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US Rep. Bryan Steil on the 2026 race for Wisconsin governor

U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-1st Congressional District, discusses the 2026 Democratic primary race for governor of Wisconsin and the potential influence of President Donald Trump in the general election.

August 12, 2026

Francesca Hong on her 2026 campaign for Wisconsin governor

Elections

Francesca Hong on her 2026 campaign for Wisconsin governor

Francesca Hong, the state representative for Wisconsin's 76th Assembly District, shares her thoughts on running in the 2026 Democratic primary for governor and seeking to mobilize the state's voters.

August 12, 2026

Tom Tiffany on his message in Wisconsin’s 2026 governor race

Elections

Tom Tiffany on his message in Wisconsin’s 2026 governor race

Tom Tiffany, the U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District and the 2026 Republican nominee for governor, shares his general election campaign stance on the state budget to voters.

August 12, 2026

David Crowley smiles while facing a two people who are facing him, one of whom is holding a smart phone in her left hand to record him, with other people standing in the background watching and taking photographs with cameras.

Elections

Crowley’s victory sets up a general election match with Tiffany in Wisconsin’s 2026 race for governor

David Crowley’s razor-thin win over Francesca Hong in the 2026 Democratic primary for governor of Wisconsin sets up a general election match against Tom Tiffany, a congressman who has voted with President Donald Trump 100% of the time.

August 12, 2026

Torey Dolan on non-Native people owning land in reservations

Indigenous

Torey Dolan on non-Native people owning land in reservations

University of Wisconsin Law School professor Torey Dolan describes how an 1887 law known as the Dawes Act established the practice of allotment in which tribal lands were sold to non-Native owners.

August 12, 2026

David Crowley speaks while standing in a room with out-of-focus political campaign signs on a wall in the background.

Elections

Crowley wins Wisconsin’s 2026 Democratic primary for governor in a photo finish

David Crowley, who reentered the 2026 race for governor of Wisconsin after securing the endorsement of Gov. Tony Evers, won the state's Democratic primary election by a narrow margin over Francesca Hong.

August 12, 2026

Three plastic wall panels of two voting booths are marked with Illustrations of the U.S. flag and the word Vote, with one obscured by the adjacent booth.

Elections

Crowley and Hong locked in a tight race as results are reported

Supporters of David Crowley and Francesca Hong were waiting on final voting results to be reported in the very close 2026 Democratic race for governor as the Aug. 11 primary election ended, with the winner to face Republican Tom Tiffany.

August 12, 2026

Torey Dolan on treaties, tribal sovereignty and the courts

Indigenous

Torey Dolan on treaties, tribal sovereignty and the courts

University of Wisconsin Law School professor Torey Dolan discusses the relevance of ceded territory to tribal sovereignty and the role of federal courts in disputes over tribes setting regulations.

August 11, 2026 • Northern Region

A sandwich board sign with an illustration of a U.S. flag and the words Vote Here stands on a polished vinyl floor reflecting light from windows and doors, with out-of-focus industrial doormats near an entrance in the background.

Elections

Wisconsin’s 2026 primary election arrives with high-profile races for governor, two congressional seats

The winners of Wisconsin's prominent 2026 primaries for governor, the 7th Congressional District and 3rd Congressional District on Aug. 11 will advance to the general election in November when control of state government and Congress will be on the line.

August 11, 2026

A multi-color partly cloudy sky casts shadows over a landscape of multiple low, large buildings surrounded by roads, retention ponds, power line poles and fields.

Economy

Mount Pleasant data center contract retains power plant provision struck down by Wisconsin regulators

A contract between We Energies and Microsoft states power plants serving the tech company's data center in Mount Pleasant must be located in eastern Wisconsin or Michigan's Upper Peninsula, even though the state Public Service Commission rejected the requirement.

August 10, 2026

Francesca Hong smiles while standing and facing an out-of-focus person in the foreground who is speaking to her, with to more out-of-focus people on either side in the foreground and more out-of-focus people standing in the background.

Elections

Wisconsin and Minnesota primaries next to feature clashes between progressive and establishment Democrats

Democratic candidates for governor in Wisconsin and U.S. Senate in Minnesota are making their final pushes ahead of the Aug. 11 primary election, a week after a divisive and costly U.S. Senate primary in Michigan.

August 10, 2026

Veronica Ruiz holds her face in her hands and Sheila Stubbs holds Ruiz's left arm, next to a wood podium with multiple microphones with the flags of different media organizations affixed to its surface, in a room with wood wainscoting and toile wallpaper.

Courts

Investigators release name of Madison police officer who fatally shot Corey Ruiz

The Wisconsin Department of Justice has released the name of the Madison police officer who shot and killed Corey Ruiz on July 22 on the city's east side — all four officers who interacted with Ruiz that day have been placed on paid administrative leave while the state investigates the shooting.

August 10, 2026 • South Central Region

In Focus

In Focus with Noble Wray: Tech and the future of policing

Murv Seymour talks with former Madison Police Chief Noble Wray at the Black Business Hub about impacts of technology — from body cameras to AI to drones to license plate readers — on law enforcement.

August 10, 2026

Zac Schultz and Howard Schweber sit facing each other on the Here & Now set.

Politics

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Howard Schweber

Here's what guests on the Aug. 7, 2026 episode said about First Amendment rights and a protest encampment in Madison.

August 10, 2026

A still image shows a lone fisherman on a boat on a lake, with tree branches flanking both sides of the image.

Indigenous

Tribal sovereignty is at issue in Lac du Flambeau’s lawsuits

Federal laws addressing tribal sovereignty and efforts in Indigenous communities to assert these rights are central to lawsuits over the Lac du Flambeau Band's moves to limit road and fishing access.

August 7, 2026 • Northern Region

A still image shows a group of Madison police officers wearing high visibility vests walking toward the encampment at the intersection of Baldwin and Williamson Street.

Politics

What’s next for Madison after the Ruiz shooting encampment?

The city of Madison cleared a protest encampment 13 days after Corey Ruiz was shot and killed, as activists and local officials acknowledge relationships between police and the community need repair.

August 7, 2026 • South Central Region

Howard Schweber on First Amendment rights and encampments

Politics

Howard Schweber on First Amendment rights and encampments

UW-Madison political science professor emeritus Howard Schweber considers protest encampments in Madison and responses by authorities given the breadth of and limits to freedom of speech and assembly.

August 7, 2026

Elections

A fight over the Democratic Party’s future shifts to Wisconsin

Wisconsin is the latest state where the battle over the direction of the Democratic Party will play out, with front-runners in the state's 2026 primary for governor featuring a democratic socialist against a candidate endorsed by Gov. Tony Evers.

August 7, 2026

National attention turns to Wisconsin’s 2026 governor’s race

Inside Wisconsin Politics

National attention turns to Wisconsin’s 2026 governor’s race

A nationwide showdown among establishment and insurgent candidates is defining the Democratic Party in 2026 — Inside Wisconsin Politics explores how this clash is playing out in the race for governor.

August 6, 2026

Wisconsin’s 2026 primary for governor hits the home stretch

Elections

Wisconsin’s 2026 primary for governor hits the home stretch

Four Democratic candidates — Francesca Hong, David Crowley, Joel Brennan and Kelda Roys — remain in the 2026 primary for governor, all vying to face Republican Tom Tiffany in the general election.

August 5, 2026

Violet LaClair attaches a blood pressure monitor cuff to the arm of a person seated in a high-backed exam chair, in a room with medical exam tables and cabinets along a wall in front of windows with light streaming through blinds.

Economy

UW Health moves to expand its health apprenticeships model around the nation

To fill openings for nurses, surgical techs and more, UW Health pays staff to train for new health careers, on the clock — as other states struggle to find enough health workers, the company has launched WorkForward to show how it's done.

August 4, 2026

Salah Sarsour holds the index finger of his left hand in the air while speaking into a wireless microphone held in his right hand while standing behind a wood podium with a laptop computer on its surface and multiple microphones with the flags of different media organizations affixed to its top, with out-of-focus children standing in the foreground to his side and out-of-focus adults standing behind him in a room with painted concrete block walls.

Courts

Witness testifies that US efforts to deport Salah Sarsour rely on coerced confessions

A former attorney says Israeli authorities coerced Salah Sarsour, the leader of Wisconsin's largest mosque, into confessing to crimes in the 1980s and '90s, and that the U.S. is wrongfully relying on those convictions in a move to deport him.

August 4, 2026 • Southeast Region

A stack of different sets of absentee ballots bound with rubber bands sits on a table, with out-of-focus people and a tray with absentee ballots arranged on their side in the background.

Courts

Dane County judge rules paper absentee ballots violate rights of disabled voters

Dane County Circuit Judge Everett Mitchell ruled that absentee voting practices in Wisconsin discriminates against disabled voters, setting up a trial in which groups are seeking to require elections officials to allow for electronic ballots.

August 4, 2026

David Crowley speaks into a microphone mounted to the top of a podium with both of his hands holding papers on its surface, with a teleprompter mirror facing him and an out-of-focus projector screen in the background.

Elections

Mainstream Democrats pin hopes on David Crowley’s reboot campaign for governor

David Crowley suspended his campaign and then jumped back into the 2026 race for governor, receiving the backing of Gov. Tony Evers but with little time remaining to win over Democratic primary voters.

August 4, 2026

Donald Trump sits in a high-backed leather chair with out-of-focus torso of people standing behind him in the background.

Courts

Wisconsin, two dozen other states sue over Trump’s Section 301 tariffs

Wisconsin and 24 other states sued the Trump administration on Aug. 3 over double-digit tariffs issued under Section 301 of a 1974 law, calling them a pretext for replacing import taxes that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in February.

August 3, 2026

Jazzman Brown on homelessness and the killing of Corey Ruiz

Social Issues

Jazzman Brown on homelessness and the killing of Corey Ruiz

Jazzman Brown, an organizer of a memorial to Corey Ruiz, describes how his experiences being homeless inform how activists are seeking to provide aid and services to others who are seeking community.

August 3, 2026 • South Central Region

Lorien Carter on maintaining a street memorial to Corey Ruiz

Social Issues

Lorien Carter on maintaining a street memorial to Corey Ruiz

Lorien Carter, an organizer of a memorial to Corey Ruiz, describes the goals of a protest encampment at the intersection of two streets in Madison where he was shot and killed by a police officer.

August 3, 2026 • South Central Region

Francesca Hong holds a phone up in her right hand and takes a selfie photo with two people standing behind her, with other people standing in the background of a room with an arched ceiling and a stage at one end with multiple overhead lights.

Elections

Francesca Hong has defined Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor

Francesca Hong, a 37-year-old chef, bartender, state lawmaker and democratic socialist, has campaigned in the 2026 Democratic primary for governor on her own terms, and polling suggests her approach might just work.

August 3, 2026

Frederica Freyberg sits at a desk on the Here & Now set and faces a video monitor showing an image of Anthony Chergosky.

Politics

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Anthony Chergosky, Austin Hammond, Ann Jacobs

Here's what guests on the July 31, 2026 episode said about another shake-up in the race for governor, tornado recovery efforts in Menasha, and the illegality of putting a wager on election outcomes when voting.

August 3, 2026

Janesville becomes an AI data center battleground

Economy

Janesville becomes an AI data center battleground

Artificial intelligence is fueling stock market highs, economic growth and a construction boom across the country, but it is also igniting fierce local debates about the benefits, the costs and whether data centers that power AI should be built at all.

August 2, 2026 • South Central Region

A still image shows a young man speaking into a bull horn in the middle of a crowd of people at Corey Ruiz's memorial in Madison.

Social Issues

A Corey Ruiz street memorial expresses outrage, solidarity

In the wake of a police officer shooting and killing Corey Ruiz, activists in Madison gather around a makeshift memorial to offer condolences, seek accountability and help others who are down and out.

July 31, 2026 • South Central Region

A still image shows Anthony Chergosky seated in front of brown bookshelves lined with books with a graphic at bottom reading 'La Crosse,' 'Anthony Chergosky' and 'UW-La Crosse Dept. of Political Science.'

Elections

Anthony Chergosky on Wisconsin 2026 governor primary tumult

UW-La Crosse political science professor Anthony Chergosky considers the state of Wisconsin's 2026 Democratic primary race for governor as Mandela Barnes drops out and Francesca Hong leads in polls.

July 31, 2026

Ann Jacobs on prediction markets and Wisconsin election law

Elections

Ann Jacobs on prediction markets and Wisconsin election law

Wisconsin Elections Commission member Ann Jacobs discusses an agency advisory that buying and selling prediction market contracts on election outcomes violates state law on making bets and voting.

July 31, 2026

A still image shows Austin Hammond seated in front of a white wall with a brick wall to his left, with a graphic at the bottom that reads 'Menasha,' 'Austin Hammond' and 'Menasha Mayor.'

Economy

Mayor Austin Hammond on damage by a tornado hitting Menasha

Menasha Mayor Austin Hammond describes impacts of a tornado that struck multiple communities in Outagamie and Winnebago counties along with post-storm efforts to assess damage and provide resources.

July 31, 2026 • Northeast Region

Wisconsin’s 2026 primary for governor gets shaken up again

Inside Wisconsin Politics

Wisconsin’s 2026 primary for governor gets shaken up again

Four candidates remain in the topsy-turvy 2026 Democratic primary for governor as Mandela Barnes ends his campaign — Inside Wisconsin Politics considers the state of the race in its closing days.

July 30, 2026

Mandela Barnes speaks into a microphone mounted to the top of a podium, with the shadows of multiple people in the foreground.

Elections

Barnes drops out of Wisconsin’s 2026 Democratic governor primary

Mandela Barnes, a former lieutenant governor of Wisconsin, dropped out of the 2026 Democratic primary for governor, leaving four candidates remaining in the race for the party's nomination with less than two weeks before Election Day.

July 30, 2026

Joel Brennan gestures with his left hand and holds a microphone in his right hand while standing in a room with a brick wall and stage curtain in the background.

Elections

Democrat Joel Brennan says he can win the governor’s race — if voters get to know him

Joel Brennan, who served as secretary for the Wisconsin Department of Administration under Gov. Tony Evers, has plenty of experience in state government but is making his first run for office in the 2026 Democratic primary for governor.

July 29, 2026

Mindy Lohff poses for a portrait while standing in a storage room with wood shelves filled with cases of toilet paper, facial tissue, sanitary napkins, soaps, shampoos and other personal toiletry items, with stacks of canned and dry food items in the foreground.

Social Issues

Newcap closure leaves northeast Wisconsin scrambling to prevent more homelessness

The closure of the anti-poverty nonprofit Newcap reveals how the loss of a single agency can have a staggering effect, especially in rural areas where resources for the unhoused are limited.

July 28, 2026 • Northeast Region

Kelda Roys gestures with both hands while speaking into a microphone mounted to the top of a lectern in a room with a wood door in the background and the out-of-focus heads of people facing her in the foreground.

Elections

Kelda Roys leans on experience, attention to detail in second bid for governor

In a crowded, chaotic 2026 Democratic primary for governor of Wisconsin, state Sen. Kelda Roys emphasizes the detail in her policy plans and says she's best equipped to work in the office on day one.

July 28, 2026

Bill Mihalski pointes with his right index finger toward a King piece on a wood chess board on a laminated wood table, with more than a half-dozen children seated around it in a room with a whiteboard with the letters ELA mounted on a painted concrete-block wall.

Education

Pulaski tried to make summer school fun — 2,600 of the district’s kids showed up

The Pulaski Community School District's summer school offerings provide academic help to students who need it, but they also cater to student interests, including horsemanship, cooking and swimming.

July 27, 2026 • Northeast Region

Siding, wall studs and other types of wood debris sits in piles on the ground among trees stripped of leaves and small branches and in front of a damaged two-story house with no roof, with other damaged houses in the background.

Economy

Widespread damage in Menasha and Appleton area after tornado

The National Weather Service reported a "confirmed tornado" over Lake Winnebago, as storms on July 27 caused widespread damage to homes and buildings in Appleton and neighboring Menasha.

July 27, 2026 • Northeast Region

Tom Tiffany speaks to a person facing him with two other people to his side while standing outside in front of other people standing and walking in front of a building with wood siding, multiple levels of corrugated metal roofs and a sign reading Tom Tiffany Governor.

Elections

As the Democratic primary heats up, Republican Tom Tiffany has campaigned for governor on his own terms

Republican candidate for governor Tom Tiffany has portrayed himself as a folksy everyman while campaigning around Wisconsin, while downplaying his partisan voting record and his ties to President Donald Trump.

July 27, 2026

Bryna Godar and Frederica Freyberg sit facing each other on the Here & Now set.

Politics

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Charles Franklin, Bryna Godar, Ryan Graham

Here's what guests on the July 24, 2026 episode said about the polling on the Democratic primary race for Wisconsin governor, ongoing legal fights over how absentee ballots are handled when candidates drop out, and maintaining services for people experiencing homelessness.

July 27, 2026

A group of protestors march along a street at night while holding a fabric banner on two poles with the words Justice for Corey Ruiz, with buildings and trees on either side, and with an illuminated theater marquee sign reading New Orpheum and an illuminated dome of Beaux-Arts style building topped by a gilt statue in the background.

Politics

Madison grapples with Ruiz shooting as signature city events get canceled

The fatal shooting of Corey Ruiz by a Madison police officer has sparked renewed calls for policing reforms and is forcing the city to once again reckon with calls from community members to address racial justice.

July 26, 2026 • South Central Region

Ben Crump speaks and gestures with his right hand while standing behind a wood podium with multiple microphones with the flags of different media organizations affixed to its surface, with Veronica Ruiz standing to his side holding her face in her hands and Sheila Stubbs holding Ruiz's left arm, in a room with a carved fireplace lintel, the Wisconsin flag, an electric wall sconce and toile wallpaper.

Courts

Attorney for the Ruiz family says Madison police officer should be criminally charged

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who appeared with the family of Corey Ruiz at a news conference at the Wisconsin State Capitol, says a Madison police officer should face criminal charges after shooting and killing the 38-year-old man during a struggle with four officers on a busy city street.

July 26, 2026 • South Central Region

A still image shows a crowd of people marching on the steps of the state Capitol, with a woman wearing a black graphic t-shirt in the foreground holding a sign that reads 'Justice for COREY!!!

Social Issues

Fallout from fatal Madison police shooting of Corey Ruiz

A Madison police officer fatally shot Corey Ruiz, a 38-year-old Black man, on July 22, prompting a series of protests and vigils while reopening old wounds from previous police shootings in the city.

July 24, 2026 • South Central Region

A still image shows Charles Franklin seated at the 'Here & Now' set featuring wood paneling, with a graphic at bottom reading 'Charles Franklin' and 'Marquette Law School Poll.'

Elections

Charles Franklin on 2026 Wisconsin governor primary matchups

Marquette Law School Poll Director Charles Franklin discusses 2026 primary races for Wisconsin governor, from progressives supporting Francesca Hong to Democratic matchups with Republican Tom Tiffany.

July 24, 2026

A still image shows Bryna Godar seated at the 'Here & Now' set featuring wood paneling, with a graphic at bottom reading 'Bryna Godar' and 'State Democracy Research Initiative.'

Elections

Bryna Godar on WEC’s ruling on ‘spoiling’ absentee ballots

University of Wisconsin Law School State Democracy Research Initiative attorney Bryna Godar discusses the state Elections Commission barring requests for new absentee ballots if a candidate drops out.

July 24, 2026

A still image shows Ryan Graham in front of a blurred background, with a graphic at the bottom that reads 'Ryan Graham' and 'Wisconsin Balance of State Continuum of Care.'

Social Issues

Ryan Graham on northeast Wisconsin’s homeless resources

Wisconsin Balance of State Continuum of Care homeless systems manager Ryan Graham discusses filling a gap left by a nonprofit's closure as a summer statewide Point-in-Time homelessness count is held.

July 24, 2026 • Northeast Region

A sedan with a driver raising their left arm in a fist out the window and an open driver-side rear door as two people sit on its roof and hold a U.S. flag in the air drives along one side of a boulevard, with a large group of people walking behind across multiple lanes of the street, with trees and multi-story buildings on either side, and the a Beaux-Arts style building with a dome at the top of a low hill in the background.

Courts

Fatal police shooting of Corey Ruiz roils Madison, sparking protests in the city

The police shooting death of Corey Ruiz has roiled Madison and prompted protests and calls for justice, with local officials issuing calls for transparency and accountability while 2026 candidates for governor of Wisconsin weigh in on the turmoil.

July 24, 2026 • South Central Region

Chaos in Wisconsin’s Democratic primary race for governor

Inside Wisconsin Politics

Chaos in Wisconsin’s Democratic primary race for governor

David Crowley re-entered the 2026 Democratic primary for governor and received an endorsement by Gov. Tony Evers — Inside Wisconsin Politics examines shifts in the campaign and what polls are showing.

July 23, 2026

A bus and other vehicles drive along a city street through and past an intersection where traffic lights are illuminated yellow, with brick buildings on either side of the street, with trees and utility poles and traffic signs along the sidewalks.

Courts

Madison police officer shoots and kills a man in a street on the city’s east side

A Madison police officer shot and killed a man at the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin streets on the city's east side, with the department's chief saying the man injured the officer with a knife while resisting arrest — cellphone video of the shooting circulated on social media shortly later.

July 22, 2026 • South Central Region

A $20 bill, $10 bill and $1 bill folded in half sit on top of two student loan repayment plan application forms.

Education

Student loan defaults surge in Wisconsin, US after federal payment pause ends

Wisconsin student loan borrowers are struggling to repay after a pandemic-related grace period ended along with the most generous repayment plan — those who attended for-profit colleges in the state are twice as likely to be delinquent on making payments on loans.

July 22, 2026

Wisconsin’s 7th District Republican candidates on Congress

Elections

Wisconsin’s 7th District Republican candidates on Congress

Jessi Ebben, Kevin Hermening, Michael Alfonso, Niina Baum and Don Raihala, running in the 2026 Republican race for Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District, discuss the midterms and control of Congress.

July 21, 2026 • Northern Region

Rows of envelopes sit in.a plastic box, with the out-of-focus hair and shoulders of a person to the side in the foreground, and the out-of-focus hand of a another person to the other side in the background.

Elections

Wisconsin’s Democratic Party wants to allow voters to cast a new absentee ballot in the 2026 primary

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin is urging the state elections commission to allow people who have already voted in the 2026 primary to cast a new absentee ballot, a request that is likely to result in a lawsuit when 80,000 ballots have been returned three weeks before the Aug. 11 primary.

July 21, 2026

John Short poses for a portrait while standin on a lawn in front areas of garden with different plants surrounded by mulch, with trees and a building in the background.

Social Issues

The SAIL village in Dane County community helped pioneer a movement for older adults

One of the country's earliest village organizations, SAIL has inspired a movement that helps older adults support one another while aging independently within their communities, connecting them with volunteers, services and social activities.

July 21, 2026 • South Central Region

Different items fill a vending machine with a scratched transparent surface and a sign on the side reading Free and Narcan and safe use kits.

Health

How opioid settlement funds are being used around Wisconsin

State records illustrate how different counties and municipalities around Wisconsin are spending around $160 million in opioid settlement funds, as well as where millions remain unspent.

July 20, 2026

Zac Schultz and Frederica Freyberg sit facing each other on the Here & Now set.

Politics

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Zac Schultz, Kieran Furlong

Here's what guests on the July 17, 2026 episode said about a Democratic candidate for governor dropping out of the race and a nuclear fusion research facility planned for Madison.

July 20, 2026

A map showing state boarders and names of different municipalities in Wisconsin and areas of Minnesota and Iowa shows air quality levels coded with four different colors: yellow, orange, red and purple.

Health

How to keep the air inside the home cleaner when wildfire smoke is thick

When the air is smoky from burning wildfires, health experts say to stay indoors, but there are steps to keep the air clean inside of homes.

July 19, 2026

David Crowley smiles while holding a microphone in front of him, with out-of-focus people cheering in the background.

Elections

Crowley restarts 2026 bid for Wisconsin governor after Rodriguez quits race

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley plans to reenter the 2026 Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor, after previously dropping out and endorsing Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who ended her campaign in the wake of campaign finance accounting issues.

July 18, 2026

A still image shows a graphic of the five Republican candidates for Wisconsin's 7th congressional district, from left to right Kevin Hermening, Michael Alfonso, Jessi Ebben, Niina Baum and Don Raihala.

Elections

It’s a crowded Republican race for Wisconsin’s 7th in 2026

Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District is deep red, and its 2026 Republican candidates – Michael Alfonso, Niina Baum, Jessi Ebben, Kevin Hermening and Don Raihala — are making their cases to voters.

July 17, 2026 • Northern Region

A still image shows Frederica Freyberg seated at the 'Here & Now' set featuring wood paneling.

Elections

Wisconsin 7th District Democratic candidates make their case

Three Democratic candidates running in the race for Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District seat — Chris Armstrong, Fred Clark and Ginger Murray — make their case in a debate before the 2026 primary.

July 17, 2026 • Northern Region

Zac Schultz on Rodriguez ending her 2026 run for governor

Elections

Zac Schultz on Rodriguez ending her 2026 run for governor

"Here & Now" senior political reporter Zac Schultz discusses what Sara Rodriguez dropping out of the 2026 race for governor means for remaining Democratic primary candidates and the general election.

July 17, 2026

A still image shows a graphic featuring portraits of the five candidates for governor with the amount of money they raised for their campaign below them.

Elections

2026 candidates for governor release midyear finance reports

Primary candidates in Wisconsin's 2026 race for governor release campaign funding reports, with Democrats each raising hundreds of thousands of dollars and Republican Tom Tiffany raising $8.7 million.

July 17, 2026

A still image shows Kieran Furlong seated at the 'Here & Now' set featuring wood paneling, with a graphic at bottom reading 'Kieran Furlong' and 'Realta Fusion.'

Economy

Kieran Furlong on Realta Fusion’s energy R&D deal in Madison

Realta Fusion CEO Kieran Furlong discusses the company's plans to establish a research and development facility focusing on nuclear power technologies at the long-vacant Oscar Mayer plant in Madison.

July 17, 2026 • South Central Region

A still image shows a bridge covered in a thick layer of fog behind a line of trees.

Environment

Wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota smothers Wisconsin

Smoke from wildfires raging in northern Minnesota and western Ontario in Canada shrouded Wisconsin, leading to the issuing of air quality advisories at the highest alert category of "hazardous."

July 17, 2026

Elections

Rodriguez drops out of Wisconsin’s 2026 Democratic governor’s race over campaign finance problems

Sara Rodriguez, Wisconsin's lieutenant governor, has ended her candidacy in the state's 2026 Democratic primary for governor only days after firing her campaign manager upon discovering she had hundreds of thousands of dollars less on hand than had been previously reported.

July 17, 2026

Sara Rodriguez’s money woes shake up the race for governor

Inside Wisconsin Politics

Sara Rodriguez’s money woes shake up the race for governor

Fallout from Democratic candidate for governor Sara Rodriguez firing her campaign manager over accounting may transform the 2026 primary — Inside Wisconsin Politics looks at the state of the race.

July 16, 2026

Multiple students wearing chef coats and aprons stand behind a stainless steel table and prepare foods on its surface in a commercial kitchen with tiled walls, large stainless steel appliances and overhead exhaust hoods, with other students standing in the background.

Education

Lakeshore College summer camps introduce kids to hands-on jobs

A set of annual multi-day camps at a technical college in the east-central Wisconsin community of Cleveland offers students age 11-18 the opportunity to explore in-demand career skills used in culinary arts, manufacturing and information technology.

July 15, 2026 • Northeast Region

Leonard Jurgensen on his collection of Schlitz breweriana

History

Leonard Jurgensen on his collection of Schlitz breweriana

Oconomowoc resident Leonard Jurgensen describes different Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company artifacts he has collected, from beer crates to horse harnesses to a figurine lamp to a contemporary six-pack.

July 15, 2026

Elon Musk hold an oversized paper check with the words America PAC, pay to the order of Nicholas Jacobs and $1,000,000, with an illuminated U.S. flag on a screen in the background and out-of-focus heads of people facing him in the foreground.

Courts

Wisconsin Elections Commissions finds probable cause that Musk broke state law with voter payouts

The bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission has found probable cause that Elon Musk broke state law when he promised to hand out $1 million checks to voters in the 2025 state Supreme Court election, and referred two complaints to the Brown County district attorney's office.

July 14, 2026

A hand-drawn illustration shows a man wearing a neck brace lying in a hospital bed with his arms above the blanket and his shoulders braced by pillows, with an IV line attached to his arm from a fluid bag mounted on a poll, and with a baseball cap on a nightstand on the other side of the bed.

Economy

A roofing accident that left a worker paralyzed exposes risks when Wisconsin employers don’t have insurance

A Madison employer lacked worker's compensation coverage in Wisconsin, forcing the state to step in when an employee fell and was left paralyzed from the neck down, while records show the incident never triggered federal workplace safety scrutiny.

July 14, 2026

Elections

Rodriguez says her 2026 campaign for governor has less money than she thought

Sara Rodriguez, Wisconsin's lieutenant governor and a candidate in the 2026 Democratic primary for governor, announced that she had discovered her campaign has hundreds of thousands dollars less in funding than she thought after campaign ads slated to did not air due to unpaid invoices.

July 14, 2026

Charles Carlin on Knowles-Nelson Stewardship fund politics

Budgets

Charles Carlin on Knowles-Nelson Stewardship fund politics

Gathering Waters: Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts Director of Strategic Initiatives Charles Carlin discusses maneuvering in the Legislature over funding of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

July 13, 2026

Frederica Freyberg sits at a desk on the Here & Now set and faces a video monitor showing an image of Jake Holsclaw.

Politics

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Darryl Morin, Jake Holsclaw, Sadie Howell

Here's what guests on the July 10, 2026 episode said about a surge in immigration arrests in Wisconsin, a growing number of off-highway vehicle accidents, and a program to entice people to move to Fond du Lac.

July 13, 2026

A still image shows Darryl Morin seated in front of a wall covered in different awards and certificates, with a graphic at the bottom that reads 'Franklin,' 'Darryl Morin' and 'Forward Latino.'

Social Issues

Darryl Morin on a surge of ICE and CPB arrests in Wisconsin

Latino Forward National President Darryl Morin discusses feelings within Wisconsin immigrant communities to an upswing of arrests and detentions by federal agents in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Madison.

July 10, 2026

A still image shows Jake Holsclaw standing in front of a row of trees, with a graphic at the bottom that reads 'Eau Claire,' 'Jake Holsclaw' and 'Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources.'

Health

Jake Holsclaw on ATV/UTV crashes and efforts to boost safety

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources off-highway vehicle administrator Jake Holsclaw discusses state law changes intended to improve the safety of ATV and UTV riders as fatal accidents rise.

July 10, 2026

A still image shows Sadie Howell seated in front of a gray and white abstract painting, with a graphic at the bottom that reads 'Sadie Howell' and 'Envision Greater Fond du Lac.'

Economy

Sadie Howell on Fond du Lac’s relocation incentives program

Envision Greater Fond du Lac President & CEO Sadie Howell discusses the Make My Move Talent Attraction Program that offers monetary incentives to encourage people to relocate to and work in the city.

July 10, 2026 • Northeast Region

A still image shows JD Vance standing in front of a podium, with a graphic at the bottom that reads 'Milwaukee,' 'JD Vance' and 'Vice President.'

Elections

Vance and Milwaukee mayor swap remarks on election oversight

Vice President JD Vance visits Milwaukee to talk about fraud allegations in government programs, with Democratic Mayor Cavalier Johnson asking the Republican to visit the city's election operations.

July 10, 2026 • Southeast Region

Candidate lanes, campaign ads, ‘F-bombs’ and the 2026 race

Inside Wisconsin Politics

Candidate lanes, campaign ads, ‘F-bombs’ and the 2026 race

The Democratic field for governor gets tighter, campaign ads roll out in primary races, and Vice President JD Vance visits Milwaukee — Inside Wisconsin Politics takes the temperature of the election.

July 9, 2026

Francesca Hong holds a wireless microphone in her right hand and gestures with her left hand while standing and speaking in a room, with the backs of the heads of seated people facing her in the foreground.

Elections

Hong’s candidacy tests how far left Wisconsin voters are willing to go in 2026

Democratic socialists have won elections in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Denver so far in 2026 — in Wisconsin, Francesca Hong's candidacy for governor is turning a primary race into a question of where Democrats in the state stand.

July 9, 2026

Multiple John Deere tractors are arranged in a line on multiple flat railcars in a railyard with multiple tracks.

Courts

John Deere owners win right to repair equipment under settlement with FTC, Wisconsin and four other states

The Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general of Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin have secured a "right to repair" settlement with the farming equipment company John Deere to provide diagnostic and repair tools to owners and independent shops.

July 9, 2026

Charles Carlin on funding for Wisconsin’s state parks system

Environment

Charles Carlin on funding for Wisconsin’s state parks system

Gathering Waters: Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts Director of Strategic Initiatives Charles Carlin discusses how the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program funded outdoor recreation infrastructure.

July 8, 2026

Leonard Jurgensen on his collection of Schlitz beer bottles

History

Leonard Jurgensen on his collection of Schlitz beer bottles

Oconomowoc resident Leonard Jurgensen describes the history and innovations of bottling mass-produced beers through different types of Schlitz-branded bottles he has collected over half a century.

July 8, 2026

A hand-drawn and shaded sketch shows a depiction of Hannah Dugan sitting.

Courts

Dugan fined $5,000 for her federal obstruction conviction over a 2025 ICE arrest

A federal judge sentenced former Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan to a fine of $5,000 for her obstruction conviction over her ushering a Mexican immigrant defendant out of a courtroom to evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

July 8, 2026

From left to right, Annette Ziegler, Jill Karofsky, Brian Hagedorn and Susan Crawford sit in high-backed leather chairs at a judicial dais, with another row of high-backed wood and leather chairs behind them, in a room with marble masonry and a Wisconsin flag.

Courts

Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects the release of guardianship records sought by conservative activist

The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that guardianship records are not public and therefore are not subject to the state's open records law in a lawsuit brought by a conservative activist in an effort to find ineligible voters.

July 7, 2026

History

Leonard Jurgensen on documenting the history of Schlitz beer

Oconomowoc resident Leonard Jurgensen describes collecting documents, photographs and breweriana that capture the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company's history during its early eras in the 19th century.

July 7, 2026

Vanessa Colchado wears a dental gown and surgical mask while using a mouse with her right hand to look at a computer monitor displaying a dental X-ray, in a room with cabinets on the back wall.

Education

When will Wisconsin students receive federal financial aid for career training?

Officials with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development say it could take years for students to access Workforce Pell grants, with aid initially available only in a handful of carefully scrutinized programs.

July 6, 2026

Michael Alfonso smiles while standing in a room with the out-of-focus stripes of a large U.S. flag serving as a backdrop.

Elections

Sean Duffy’s son-in-law divides Trump-backing Republicans in primary for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is doing all he can to get his 26-year-old son-in-law Michael Alfonso — who has an endorsement from President Donald Trump — elected to his old congressional district in northwestern Wisconsin.

July 6, 2026

Bill McCoshen and Scot Ross sit next to each other and across from Frederica Freyberg at a desk on the Here & Now set.

Politics

‘Here & Now’: McCoshen & Ross, Charles Carlin

Here's what guests on the July 3, 2026 episode said about Wisconsin's 2026 primary candidates and the end of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

July 6, 2026

A still image shows four historic bottles of Schlitz lined up in a row.

History

A farewell toast to the beer that made Milwaukee famous

A business archive, breweriana collector and craft brewery work to preserve the memory and legacy of Schlitz, an iconic brand once among the top selling beers in America that is ceasing production.

July 3, 2026

McCoshen & Ross on candidates in Wisconsin’s 2026 primaries

Elections

McCoshen & Ross on candidates in Wisconsin’s 2026 primaries

"Here & Now" political panelists Bill McCoshen and Scot Ross discuss how Wisconsin's 2026 primary elections are taking shape, from the Democratic race for governor to Republican races for Congress.

July 3, 2026

A still image shows Charles Carlin seated in front of a green couch, with a graphic at the bottom that reads 'Summit Lake,' 'Charles Carlin' and 'Gathering Waters: Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts.'

Environment

Charles Carlin on Knowles-Nelson Stewardship funds expiring

Gathering Waters: Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts Director of Strategic Initiatives Charles Carlin considers a halt to funding for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and impacts on the state.

July 3, 2026

Multiple seated and standing people sort ballot envelopes at a row of tables and next to a rolling cart, with an out-of-focus metal cart with United States Postal Service boxes filled with ballot envelopes stacked on its shelves in the foreground.

Elections

Evers, other Democratic governors press US Postal Service to withdraw proposed rule on ballot delivery

A group of Democratic governors, including Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, asked the U.S. Postal Service to withdraw its proposed rule to comply with an executive order from President Donald Trump that seeks to create a federal list of eligible voters, including those eligible to receive a ballot by mail.

July 3, 2026

Sparks fly in Wisconsin’s 2026 Democratic governor primary

Inside Wisconsin Politics

Sparks fly in Wisconsin’s 2026 Democratic governor primary

Candidates seek to set themselves apart from the pack with attacks and provocative podcast appearances — Inside Wisconsin Politics looks at the 2026 race for the Democratic governor nomination.

July 2, 2026

How personal waivers impact Wisconsin’s vaccination numbers

Health

How personal waivers impact Wisconsin’s vaccination numbers

The number of families seeking personal conviction waivers for required vaccination of children attending public school in Wisconsin is increasing, leading to decreases in statewide immunization levels.

July 1, 2026

James Carson carries a stack of seven unbaked pizzas wrapped in plastic in front of double doors with a wood laminate finish and windows covered with decals.

Economy

Why are more older adults in Door County still working?

Door County is a retirement destination and its residents are among Wisconsin's oldest on average, but several factors are driving more older adults and retirees to return to work.

June 30, 2026 • Northeast Region

President Jon Greendeer on protecting Ho-Chunk burial mounds

Indigenous

President Jon Greendeer on protecting Ho-Chunk burial mounds

Ho-Chunk Nation President Jon Greendeer discusses a campaign to identify and protect ancestral Indigenous burial mounds and the use of ground penetrating radar to identify markers of human remains.

June 30, 2026 • South Central Region

Jamie Weigelt stands and speaks with Jared Weigelt stands next to and looks at her, with a table in between them in the foreground with an out-of-focus pair of shoes and basketball jersey.

Social Issues

Wisconsin families turn grief into action as sextortion cases are on the rise

The number of sextortion cases in Wisconsin nearly tripled from 2024 to 2025 — families whose children died by suicide after being sextorted are speaking to schools, advocating for legislation to protect victims, and suing social media companies.

June 29, 2026

The U.S. and Wisconsin flags fly from a flagpole on top of a multi-story masonry building with a pillar and pediment façade framing a large graphic of the face of the Bucky Badger collegiate mascot, with trees on both sides of a hillside lawn in the foreground under a partly cloudy sky.

Health

Sweltering Midwest heat cancels outdoor plans as cooling centers open

A heat wave is gripping the Midwest, causing summer camps and outdoor activities to be canceled or delayed as communities open cooling centers and advise people to stay hydrated.

June 29, 2026

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