days at the WIAA state track and field championships at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium on Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6.
From state champions to repeat champions, here is a look at every local track athlete who either won a state medal or notched a top-6 podium finish, separated each day and each of the three divisions.
Day 2, Saturday, June 6
Division 1:
Stevens Point’s Zachariah Zillman took home the silver medal in the long jump event and Salyssa Kellerman took sixth-place in the triple jump event. SPASH’s team of Tessa Bruckhart, Lorena Hill, Emersyn Wavrunek and Taylor Cejka notched a podium finish, taking fourth place in the 4×800 meter relay race.
SPASH’s relay team of Seubert, Hill, Mueller and Wavrunek captured a gold medal in the 4×400 relay.
Wausau West’s Maci Heise took the silver medal in the 300-meter hurdles. Warriors teammate Cullin Quance took home the bronze medal in the long jump.
Marshfield’s team of Adeline Lonsdale, Hailey Klumb, Leann Ledtke and Natalie Scharenbroch took fifth place in the 4×800 relay.
Wausau East’s Mckaea Taylor took fourth place in the pole vault and teammate Elsa Oestreich was right behind, placing fifth.
Marshfield’s Derek Ongna took the silver medal in the boys high jump event.
Division 2:
Colby’s Daelyn Rieck won a gold medal in the discus throw.
Division 3:
Marathon’s Garrett Bracewell brought home a gold medal in the boys 300-meter hurdles and a silver medal in the 110 meter hurdles. Teammates Fred Tylinski, Luke Hoenish, Brady Annis and Bracewell also snagged a gold medal in the 4×200 race. Marathon’s Emma Schult took third place in the discus throw.
Marathon’s Chris Marcell broke the shot put meet record, snagging his second consecutive gold medal. While Berta Bota Palma added to Marathon’s dominance, snagging a sixth-place finish in the triple jump.
Pacelli’s Luke Eiden notched two podium finishes, taking home a bronze medal in the 1600-meter and a sixth place in the 3200-meter.
Assumption’s Michael Dolan brought home a gold medal in the boys 3200-meter and a silver medal in the 1,600-meter. Teammate Bella Thomas took home a gold medal in the 400-meter and a silver in the girls 100-meter and a fourth place finish in the 200-meter. Teammate Reed Hartjes notched a sixth-place finish in the boys 1600-meter.
The Royals relay team of Cullen Thomas, Aiden Daliege, Calen Ott and Trey France finished in fifth place in the 4×400 relay race.
Rosholt’s Alex Wierzba took home the gold medal in the boys 100-meter and a silver medal in the 200-meter while the Hornets team of Isabelle Trzebiatowski, Evelyn Bablitch, Kaitlyn Dombrowski and Liliana Losinski notched a podium finish, taking fourth place in the 4×800. Teammate Evelyn Bablitch notched a sixth-place finish in the 3,200.
Stratford’s Zander Zawislan snagged the gold medal in the boys 200-meter and 400-meter aces while teammate Brianna Sherden notched a sixth-place finish in both the 100 and 200-meter races. Teammate Connor Kreft took home a bronze medal in the triple jump.
Nekoosa’s team of Austin Czappa, Darion Boswell, Finlei Krcmar and Jarrett Wilcox took the silver medal in the 4×100.
Athens Ava Ford finished fifth in the pole vault.
Spencer’s Breckin Miller finished fifth in the 110-meter hurdles.
Trevor Trowbridge of Auburndale notched a podium finish, taking sixth place in the 110-meter hurdles. Teammates Logan Nagel finished in fourth in the shot put while Gracie Hasenohrl took sixth in the pole vault. The Eagles team of Marti Anderson, Alivia Wolf, Rose Hasenohrl and Iris Galetto placed fifth in the 4×400.
Tomahawk’s Elise Gibeault claimed the bronze medal in the 400.
Adams-Friendship’s Molly Johnson took fourth place in the 400.
Edgar’s team of Mav Butt, Graham Streit, Landon Lukasko and Dawson Bornheimer took fourth place in the 4×100 relay race. Then Edgar’s team of Lukasko, Tucker Streit, Streit and Isaiah Kraft notched a silver medal in the 4×400.
Day 1, Friday, June 5
Division 1:
Xavier Edwards of D.C. Everest returned to state but this time walked away with a silver medal, taking second place in Division 1’s triple jump. His teammate, Ethan Whitmore finished tied with Wisconsin Lutheran’s John Gehl for sixth place in the boys pole vault.
Stevens Point relay team of Dash Kvatek, John Jazdzewski, Ben Hopp and Cooper Erickson snatched fourth place in the boys 4×800. On the girls side for SPASH, Lorena Hill, Alivia Koback, Riley Mueller and Jada Seubert placed fifth in the first round of the 4×200. While the team of Hill, Seubert, Mueller and Wavrunek placed first in the first round of the 4×400.
Wausau East’s Parker Schmitt finished in third place in the first round of the boys 400-meter.
Crosstown-rival Wausau West’s Heise walked away with second place in the first round of the Division 1 girls 300 hurdles.
Division 2:
Colby’s Rieck finished first in the first round of the Division 3 shot put.
Division 3
Marathons’ Marcell went back-to-back taking gold in the shot put event. Teammates Bracewell took first place in the first round of Division 3’s boys 110 meter hurdles. Teammates, Tylinski, Hoenish, Annis and Bracewell finished second place in the second round of the boys 4 xv200 Division 3 race.
Spencer’s Breckin Miller took a gold medal in the pole vault and sixth place in the 110 meter hurdles
Athens’ Sy’Rih Hartwig brought home a gold medal in the shot put.
Edgars 4×800 relay team of Dillon Sondeleski, Emitt VanOrnum, Dom Contreras and Kraft took home a silver medal in Division 3’s race with Marathon’s team of Etan Huesbsch, Logan Peters, John Kahon and Annis finishing in fourth place. Kraft earned a bronze medal in the 800-meter race.
Assumption’s Lucy Dolan took home a silver medal in Division 3’s 1600 meter.
Thomas of Assumption finished first in the first round of the 400-meter race and third place in the first round of the girls Division 3 100-meter race. Teammate Lucy Dolan snagged a fourth-place finish in the 800-meter race.
Auburndale’s Trowbridge finished fourth in the first round of the boys 110-meter hurdles.
Abbotsford’s Carter Cihlar notched a podium finish, taking fourth place in the pole vault.
Wierzba of Rosholt finished in second place in the boys 100-meter race.
Stratford’s team of Wynn Schoenherr, Brye Shaw, Samantha Frick and Sherden finished in fifth place in the first round of the girls 4×200. Then the Tiger group of Carter Foster, Austin Niehaus, Mason Miller, Austin Foster took sixth place in the first round of the boys 4×100. Teammate Zawislan took second place in the first round of the boys 400-meter. Sherden also finished sixth in the first round of the girls 100-meter dash.
Nekoosa’s Czappa, Boswell, Krcmar, and Wilcox took fourth place in the first round of the 4×100.
Adams-Friendship’s Molly Johnson took third place in the Division 3 girls 400-meter race, followed by Gibeault of Tomahawk in fourth.
Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Reporter Alfred Smith III at alfred.smith@usatoday.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @AlfredS_III.
-
Los Angeles, Ca59 minutes ago2 kids, 1 adult shot to death in Canoga Park
-
Detroit, MI1 hour agoAir conditioner forecast: Metro Detroit heads into hot, sticky stretch
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoChicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants preview, Sunday 6/7, 7:30 CT
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoWhich Dallas Mavericks Player is Facing the Biggest Offseason?
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoMiami Dolphins Discussion: Who’s Going To Be There Edition
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoExpect a brilliant blue sky for Monday with cooler readings. Enjoy it, because the heat returns this week. – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoPolice investigating 4 separate overnight shootings in Denver
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoCOUNTDOWN: With Arts-in-Nature Festival approaching, DNDA celebrates grant
