Wisconsin
Wisconsin Elections Commission approves third-party candidates for the ballot
RFK Jr. drops out of presidential race, endorses Donald Trump
Kennedy’s decision came amid speculation that he’s looking to be involved in a second Trump administration.
A day after the state Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to remove Green Party candidate Jill Stein from the ballot in Wisconsin, the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission confirmed she will appear on November ballots in the battleground state.
The commission on Tuesday also kept independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on the ballot, though he has suspended his presidential campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump. While he has tried to remove his name from the ballot in battleground states, Wisconsin law does not allow for Kennedy to retract his nomination at this point.
Wisconsin election commissioners also approved independent candidate Cornel West for the ballot after rejecting a challenge that argued his declarations of candidacy were not properly filed due to notarization issues. A Democratic National Committee employee filed that challenge, and another against Stein.
More: How Democrats are seeking to block 3rd party candidates from Wisconsin’s ballot
In the latest Marquette University Law School poll released in early August and before Kennedy dropped out, Vice President Kamala Harris had a two-point lead over Trump when third-party candidates were factored in. Polling for Kennedy has declined to 8% from double digits earlier in the year, and other third-party candidates are polling at 1% or less in Wisconsin.
Here’s what to know about WEC’s action, and why third-party candidates will appear on the ballot in Wisconsin.
Will Jill Stein be on the ballot in Wisconsin?
The Wisconsin Elections Commission approved Stein for the ballot on Tuesday. Back in February, the commission cleared the way for allowing candidates from the Green Party to appear on Wisconsin’s ballot.
On Monday, the Wisconsin Supreme Court also declined to hear a challenge to Stein’s inclusion on the ballot. But WEC chairwoman Ann Jacobs anticipated there would be further lawsuits over the inclusion of the Green Party on the ballot.
“This is a big win against the anti-Democratic Party’s war on democracy and voter choice,” Stein said in a statement Monday. “The Democrats constantly preach about ‘saving democracy,’ when in reality they’ve been doing everything they can to crush democracy by trying to remove the Green Party and others from the ballot.”
The Republican Party of Wisconsin also viewed the court’s decision as a win. “If Democrats hope to win over voters, they will have to do so through earnest persuasion instead of disqualification,” state party chairman Brian Schimming said in a statement.
Will RFK Jr. be on the ballot in Wisconsin?
Kennedy’s name will remain on Wisconsin’s ballot, though he is no longer running for president as an independent and has thrown his support behind Trump. That means votes could still be cast for him in Wisconsin.
After his exit from the race, Kennedy has moved to remove his name from ballots in several battleground states, such as Arizona, where he believes his “presence would be a spoiler.” Kennedy also filed that request with Wisconsin election commissioners.
But Wisconsin law says that anyone who files nomination papers and qualifies to appear on the ballot — which Kennedy did — cannot decline nomination. That person will appear on the ballot “except in case of death of the person.”
Multiple commissioners raised questions about Kennedy’s request and noted the ballot had not yet been set — it was the point of the meeting. But the commission voted 5-1 to keep Kennedy on the ballot, with Republican appointee Bob Spindell casting the only “no” vote.
Don Millis, a Republican appointee to the commission, said the statute was “troubling for me.”
“Before we set the ballot, it seems to me that it makes sense to allow a candidate to withdraw, and that’s what I’m struggling with,” Millis said.
But other commissioners said there was no room for discretion with the statute. “The only way he gets to not be on the ballot is to up and die, which I’m assuming he has no plans on doing,” Jacobs said. “The statute is absolutely clear on this.”
“I think we got to follow the law on this. We get sued enough. This one is clearly an invitation to get sued again,” Mark Thomsen, a Democratic appointee to the commission, said.
More: What to know about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s bid to get on Wisconsin’s presidential ballot
Will Cornel West be on the ballot in Wisconsin?
The commission also approved independent candidate Cornel West to appear on Wisconsin’s ballot.
Earlier in the meeting, the commission heard a challenge to his inclusion on the ballot related to his and running mate Melina Abdullah’s declarations of candidacy and disputes over notarizing the documents.
WEC commissioners rejected that challenge 5-1, with Jacobs casting the only “no” vote and explaining she thought West should appear on the ballot but not Abdullah due to notary issues with her forms.
West’s candidacy was boosted in Wisconsin by Trump allies who believe third-party candidates could help the former president’s chances in November. Four individuals employed at a Republican-aligned political canvasing firm worked as circulators to gather signatures in support of West in Wisconsin, USA TODAY reported.
More: Cornel West boosted by Trump allies to get name on Wisconsin ballot
Who are the presidential candidates on the Wisconsin ballot?
After the Wisconsin Elections Commission’s actions Tuesday, the following presidential and vice presidential names will appear on the ballot in the Nov. 5 election:
Major party candidates
- Kamala D. Harris and Tim Walz, Democratic party
- Donald J. Trump and JD Vance, Republican party
- Randall Terry and Stephen Broden, Constitution party
- Chase Russell Oliver and Mike ter Maat, Libertarian party
- Jill Stein and Butch Ware, Wisconsin Green party
Independent candidates
- Cornel West and Melina Abdullah, Justice For All party
- Claudia De la Cruz and Karina Garcia, Party for Socialism and Liberation
- Robert F. Kennedy and Nicole Shanahan, We The People party
President Joe Biden was able to be replaced on the ballot after dropping out of the presidential race in July, because the deadline to place him on the ballot had not yet passed. The deadline for parties to certify their candidates’ names with WEC is Sept. 3.
Some voters in Wisconsin will receive ballots with the names soon: The deadline for clerks to send absentee ballots to voters with requests on file is Sept. 19.
More: The deadline has not passed in Wisconsin to replace Biden on the ballot. Here’s why.
What do polls show about third-party candidates in Wisconsin?
In the Marquette University Law School poll released earlier this month, Kennedy stood at 8% among registered voters, a drop from 13% and 16% in earlier months. Stein polled at 1% in that poll, and West at less than 0.5%. Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver also polled at 1%.
Poll director Charles Franklin this week noted more Republicans than Democrats supported Kennedy and said Kennedy’s decision to endorse Trump would “probably” bring those Republicans back behind the former president.
The survey earlier this month found 21% of independents support Kennedy, Franklin noted, and the tendencies of third-party voters are difficult to predict.
“We find that they don’t go 100% to sort of their natural affinity group,” Franklin said of Kennedy voters potentially supporting Trump. “And part of that is because the reason they’re voting for Kennedy in the first place is they don’t like Donald Trump. If they liked Donald Trump, they would have been voting for him to begin with.”
“Some of them will drop out,” Franklin said. “Some of them might switch to another third-party candidate, some might not vote at all because, as a group, they’re pretty disaffected with government.”
Franklin added of the third-party influence in Wisconsin: “Bottom line is I’m not expecting a big shift.” He said Stein and West’s presence on the ballot would likely draw votes from Harris.
Stein last appeared on Wisconsin’s ballot in 2016, receiving more than 31,000 votes in Wisconsin, which many believe could have helped Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. A couple thousand votes can determine elections in battleground Wisconsin: In 2020, Biden won the state by just over 20,000 votes, similar to Trump’s margin over Clinton four years earlier.
Franklin plans to put a new poll into the field on Wednesday without Kennedy’s name mentioned in the multi-candidate race.
He said the poll would ask a separate question about support for Kennedy if he had remained in the race.
“It’s complicated when somebody has said he’s no longer a candidate but his name is still there,” Franklin said.
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee has no shortage of ways to celebrate this weekend, from a Pride bar crawl to Father’s Day deals around the city and Juneteenth celebrations.
Summerfest and Northcott Neighborhood House are hosting a Juneteenth celebration filled with music and culture at the Summerfest grounds.
Watch: Kidd O’Shea breaks down this weekend’s events:
Wisconsin Weekend in a Minute: June 19-21
The event kicks off right after the traditional Juneteenth Day Festival wraps up.
Pride Bar Crawl
The 9th annual Pride Bar Crawl kicks off Saturday at 4 p.m. at Walker’s Pint.
Tickets include drinks and access to exclusive specials at partner bars. Twenty percent of proceeds will benefit the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center.
The crawl wraps up with an after-party and drag show at La Cage Nightclub.
Father’s Day
On Sunday, The Motor Restaurant at the Harley-Davidson Museum is offering a free beer for dad when purchased with a meal, along with free admission to the museum. Reservations are highly encouraged.
Families can also take dad to the Milwaukee County Zoo, where all fathers receive free admission on Sunday.
Let’s talk:
Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we’re all about listening to our audience and tackling the stuff that really matters to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to chat about this piece? Hit us up using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, head over to tmj4.com/tips.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip
Vessels are anchored along the Strait of Hormuz.
Amirhossein Khorgooei/ISNA/AFP via Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Amirhossein Khorgooei/ISNA/AFP via Getty Images
The war in Iran was a costly blunder, according to swing voters in the battleground state of Wisconsin.
NPR observed two online focus groups on Tuesday featuring voters who supported Joe Biden in 2020 and then Donald Trump in 2024.
President Trump had just announced a framework agreement to end the war, which he signed on Wednesday.
Yet among the focus groups’ 13 participants, no one said they thought the conflict with Iran was “worth it,” and nine said they felt that the U.S. is coming out of this conflict weaker than before.
Corey M., a 33-year-old independent voter, said he is concerned that the U.S. expended “so much financially and so much of our arsenal,” with little to show for it. (All participants agreed to be part of the focus groups on the condition that they be identified by their first name and last initial only.)
“We essentially got nothing out of it,” he said. “It’s hurt our economy and increased expenses for the everyday American, and it accomplished the square root of nothing.”
Focus groups are not scientifically significant like polling. But they provide insight into how Americans are thinking about what they see in the news.
These focus groups — made up of 10 self-described independents, two Democrats and one Republican — were conducted by messaging and market research firms Engagious and Sago as part of the Swing Voter Project. NPR is a partner on the project.
Rich Thau, president of Engagious, moderated the focus groups. He has been asking voters in key states about this conflict since March. And he said voters have been consistent.
“They were never on board,” Thau said. “Not the beginning. Not in the middle. And as we just learned, not at the end either, judging from what we heard from Wisconsin swing voters.”
Sam M., a 30-year-old independent, said from what he read about the deal, it wasn’t leaving the U.S. in a better position than before the war. In fact, he said he thought the Iran nuclear deal brokered by the Obama administration — which Trump backed out of — was a better deal for the United States.
Anger over high gas prices
For most voters, though, their biggest concern has remained the high gas prices that are a consequence of the war.
Tammy S., a 53-year-old independent voter, said Americans have been unfairly caught in the middle.
“I just don’t think the way that everybody else had to suffer through the tantrums of these two playing tug-of-war — I just don’t think that it was fair to the American people,” she said. “I don’t think that anybody was a real winner here.”
Several voters said they’ve felt squeezed by costs and as a result have given up something that had been a regular part of their life. They’ve cut vacations and eating out or are getting their hair done less often.
“I’ve given up all my extracurricular hobbies … paddleboarding, yoga,” said Jaylyn M., a 27-year-old who identifies as a Republican. “And then a lot of my subscriptions I’ve cut out, along with my daily coffee, which is minor, but all things that I’ve had to give up to make ends meet.”
“I had to raise all my deductibles on everything — my car insurance, my health insurance — to lower my premiums, so that I can continue to make it,” added Robyn T., a 63-year-old independent.
Trump owns the economic problems
The latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, out Thursday, finds that only a third of Americans approve of how Trump is handling the economy.
In the focus groups, nine of the 13 voters said they are more anxious about the economy than they were before Trump took office last year. And all but one voter said that “President Trump himself is responsible for those higher prices” because of the war.
“And 10 said he’s out of touch with their economic concerns,” Thau told NPR. “So for them, there’s a clear disconnect between how the president’s operating on the economy and what their needs are.”
And heading into what could be some tough midterm elections for Republicans, voters are really frustrated that Trump isn’t delivering a better economy by now.
“It seems to me, like, pick your issue, and things are not going well for him,” said Josh K., a 29-year-old independent voter. “I mean, we got this stupid war in Iran, and it turns out that we actually aren’t getting anything out of it. I mean, all we got was $4 gas. I mean, pick your issue — the economy, things are more expensive.”
A federal judge has ordered the release of the president of Wisconsin’s largest mosque, after finding that immigration officials probably detained him in retaliation against his public advocacy for Palestinian rights, suppressing his first amendment rights in the process.
The US district judge James Patrick Hanlon’s order on Thursday marked a sharp rebuke against Trump officials, including the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who had tried to paint Salah Sarsour as a national security threat.
“Salah Sarsour, who has lived in this country for more than three decades and served as a core pillar in his community without any issues, should never have been detained in the first place,” his legal team wrote in a statement. “While we continue to fight these baseless claims in court, today is about celebrating a family being reunited. It is also a sober reminder that, if the government can target Mr Sarsour, everyone’s free speech rights are at risk.”
Sarsour describes himself as a stateless Palestinian, according to the order. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says that he is a Jordanian citizen. He has lived in the United States for more than three decades, becoming a legal permanent resident in 1998. Immigration officials approved Sarsour’s citizenship application decades ago, though he did not naturalize.
Sarsour has garnered public attention as a champion for Palestinian rights, and serves as a board member of an advocacy group called American Muslims for Palestine.
But Rubio personally signed off on a memo to the DHS last year describing Sarsour as deportable despite his green card, because “his actions undermine US foreign policy to combat antisemitism around the world”. The memo, cited in Hanlon’s order, accuses Sarsour’s group of being “found to have been involved in activities providing funds to Hamas”.
A group of plainclothes ICE officers from at least 10 unmarked vehicles swarmed Sarsour on 30 March of this year, arresting him and putting him in deportation proceedings. ICE ultimately detained him in Clay county jail in Indiana.
Sarsour lost 30lb while detained, the order says. His lawyers told the court that he was “at constant risk of developing serious complications from diabetes given that the medical staff only checks his blood-sugar levels once a month”. Tightly controlling diabetes typically requires multiple glucose checks daily.
Hanlon’s order says that homeland security officials and Rubio probably trampled on Sarsour’s first amendment right to free speech and appeared to have arrested him in retaliation for his Palestinian rights advocacy.
The order cited a New York Times story and the website for the Heritage Foundation, the conservative thinktank that dreamed up Project 2025,
The Heritage Foundation presented the White House with the idea to present prominent foreign-born Muslims and Palestinian rights leaders as terrorists in order to sue them, deport them or pressure employers to fire them, the order says, citing reporting from the Times and Heritage’s own website. Sarsour was probably among the targets of that campaign, the order says.
The federal government, through its lawyers, contended that Sarsour should be deported based on two convictions from more than three decades ago in Israel – one for throwing a molotov cocktail and the other for attempting to store weapons and ammunition.
Sarsour denies having committed those crimes.
But Hanlon viewed those crimes as a non-issue for justifying his incarceration, noting that the federal government knew about them since the 1990s and approved his legal permanent residency and his citizenship application anyway.
Sarsour’s speech on Palestinian rights “is core political speech and squarely within the scope of the First Amendment”, the order says. “Mr Sarsour has submitted evidence allowing a reasonable inference that his protected speech was ‘at least a motivating factor’ in Respondents’ decision to detain him.”
A spokesperson for homeland security described Sarsour as a “terrorist”, citing the convictions from his youth in Israel.
Government lawyers had argued that Sarsour did not have the same first amendment rights as US citizens. If he were released, they said, he should have to pay a $25,000 bond, wear an ankle monitor, check in routinely with ICE and remain confined to his house.
Instead, Hanlon ordered his release on personal recognizance, meaning that Sarsour does not have to pay a cash bond to compel him to show up in court again. The order, however, requires him to remain in the state of Wisconsin.
-
Idaho3 minutes agoMountain Home neighbors kickoff Juneteenth celebrations as Idaho marks 25 years of recognition
-
Illinois10 minutes agoIllinois has already broken the record for number of tornadoes in a year — and it’s only June
-
Indiana13 minutes agoHamilton County teen is youngest delegate at Indiana Republican convention
-
Iowa18 minutes agoReynolds orders flags lowered for funeral of Iowa Sen. Julian Garrett
-
Kentucky28 minutes ago
Louisville celebrates Juneteenth with parade honoring history and culture
-
Louisiana33 minutes agoFrom ‘not pageant people’ to Miss Louisiana stage: Addison J…
-
Maine40 minutes agoMaine gubernatorial candidates trade barbs on first day of general campaign
-
Maryland43 minutes agoMaryland governor celebrates Juneteenth in historically-Black Montgomery County community – WTOP News
