Wisconsin
The GOP’s Gerrymandered Grip on Wisconsin Elections Is About to Break
For more than a decade, Republicans had Wisconsin carved up into one of the worst partisan gerrymanders in the countryâpractically ensuring GOP control over the state legislature, despite losing 14 of the last 17 statewide elections. No longer. On Monday, Democratic Governor Tony Evers approved new district maps for the upcoming November election in what supporters hailed as âprogress towards true democracyâ in the key swing state. âWisconsin is not a red state or a blue stateâweâre a purple state, and I believe our maps should reflect that basic fact,â Evers said in a statement. âThe people should get to choose their elected officials, not the other way around.â
âThe long, dark night of ultra-partisan gerrymandering is over,â added Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler. âA new day for democracy now dawns in the Badger State.â
The move by Evers comes after the state Supreme Court declared the current, GOP-friendly map unconstitutional. Its newest justice, Janet Protasiewicz, cast the deciding vote in that decision; the liberal won election to the open seat last spring in what was widely seen as a referendum on issues of democracy and abortion rights. âThe mainstream Wisconsinite wants to have a right to choose,â as Protasiewicz told me ahead of that election, âand wants to have fair maps.â Voters affirmed that in the election last April. âThis election changes everything,â Wikler told me afterward.
A day after Protasiewicz joined the court, democracy advocates filed a lawsuit challenging the Republican-drawn maps; the 4-3 liberal majority overturned the gerrymander in December, allowing Evers to redraw the maps. Though Republicans still control the legislature, they approved the Evers map last week, weeks before a March deadline. âIt pains me to say it, but Gov. Evers gets a huge win today,â Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said. âThe legislature will be up for grabs.â
That holds a great deal of significance for Wisconsin, where Republicans have been âlaying siege to democracy itselfâ since 2011, as Wikler put it Monday. But it could also resonate beyond Wisconsin, which will host the 2024 Republican National Convention this July. The state was crucial Joe Bidenâs 2020 victoryâand a focus of Donald Trumpâs efforts to overturn his loss, which the Republican legislature supported with an absurd partisan âauditâ into the results that dragged on well into 2022. The new maps, then, are a âvictory, not for me or any political party, but for our state and for the people,â Evers said Monday. âIt is a new day in Wisconsin.â
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde reflects on early March Madness exit
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde said the Badgers ‘thought we could do so many things’ in the NCAA Tournament before it ended abrupty with an upset loss.
Wisconsin men’s basketball has added a sharpshooting wing via the transfer portal.
Miami (Ohio) transfer Eian Elmer has signed with the Badgers, the team announced April 18. The 6-foot-7 wing will join UW with one year of eligibility remaining.
Elmer averaged a career-high 12.7 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 49.8% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range in 2025-26. His production helped the RedHawks go 32-2 and earn an at-large NCAA Tournament bid.
“We are really excited to add another excellent addition to our spring signees,” UW coach Greg Gard said in a release. “Eian brings a wealth of experience and scoring punch as a 6-7 wing. … A terrific shooter, his skillset and production fit excellently into our plan as we build out next year’s team. Throughout our evaluation process, our staff loved his size, power and skill and truly believe he will thrive in our system.”
Elmer is Wisconsin’s third transfer portal addition since the end of the 2025-26 season, joining former George Washington guard Trey Autry and former Hofstra forward Victory Onuetu. UW also added Australian guard Owen Foxwell.
The additions of Autry, Onuetu and now Elmer leave Gard’s staff with three more roster spots to fill ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The Badgers are looking to replace much of their production from a 2025-26 team that went 24-11. Nolan Winter is expected to be the team’s only returning starter after John Blackwell and Aleksas Bieliauskas entered the transfer portal and Nick Boyd and Andrew Rohde exhausted their eligibility.
MILWAUKEE – Friday’s severe storms have passed. And with that, the threat of any severe weather has also passed for the immediate future as no storms or rain are expected for several days.
However, plenty of damage remains across southeastern Wisconsin as of Saturday morning, in addition to the ongoing flooding threat.
Several area rivers are at flood stage, and there are multiple river flood warnings in effect.
FOX6 Weekend WakeUp on Saturday begins at 6 a.m.
On the scene in the morning
What we know:
Farmstead damage in Franklin
FOX6’s Hayley Spitler is in Franklin on Saturday morning, April 18, getting a daylight look at the damage from last night’s storms.
Storm damage in Caledonia
Friday’s storms left quite the mark across southern and southeastern Wisconsin, including at L and L Farms and Greenhouse in Caledonia.
FOX6 Weather Extras
Local perspective:
Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:
FOX6 Storm Center app
FOX LOCAL Mobile app
FOX Weather app
Maps and radar
We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.
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School and business closings
When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.
FOX6 Weather Experts in social media
The Source: Information in this post was compiled by the FOX6 Weather Experts.
How Aleksas Bieliauskas has grown in first season with Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard has high praise for Aleksas Bieliauskas about a month into the Lithuania native’s freshman season.
MADISON – One of Wisconsin men’s basketball’s departing transfers is headed to an SEC program with some connections to the Badgers.
Ex-UW forward Aleksas Bieliauskas has committed to South Carolina, he announced on April 17.
Bieliauskas left the Badgers after appearing in all 35 games as a freshman and making 28 starts. He averaged 4.9 points and 4.4 points in 20.2 minutes, and highlights of his freshman year included his five 3-pointers in UW’s upset over eventual national champion Michigan.
He’ll join a program with plenty of Wisconsin ties. South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris was an assistant coach at Wisconsin from 2010-17 on Bo Ryan and Greg Gard’s staffs. South Carolina assistant coach Tanner Bronson and director of video services Roman DiPasquale also are UW alumni.
Bieliauskas is the second of UW’s four departing transfers to commit to a new school. Reserve forward Jack Robison committed to North Dakota State on April 15. Starting guard John Blackwell and reserve forward Riccardo Greppi have not announced their next schools yet.
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