Wisconsin

Wikler, Dem legislative leaders say Harris-Walz ticket boosting Wisconsin Dems’ chances in November

Published

2 years ago

August 21, 2024

Wikler, Dem legislative leaders say Harris-Walz ticket boosting Wisconsin Dems’ chances in November

State Dem Party Chair Ben Wikler told reporters today the Kamala Harris-Tim Walz ticket is creating excitement, including a surge in volunteers and large turnout at nominees’ events, like last night’s rally in Milwaukee.

That, he said, means good things for Dem candidates in downballot contests.

“This is a tipping point, turning point moment for the state of Wisconsin, and that’s true not just at the presidential level, and in Tammy Baldwin’s reelection, and then the 1st and 3rd, who knows? Maybe the 8th. Who knows which congressional districts?” he said to reporters after the Wisconsin delegation’s breakfast today. “It’s also true in our state Legislature that has been calcified for so long by a gerrymander meant to keep voters out and keep Republicans in. Now voters will have the final say, and voters are voting to move forward.”

Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, echoed that sentiment.

“I would say that at the beginning, I was saying that a lot of the energy was coming from our candidates on the doors. We were talking and listening to what people wanted, and it was really exciting,” she said. “But now there’s a fusion at the top, and it’s just exploding. We’re getting so much excitement at the bottom and at the top of the ticket that I’m really excited for our chances.”

Hesselbein predicted Dems would get close this year to retaking the Senate–predicting 15 seats–and seal that effort in two years.

“We’re going to get really close this year in the Senate, but then in two years, we’re actually going to be able to flip the Senate, because the numbers there are even better than they are for this year,” she said.

Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, praised the effort Wikler is leading to help Dems flip the Assembly.

“We have hundreds of organizers who are out working every day with our candidates knocking on doors for the entire ticket, including state legislative candidates,” she said. “And then, of course, we all know that Ben and the state party are incredible fundraisers, and they are going to make sure our candidates have the air support that they need to get their message out to voters and can counter Republican misinformation about our candidates.”

She said Dems are running candidates in 97 out of 99 districts and are serious about her prediction Dems would retake the Assembly. She said under the new legislative maps, 52 of the districts went for Dem Gov. Tony Evers in 2022.

“So the path is right there. We’ve got a number of new blue seats coming to us with the maps. And then, of course, there are a number that are right in the middle,” she said. “We’re going to go fight for them. Those are seats we can win if we knock on the doors and we directly connect with voters. And our candidates are doing that every single day.”

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin Football’s Transfer Class Surges in Updated Rankings

Published

9 hours ago

May 21, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin Football’s Transfer Class Surges in Updated Rankings

Spring practice has wrapped up across the country, and college football has officially entered its quiet period of summer doldrums.

However, the mass influx of new intel on transfers gleaned from spring ball means top recruiting sites 247Sports and On3/Rivals have updated their national transfer portal rankings, and the Badgers’ class has gained more respect from both services since the initial transfer boom in the winter.

Wisconsin’s 2026 transfer haul currently checks in at No. 15 in the country on On3/Rivals, up slightly from its perch at No. 18 this winter. That’s good enough for third in the Big Ten behind UCLA (No. 11) and Indiana (No. 1).

247Sports sees the Badgers’ class a little differently; they’ve awarded Wisconsin with the No. 38-ranked class in the nation. That checks in at ninth in the Big Ten. Still, the outlet has bumped its individual ratings for several of the Badgers’ incoming transfers.

After initially not having signed a four-star transfer portal prospect in the eyes of 247Sports, the site has bumped quarterback Colton Joseph, running back Abu Sama and safety Marvin Burks Jr. to four-star transfer prospects, giving the Badgers three blue-chip portal players. Center Austin Kawecki was also bumped to a high three-star portal prospect.

On3, meanwhile, sees Wisconsin with just one four-star portal prospect in the Iowa State transfer tailback Sama.

It’s interesting to note that On3’s transfer portal grading system evaluates all of Wisconsin’s portal movement, additions and departures combined. 247Sports’ system is less additive and only evaluates teams based on how it ranks their newcomers.

Why it matters

New Wisconsin running back Abu Sama III. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this day and age, programs have no choice but to deftly navigate the transfer portal if they want any shot at success. That doesn’t always mean you need to add over 30 signees, like Wisconsin did, but it’s a good sign that the Badgers are gaining recognition for one of the most important aspects of roster building.

Wisconsin is going to be a team largely fueled by mercenaries this season. I’d expect the vast majority of the Badgers’ production, especially on offense where new faces at quarterback, running back, tight end and receiver figure to dominate reps.

The Badgers still have a solid core of home-grown players, namely their two studs at inside linebacker and a handful of key cogs along the offensive line. After all, they rank 35th nationally in returning production; the cupboard isn’t entirely bare.

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Wisconsin

Community rallies for performance of "A Mother of a Revolution"

Published

21 hours ago

May 21, 2026

Press Room

Community rallies for performance of "A Mother of a Revolution"

Community members and supporters pack Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church and the outside areas for the community performance of “A Mother of a Revolution” on May 20, 2026 in Watertown, Wisconsin. Composer Omar Thomas even traveled from Texas to conduct the performance of his song.

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Wisconsin

Sonja Henning voted most-impactful Wisconsin high school girls basketball player

Published

1 day ago

May 20, 2026

Press Room

Sonja Henning voted most-impactful Wisconsin high school girls basketball player

On May 14, we debuted the third in a series of reader polls asking who you consider the best high school girls basketball players in Wisconsin history, with 10 primary suggestions. We received nearly 1,800 votes, and here’s how people voted:

Sonja Henning voted as most impactful player in Wisconsin high school girls basketball history

Former Racine Horlick standout Sonja Henning was the reader’s choice for the best girls basketball player in state history after receiving 608 votes.

The lightning-quick Henning, a Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee in 2010, scored 2,236 points as a four-year starter at Horlick. When her high school career ended in 1987, she was the leading girls scorer in state history.

Henning was a two-time first-team all-state pick and the state’s Ms. Basketball winner in 1987, when she also made the Parade All-America team.

She continued her basketball career at Stanford, helping the Cardinal to the 1990 national championship and earning All-America honors as a senior.

After leaving Stanford, she played in several professional leagues before joining the WNBA and helping the Houston Comets win the league title in 1999. She spent most of the next three seasons with the Seattle Storm before ending her WNBA career in 2003 with the Indiana Fever.

While Henning was the top choice, she wasn’t the only popular one.

Here’s how you voted.