November 4, 2022

"If Wisconsin Democrats lose several low-budget state legislative contests here on Tuesday... it may not matter who wins the $114 million tossup contest for governor ..."

"... between Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, and Tim Michels, a Republican. Those northern seats would put Republicans in reach of veto-proof supermajorities that would render a Democratic governor functionally irrelevant.... The Republican leaders in the Wisconsin Legislature say they will bring back all 146 bills Mr. Evers has vetoed during his four years in office — measures on elections, school funding, pandemic mitigation efforts, policing, abortion and the state’s gun laws — if they win a supermajority or if Mr. Michels is elected."

From "Wisconsin Republicans Stand on the Verge of Total, Veto-Proof Power/In a 50-50 battleground state, Republicans are close to capturing supermajorities in the State Legislature that would render the Democratic governor irrelevant even if he wins re-election" (NYT).

The northern seats are "three counties in Wisconsin’s far northwest corner make up one of the last patches of rural America that have remained loyal to Democrats through the Obama and Trump years... Douglas, Bayfield and Ashland Counties."

49 comments:

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Voter ID laws must be strengthened across the land. Democrats will call it voter suppression.
Democrat lie.

Kai Akker said...

Wisconsin, the once and future progressive leader.

rehajm said...

While a veto-proof majority might render you weak you will be far from functionally irrelevant. In fact, quite necessary in certain situations. Since you are Governor you will take all the blame for the impact of your opponents crappy policies. You may be called upon to 'compromise' with your opponents on unsavory legislation all your government minions want to see passed- pay hikes, for example.

...and you'll still be counted on to attend the funerals, natural disasters and shopping center openings (closings?)...

Paul said...

"If Wisconsin Democrats lose several low-budget state legislative contests here on Tuesday... it may not matter who wins the $114 million tossup contest for governor ..."

Sounds like a plan!!

Drago said...

It still astonishes me that as soon as former Gov Walker decided to run for President, instead of taking his WI success story and policy preferences national, he immediately hired all the DC-based hired guns the establishment squishes told him to hire, including George Will's wife!

They promptly had Walker dump all his successful policy messages and began to walk Walker over to Establishment Corner where all that matters is selling out to the ChiComs and Chamber of Commerce (open borders), go soft on abortion, disentangle himself from any populist policy preferences and water down every strong belief he had.

Walker then commenced to disappear, as in Cheshire Cat disappearing......

hawkeyedjb said...

Bummer. Democracy ends in Wisconsin next Wednesday. Get out now, Althouse and Meade.

Static Ping said...

The governor is only functionally irrelevant if you get all the Republicans to vote in a bloc. How likely that is depends on the leadership and the bill. Republicans are notorious for their "mavericks," some of whom seem to do it for no other reason than to be annoying, and even the Democrats can have trouble keeping 1 or 2 of their caucus from straying.

Mark said...

Tim Michaels promised that if he wins Wisconsin will never go Democrat again.

Here's to a permanent gerrymander!

WisRich said...

Had not even considered this. That would be a very interesting development.

Gusty Winds said...

Let's hope these rural areas can save this once great state. Centralized power in Madison needs to be split up. They have no understanding or concern for Wisconsinites that live outside the Dane County border.

Wisconsin Democrats in Madison, Milwaukee, GB, and Racine are corrupt. They implemented absentee ballot voter fraud during the 2020 election, and allowed the WEC to override and ignore current election laws WHICH WERE/ARE followed in Red areas like Waukesha County.

It bleeds into other woke areas like La Crosse, Wauwatosa, Shorewood, and Whitefolks Bay. Sadly the millennial woke in Ozaukee County have removed the "O" from the once red W.O.W counties. New there's just W.W. (Waukesha and Washington).

Governor Tony Evers let Kenosha burn for political gain. He didn't want Trump to put out the fires, so he left in up to Kyle Rittenhouse. If he's not defeated let's at least hope he gets neutered by a veto proof legislature. He's a beta cuck coward.

Milwaukee DA Chisolm harassed Scott Walker supporters with his fruitless John Doe and John Doe II investigations, and his liberal policies set Darrel Brooks loose on Waukesha's Dancing Grannies. Milwaukee is now the new Detroit.

Josephbleau said...

“Republicans are notorious for their "mavericks," some of whom seem to do it for no other reason than to be annoying,”

I see this as a national thing, I would not expect local reps from rural places to act that way, there is no national media spotlight, no cheering section.

This is the best response to blue city election fraud though.

Mutaman said...


Blogger hawkeyedjb said...

"Bummer. Democracy ends in Wisconsin next Wednesday. Get out now, Althouse and Meade."

What in the world makes you think Meade is in favor of Democracy?

bobby said...

I love deadlock in government. I'd rather that the deadlocked government be run by conservatives if possible, but in the long run, deadlock itself is conservative.

So, to me, party capture of a state's government isn't a good thing. It encourages all of the excesses that make things worse.

If the Republicans (my party) capture Wisconsin completely, then I'd predict that the Dems take it all back in 2024, since one-party rule always leads to over-reach.

Unknown said...

We've lived with one-party government for several years now in California. It's not so bad once you get used to it. The public shaming and forced confessions of Republicans have died down, and the different factions of Democrats are starting to turn on one another.

Mike Sylwester said...

.... Those northern seats ...

Milwaukee does not count the votes for those northern seats and therefore cannot prevent the Republicans from winning those elections.

Leland said...

Either Wisconsin is a 50/50 battleground state or Republicans will win supermajorities. Both cannot be true.

Leslie Graves said...

Funny tweet that was posted about this.

Lawnerd said...

Ugh. I just can't see Ashland and Bayfield going Republican. They aren't really rural. The cities of Ashland and Bayfield dominate each county and both are full of progressives. They are kind of like two mini-Madisons.

Achilles said...

The only reason Wisconsin is a battleground state is because of voter fraud in two counties.

Carol said...

We got that situation in Montana already thanks to Trump's coattails BUT...
The state courts are out to undo the work of the legislature, eg voter laws.

Sound familiar?

gilbar said...

Aren't those 3 counties part of Duluth? Not surprising, for Minnesotans to be DFL

Original Mike said...

Blogger Mark said...
"Tim Michaels promised that if he wins Wisconsin will never go Democrat again.
Here's to a permanent gerrymander!"


Right, Mark.. I'm sure that's what he meant. :rolleyes

Temujin said...

Wow. I had not realized how much Wisconsin had changed. Or maybe it was always just a matter of the more rural areas getting pissed off enough to realize that Republicans are not all Nazis and that Democratic elitism is not working out for anybody not living in Washington DC.

We are actually seeing a sea change in voter demographics across many segments. This started with Trump, but has definitely got a massive pump forward after two years of watching Biden and his team go after Americans.

Tuesday will be interesting. But this movement of peoples and their voting shifts does not end on Tuesday. These trends will continue and will expand into 2024. Hispanics, Blacks, suburban women, rural Americans all are not necessarily jumping into being Republicans, but they are leaving a Democratic Party which has not had a new idea in 40 or so years.

Mutaman said...

Achilles said...

"The only reason Wisconsin is a battleground state is because of voter fraud in two counties."

And some day Crackers like Achilles might be able to prove it instead of just constantly whining about it. But don't hold your breath.

tim in vermont said...

The old FDR farm country where my dad grew up is now solid Trump country, and the Democrats have come out against traditional union work like mining, steelworkers, energy extraction. They have simply abandoned flyover county for the big tech money from California, companies which enjoy a tax on the real economy through advertising, like Google, for example. But at the end of the day, billionaires each get one vote.

chickelit said...

Madison politics will become irrelevant. Too bad they blew it by encouraging the State St. riots and looting.

chickelit said...

Hispanics, Blacks, suburban women, rural Americans all are not necessarily jumping into being Republicans, but they are leaving a Democratic Party which has not had a new idea in 40 or so years.

The Democratic "raw deal" of unchecked immigration in order to suppress wages doesn't mix with rampant inflation. The cohorts you mention are catching on.

DarkHelmet said...

It still astonishes me that Wisconsin dumped one of the best governors in the country, Scott Walker, for the non-entity teachers' union puppet we have now. Getting supermajorities to overrule him would be good, but even better to toss him out, since the governor still has appointment powers and oversight through those appointments over things like . . . elections.

This state could be four days from taking a big positive step. We'll see.

hawkeyedjb said...

Mutaman said...
"What in the world makes you think Meade is in favor of Democracy?"

I read it on the internet somewhere.

Iman said...

“And some day Crackers like Achilles might be able to prove it instead of just constantly whining about it. But don't hold your breath.”

Who woulda thunk muttman is an idiot racist…

Lance said...

Why focus on the the rural counties? I'll bet Democrats have lost more support in suburban precincts.

Iman said...

Look, the Democrats make a hash out of everything they touch. Vote these unfit people out.

n.n said...

low-budget... flyover districts.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

Thank you for letting me know where to watch

gilbar said...

Lance said...
Why focus on the the rural counties?

I'd explain to Lance; the concept of voting districts, statehouse representatives and state senators..
But, what do i know? I think Superior Wisconsin is in Minnesota

Michael K said...


Blogger Mutaman said...

Achilles said...

"The only reason Wisconsin is a battleground state is because of voter fraud in two counties."

And some day Crackers like Achilles might be able to prove it instead of just constantly whining about it. But don't hold your breath.


I'm not. Some day we will have judges that can't be intimidated by your thugs.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

Mark said...
Tim Michaels promised that if he wins Wisconsin will never go Democrat again.

Here's to a permanent gerrymander!


1: Eventually the Dems will be forced by defeat to move closer to sanity

2: It's not gerrymandering, it's imposing reasonable election laws to stop the fraud the Dems have been relying on

For example:
A: No more "Election Day vote registration".
B: No more voting without valid State issued photo ID
C: Cracking down on the "nursing home" vote, making sure that the staff aren't taking advantage of the residents.

That alone would have flipped a lot of Statewide races in the last 20 years

Michael K said...

Key fact:

Milwaukee does not count the votes for those northern seats and therefore cannot prevent the Republicans from winning those election

Dr Weevil said...

Leland (4:16pm) wrote:
"Either Wisconsin is a 50/50 battleground state or Republicans will win supermajorities. Both cannot be true."

On the contrary, it can very easily be true, and something like that is true in many states. Here's a simplified example: If one-quarter of all the constituencies in a state (upper and lower house) vote 4:1 Democrat, and the other three-quarters vote 3:2 Republican, the total statewide vote for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general will be a tossup (ratio of 4+2+2+2 Democrats vs. 1+3+3+3 Republicans = 10:10), while the upper and lower house will each be 75% Republican, which is a supermajority.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

For democrats with a short memory

effinayright said...

But...but...but.... overriding a governor's veto is...... FASCISM, man!

The "end of democracy"!!!

STRAIGHT UP!!

Jim at said...

Just sit back and enjoy the historical, home state of the progressive movement is 'this close' to facing irrelevance in their own state Legislature.

Big Mike said...

Evers is the man who let Kenosha burn. He should be forced to face Republican legislative supermajorities.

If Evers wins on Tuesday that’s a sign that Wisconsin is proud of its black/white achievement gap in education, and intends to continue keeping black children down.

Dude1394 said...

How interesting, one party rule in kalifornia is equated to the model for the rest of the country. A veto-proof congress in another state is horrific. Why do we even pay attention to these propagandists.

mpw said...

As Tip O'Neil wrote on the cover of the book, All Politics is Local. If R take the local seats it works it's way up from there. Also it appears the the rural people are sick and tired of being on the political leash of the city democrats.

iowantwo said...

Let's hope these rural areas can save this once great state. Centralized power in Madison needs to be split up.

This is a foundational tenet of federalism. Planned, intentional, organized, de-centralized, political power. Government closest to the people where ever possible.

Citizens running public education. Police chiefs elected, or serve at the pleasure of the elected. Elect county sheriffs and County attorneys. The People in control of how the laws were enforced and prosecuted. Local county supervisors, Soil commissioner's, Drainage district directors. Rural areas have Fence police, and livestock commissioners, all elected and accountable to the People.

All of these elected people with constitutionally defined powers.

And we haven't gotten to the State and Federal powers.

Needless to say, The Democrat Party, hates all of it.

Josephbleau said...

Interesting about one party states like California. The reasonable outcome would be that the single party gradually separates into groups within the democrats. So I would think that there will be California high tech Hollywood millionaire demos and Hispanic demos and labor demos that act like separate parties. Under the California rules there is no party in primaries, so they can all be on the ballot. What group will the racist LA council be in?

Rusty said...

Michael K said...
"Key fact:

Milwaukee does not count the votes for those northern seats and therefore cannot prevent the Republicans from winning those election"
Yeah. I'm surprised they printed that.

Kirk Parker said...

Big Mike ,

Evers should face the firing squad for letting Kenosha burn, but sadly that's not on offer