Wisconsin

Wisconsin Democrats say defeat of GOP amendments bodes well for November

Published

2 years ago

August 14, 2024

Wisconsin Democrats say defeat of GOP amendments bodes well for November

Wisconsin Democrats are celebrating the lopsided defeat of two Republican-backed referendums Tuesday, saying the results bode well for November’s general election.

The referendums would have amended the state constitution to require a governor to get legislative approval before spending federal funds on things like disaster response.

According to unofficial results posted by the Associated Press, both proposals failed by margins of 15 percentage points.

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The outcome was unusual for constitutional amendments, which typically pass.
In April, for example, voters approved two referendums that amended the Wisconsin Constitution to bar local clerks from using private grants or private employees to run elections. They passed by margins of about 9 and 17 percentage points.

Speaking to WPR at this year’s Farm Technology Days in Cadott, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler said referendum questions normally “just sail through.” But this year, he said the state party, and groups like Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Wisconsin Farmers Union and the Wisconsin League of Women Voters hammered a “Vote No” message for months.

“So, they all said ‘no’ with one voice and the result was that, for voters that voted in August, they knew what these amendments were about,” said Wikler. “They knew there was a reason to get out and cast a ballot, and overwhelmingly, they rejected these constitutional amendments and affirmed that they want a governor to do what Gov. Evers has done, which is to make use of federal emergency funds to actually help people in the state get through hard times.”

Wikler said the overwhelming response from voters was surprising, even to him.

“I think this will be a big jolt of enthusiasm, and I think it bodes well for the chance for Democrats to win up and down the ballot,” Wikler said.

Voters fill out ballots Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Fort Atkinson, Wis. Angela Major/WPR

Republican state Rep. Robert Wittke, R-Racine, was one of the lead sponsors of the resolution that led to Tuesday’s amendment questions. In a written statement, he said he’s disappointed with the result.

“This was not a partisan issue but one that sought to promote good governance in spending undesignated federal dollars that come into the state,” said Wittke. “Supporters of good governance were outspent by those who exaggerated the intent of the questions — and our message failed. It’s unfortunate, but we gave the people a chance to decide and now we move on.”

Rick Esenberg, who heads the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, blamed the loss on “out-of-state, far-left special interests” who he said “flooded the airwaves with misleading ads to influence decision making in Wisconsin.”

Wikler contends criticisms from Republicans about Democrats misleading voters “is a little rich.” He said the ballot questions were written in a way to confuse voters, and they were put on the August primary ballot by Republicans in hopes of getting a victory in a typically low-turnout election.

Instead, Democrats from the state to local level organized against them. Gloria Hochstein, who chairs the Wisconsin Democratic Party’s rural caucus, said that in the April election, the party didn’t pay enough attention to referendums.

“I think in April, we were blindsided,” she said. “We didn’t get busy worrying about those amendments that were on the April ballot until weeks before the ballots were coming out.”

Hochstein said she and other Democratic party leaders “learned our lesson” when they found out about the upcoming questions. At the state Democratic Party’s annual convention in June, an administrative committee voted to endorse a campaign aimed at getting people to “vote no” on Aug. 13, which paid off.

“I think voting no on the amendment was a unifying thing that brought people out to vote,” said Hochstein. “Even people who didn’t have a primary.”

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Wisconsin

Sister Bay, Wisconsin: 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards

Published

4 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Sister Bay, Wisconsin: 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards

Located in scenic Door County, Wisconsin, the town of Sister Bay is a waterfront town directly on Green Bay. Outdoor enthusiasts head to Sister Bay for its access to hiking trails, nature preserves, and water pursuits such as boating, fishing, and ice-skating during winter. The town hosts a number of seasonal festivals including a film fest, marina fest, outdoor concert series, and the Door County Festival of Fine Arts. The annual Roofing of the Goats Parade is a popular event tied to Al Johnson’s, a local restaurant known for goats that graze on its rooftop during summer months.

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Wisconsin

Vote: Who is Wisconsin High School Boys Basketball’s Top Guard of 2025-26?

Published

16 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Vote: Who is Wisconsin High School Boys Basketball’s Top Guard of 2025-26?

With the action-packed Wisconsin high school boys basketball regular season completed and March Madness beginning, it’s time to take a look at some of the outstanding players and cast your vote for the best.

We began by looking at the most prolific individual scoring threats, talented 3-point shooters,strong rebounders, and top free-throw shooters so now it’s time to take a look at the high-caliber guards from throughout the state.

There are hundreds of high-caliber boys basketball players in Wisconsin, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive.

Voting remains open until March 9 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

(Players are listed in alphabetical order and all nominees are leaders from the 2025-26 season as compiled by Bound.com, and WIAA; the poll is below the list of athletes)

Castillo is averaging 25.4 points per game with 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals for Greendale (18-6 overall record).

Collien is averaging 15 points per game with 4.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists for Oakfield (21-3 overall record).

Edwards is averaging 14.1 points per game with 7.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists for D.C. Everest (21-3 overall record).

Gray Jr. was averaging 24.3 points per game with 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.1 steals prior for West Allis Central (22-2 overall record).

Hereford is averaging 36.4 points per game with 9.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 4.1 steals for Beloit Memorial (22-2 overall record).

Johnson is averaging 27.3 points per game with 8.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 3.6 steals for Milwaukee Juneau (22-1 overall record).

Jones is averaging 23.3 points per game with 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.6 steals for Germantown (15-9 overall record).

Kern is averaging 16 points per game with 6.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists for New Berlin West (21-3 overall record).

Kilgore is averaging 14.6 points per game with 7.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 steals for Kewaunee (24-0 overall record).

Kohnen is averaging 16.3 points per game with 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 steals for Slinger (20-4 overall record).

Knueppel is averaging 17.4 points per game with 7.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.4 steals for Wisconsin Lutheran (24-0 overall record).

Loose is averaging 18.2 points per game with 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 steals for Port Washington (23-1 overall).

Manchester is averaging 35.8 points per game for Mount Horeb (19-5 overall record).

Platz is averaging 19.5 points per game with 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists, and 1.4 steals for Brookfield East (19-5 overall record).

Prochnow is averaging 21.3 points per game with 11.1 assists, 4.8 assists, and 3.2 steals for Reedsville (21-3 overall record).

Resch is averaging 21.3 points per game with 3.3 assists and 2.0 steals for Arrowhead (18-6 overall record).

Schultz is averaging 27.4 points per game with 6.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.0 steals for Plymouth (17-7 overall record).

Schwalbach is averaging 15 points per game with 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals for Kaukauna (21-3 overall).

Sweeney is averaging 15.5 points per game for Appleton North (20-4 overall record).

Vandenberg is averaging 13 points per game with 2.3 assists and 2.0 rebounds for Freedom (23-1 overall).

About Our Player Poll Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.

— Jeff Hagenau | jeffreyhagenau@gmail.com

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