Wisconsin

What to know about former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker ahead of the RNC

Published

5 months ago

July 15, 2024

What to know about former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker ahead of the RNC

Scott Walker is the former 45th governor of Wisconsin, a position he held from 2011 to 2019. During his tenure, he evoked massive protests over his Act 10 legislation, survived a recall election and had a short-lived run for President.

The Republican politician is one of Wisconsin’s delegates set to attend the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week.

Here’s what to know.

When did Scott Walker hold office?

Walker became governor in 2011 when he defeated Democratic nominee Tom Barrett, the mayor of Milwaukee. Opposition over his Act 12 law prompted a recall campaign that drew enough signatures to force Walker to run in a recall election in 2012. He won, making him the first of two incumbent governors in the history of the United States to survive a recall election. He easily won a second term in 2014 over his Democratic opponent, Madison School Board member Mary Burke.

In 2019, Walker lost his bid for a third term to former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers, a Democrat.

Before serving as governor, Walker got his start in politics in 1993, when he was elected to the state assembly with a platform that focused on fiscal conservatism. He was elected County Executive of Milwaukee County in 2002, a position he held until 2010. He first entered the governor’s race in 2006 but withdrew due to a lack of funding; he was successful four years later.

What is Scott Walker’s background?

Walker, 56, was born in 1967 in Colorado Springs. His mother Patricia was a bookkeeper and his father Llewellyn Scott was a Baptist minister. He is one of two sons. The family lived in cities including Plainfield, Iowa, and Delavan, Wisconsin.

Walker attended Marquette University for four years, but left in 1990 after he was 34 credits short of completing his undergraduate degree. He maintained ties with the University and attended his 20-year reunion in 2010.

Before entering politics, Walker worked for the American Red Cross. He married his wife Tonette Tarantino in 1993. They have two children, who attended Marquette and the University of Wisconsin.

What is Scott Walker’s legacy in Wisconsin?

Walker cemented his role as one of Wisconsin’s most influential governors, notably through his support for Act 10, which ended collective bargaining for most public sector workers and required unions to hold annual elections to maintain their ability to negotiate for raises.

Thousands of protestors flooded the Wisconsin state Capitol in opposition to the Budget Repair Bill and Senate Democrats left the state to thwart the bill’s passing. The resulting legislation diminished the influence of unions and reshaped Wisconsin’s political climate, thrusting Walker and Wisconsin into national spotlight in an unprecedented way.

Two former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporters, Jason Stein and Patrick Marley, chronicled the events in their book “More than They Bargained For: Scott Walker, Unions, and the Fight for Wisconsin.”

A Dane County judge on July 3 ruled provisions of Act 10 law are unconstitutional and denied a motion to dismiss a case challenging the law.

In 2011, Walker and the Republican-controlled Legislature also notably passed partisan gerrymanders drawn up in secret. The maps ensured a Republican legislative dominance that maintained for years until Evers signed into law new maps in February.

During his tenure, Walker focused on conservative fiscal policies. He enacted large tax cuts, expanded private school vouchers and froze tuition at University of Wisconsin campuses.

Did Scott Walker run for president?

Yes. After heavy speculation and anticipation, Walker launched a campaign in 2015 and was considered one of the frontrunners for the nomination following strong performances and polling at the start of the race. But Trump’s unprecedented rise in popularity, Walker’s uninspiring performance in the first Republican debate and his shifting stances on issues resulted in declining poll support. He withdrew from the race after just two months.

What are Scott Walker’s views on Trump?

Walker has been supportive of the former President since dropping out of the race in 2015.

He spoke at Trump’s June 18 rally in Racine, where the former Gov. criticized Joe Biden on rising prices, border security and public safety.

“We can’t afford four more years of Joe Biden. We need President Donald Trump to make Wisconsin and America affordable,” Walker said during the event. He called on supporters to knock on doors, make phone calls, join their local parties to garner support for Trump beyond rallies.

“We win Wisconsin, we win America,” Walker said.

In May of last year, Walker said it would be a mistake for Trump to “blow off Wisconsin” and decline to participate in the first Republican presidential debate in August, noting that “Hillary Clinton made that mistake in 2016 and it cost her the election.”

Trump did skip the debate in the end, opting to partake in an online interview with Tucker Carlson instead.

What is Scott Walker doing now?

Walker has served as president of the Young America’s Foundation since 2019, when he accepted a full-time position running the northern-Virginia based national conservative youth organization.

He hosted a political podcast “Freedom Fighters with Governor Scott Walker” from 2019 until 2022.

In 2023 he ruled out challenging Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, telling the Journal Sentinel he would be “bored as a senator.” Walker hasn’t ruled out a future run for president.

What role will Scott Walker play during the RNC?

Delegates will formally nominate Trump as the party’s candidate to take on Biden at the RNC from July 15-18. Walker is one of 41 Wisconsin’s delegates; there are 2,429 total delegates from across the country. Wisconsin’s delegation also includes former Gov. Tommy Thompson and 2022 Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels. Walker and Thompson are also serving as honorary co-chairs of the Milwaukee 2024 Host Committee.

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Wisconsin

Former Kentucky OLB Tyreese Fearbry announces transfer to Wisconsin

Published

4 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Former Kentucky OLB Tyreese Fearbry announces transfer to Wisconsin

Wisconsin is now up to 16 transfer portal commitments this month.

The latest to join the Badgers: Tyreese Fearbry, a projected outside linebacker who played the last three seasons at Kentucky.

A former four-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting class, Fearbry chose the Wildcats over offers Auburn, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Miami, among many others, coming out of high school.

Over three seasons, Fearbry had 21 total tackles. This fall, the Pennsylvania native played in 11 of Kentucky’s 12 games and had 14 tackles.

Fearbry is the latest portal commit for the Badgers up front. The staff has already landed defensive linemen Micheal Garner, Parker Petersen, Corey Walker and Charles Perkins, as well as edge Mason Reiger and linebacker Antarron Turner.

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Wisconsin

Preview: Wisconsin Closes Nonconference Schedule Hosting Detroit Mercy

Published

12 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Preview: Wisconsin Closes Nonconference Schedule Hosting Detroit Mercy

Detroit Mercy (5-8, 1-2 Horizon League) vs. Wisconsin (9-3, 0-2 Big Ten)

Date/Time – Sunday, December 22, 1 p.m.

Arena – Kohl Center (16,838)

Watch – Big Ten Network (Jeff Levering and Brian Butch)

Radio – Badgers Radio Network (Matt Lepay and Charlie Wills), Sirius 119 or 195, stream online on iHeartRadio.

Series – Wisconsin leads 3-0 (Wisconsin leads 3-0 in Madison)

Last Meeting – Wisconsin won, 68-42, on December 6, 2003, in Madison

Follow Online: The Badgers’ Den

Twitter: @Badger_Blitz

Betting line: Wisconsin -29.5

Projected Starting Five (Wisconsin)

Player to Watch: After averaging 2.4 points per game last season, Winter has improved to 10.6 ppg this year after scoring a career-high 20 vs. Butler. He leads UW in rebounds (5.6), offensive rebounds (23) and field goal percentage (.598).

Projected Starting Five (Detroit Mercy)

Player to watch: Leading the Titans with 16 points in Wednesday’s loss at Northern Kentucky, Lovejoy has been in double figures in nine of UDM’s 13 games. He leads the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals (1.9).

Series Notes

Wisconsin’s average margin of victory in its three prior meetings with UDM is 18.3 points.

The last time Wisconsin and Detroit Mercy met was Dec. 6, 2003, when UW claimed a 68-42 win. Devin Harris and Freddie Owens led the Badgers with 13 points, with Harris adding nine assists.

Wisconsin is 72-4 all-time against teams in the Horizon League. Under head coach Greg Gard, the Badgers hold a 9-0 all-time mark vs. Horizon teams.

The Titans are 30-123 all-time against the Big Ten Conference – 12-81 on the road – and have dropped 18 in a row against the league. The last win was at Michigan State, 68-65, on Dec. 13, 1997.

Wisconsin Notes

Wisconsin is 79-23 (.775) in regular season, non-conference games under Gard.

Wisconsin is 9-1 in non-conference play this season and has the chance to post double-digit out of conference wins for the first time since going 11-2 in 2016-17. The Badgers have tallied four non-conference wins over Power 5 teams, their most since 2018-19.

Wisconsin ranks 11th in the nation with an adjusted offensive efficiency of 120.1 per KenPom – through games played Dec. 18. This year’s adjusted offensive efficiency rating of 120.1 ranks as the school’s third-highest mark since KenPom began tracking in 1999.

UW is averaging 15.2 assists per game, its most since 1993-94, while turning the ball over 9.6 times per game. UW has never had a season in which it has averaged 15+ assists per game while remaining below 10 turnovers per contest.

Wisconsin leads the NCAA in free throw percentage, 84.8% FT (234-for-276) at the line. UW has nearly made more FTs (234) than its foes have attempted (237) this season.

Detroit Mercy Notes

With 11 new players on the 15-man roster, the Titans returned just 14.2 percent of their scoring, 12.9 percent of their rebounding, and 18.0 percent of their minutes played from last season.

The Titans snapped a 22-game road slide with a win at Ball State on November 20.

UDM posted four wins in November, the most in the month since going 4-3 at the start of the 2017-18 season

Detroit Mercy has owned the glass this year, outrebounding its opponents in nine of its 13 games. The Titans are 52nd in the country with 13.2 offensive boards and 74th in DI with a +5.4 rebounding average.

UDM has a 173-107 margin on second-chance points on the season.

Prediction

Calling out a play that involves Crowl getting an early shot attempt in the low post is nothing new for Gard. Off the top of his head, he estimates that getting the ball to Crowl in the low post within Wisconsin’s first three offensive possessions happens 90 percent of the time.

But after being publicly called out by his coach and pushed to be more aggressive by his teammates, Wisconsin intentionally made a call to get Crowl the ball near the low block on the first possession. Seeing him convert by being physical with his back to the basket, unleashing a spin move for an easy bucket was the positive response the staff was looking for.

Crowl’s season-high 18 points against Butler were a catalyst in breaking a three-game losing skid. He did it playing aggressively and in short spurts, playing in just 17 minutes (second-fewest of the season) and going 7-for-10 from the floor (second-most attempts of the year).

“It’s a credit to him,” Gard said. “The 17 minutes that he had, he took full advantage of those.”

The renewed play of Crowl and the growth of Nolan Winter could give Wisconsin a punch to the offense it hasn’t had through the first two months of the season. Crowl and Winter had only reached double figures in the same game once until last Saturday. The duo combined for 38 points and their play helped Wisconsin outscore Butler, 40-to-24, in the paint, its third-highest total for the season and the second-highest paint-scoring differential.

“They play and have pride in playing for what’s on the front of the jersey, knowing that the back of the jersey will get taken care of,” Gard said. “You really get individual accolades through team success. I don’t see a lot of MVP awards being handed out to an 8-25 team.”

Getting to 8-25 would be a huge step forward for Detroit Mercy, which opened last season with a 26-game losing streak and finished 1-31, the worst record in Division-1. Hiring Michigan State assistant Mark Montgomery, who has coached with Tom Izzo on two different occasions, the Titans run some patterns similar to the Spartans in addition to executing three-quarters court pressure and zone.

The Titans also have a good player in Lovejoy, as the transfer from Eastern Michigan is one of 10 Division 1 players who averages 13.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. Detroit ranks 54th nationally in rebounding, averaging just under 40 per game. The problem the Titans are facing is health, as the Titans have three rotation players averaging at least 8.9 ppg out with injuries. The Titans played 10 student-athletes at NKU, six of those were freshmen who accounted for 101 of the 200 minutes as well as 38 of the 60 points and 22 of the 34 boards.

Wisconsin should handle an undermanned unit, as long as the Badgers aren’t overly rusty from finals week.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin former four-star quarterback Mabrey Mettauer appears headed for transfer portal

Published

20 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Wisconsin former four-star quarterback Mabrey Mettauer appears headed for transfer portal

MADISON – It appears that the Wisconsin football team will have almost a completely new quarterback room next season.

Mabrey Mettauer, the last scholarship player left at the position on the roster from this season, is expected to enter the transfer portal, according to 247sports. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound true freshman from The Woodlands, Texas, was a consensus four-star recruit coming out of high school.

This season he served as the top backup to Braedyn Locke after Tyler Van Dyke suffered a season-ending knee injury against Alabama. Mettauer appeared in one game and completed his only pass attempt.

He maintained his redshirt status and will have four years of eligibility remaining.

Mabrey’s departure was the last domino to fall from the firing of Phil Longo as offensive coordinator. Like Van Dyke and Locke, Mettauer came to Wisconsin with the idea that he would play in Longo’s pass-friendly offense.

Locke’s brother, Landyn, a member of the 2025 recruiting class, was also recruited by Longo. Landyn Locke has been released from his letter of intent and has re-opened his recruitment.

After 247sports broken the news of Mettauer’s expected departure he reposted the post on his X and Instagram accounts.

The loss of Mettauer means Wisconsin has three scholarship quarterbacks plus walk-on Milos Spasojevic on the roster for next season:

* Billy Edwards Jr., who started this season at Maryland and threw for 2,800 yards. He has one year of eligibility left.

* Danny O’Neil, who started at San Diego State as a true freshman and threw for 2,000 yards this season. He has three years of eligibility remaining.

* Carter Smith, a four-star prospect from Florida, will enroll early and participate in spring practice.

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