JR Ross

News: A source close to @GovEvers said no final decision has been made on seeking a 3rd, his team hasn't called potential Dem contenders to tell them he's out, and there will be no announcement in the next 24-36 hours. See more in today's PM Update: pro.stateaffairs.com/wi/pm-update/t…

Spending in the April state Supreme Court race hit $115 million, according to my updated tally. That's double the previous national record. Justice-elect @susancrawfordWI spent $33.4M, while @elonmusk dropped $25M. See more at our spiffy new website: pro.stateaffairs.com/wi/elections/w…

New: Wisconsin U.S. Sens. @SenatorBaldwin, @SenRonJohnson have recommended 5 candidates for a vacancy on the 7th Circuit Court: Joseph Aragorn Bugni Cynthia Mae Davis Thomas Michael Hruz Kevin Eugene Martens Rebecca Liane Taibleson See the letter: ronjohnson.senate.gov/services/files…

Fundraising news: @Tony4WI, who hasn't announced whether he'll seek a 3rd term, raised $757,215 over the first 6 months of '25. 4 years ago, he raised $5 million in the same period ahead of his successful reelection bid. Evers had $2M in the bank to end June. Had $7M in '21.

Check out this week's episode for the official announcement that @twiceanya is joining "Rewind" as my full-time co-host. Please join me in welcoming her to the show.

More fundraising news: @JoshSchoemann says he raised $423k in the first two months of his campaign. wispolitics.com/2025/schoemann… And Reclaim Wisconsin, a new IE group backing Schoemann, says it pulled in $200K. Finance reports due Tuesday. wispolitics.com/2025/reclaim-w…

Fundraising news: @ChrisTaylorWI says she raised nearly $584k in the first weeks of her SCOWIS bid, a record for that reporting period. See the release: wispolitics.com/2025/taylor-ca…

'26 news: @billberrienwi formally announces his bid for guv. In rollout video, he touts service as a Navy SEAL, calls himself an “outsider and a businessman just like Donald Trump,” vowing to “shake up Madison like he’s shaking up DC." See the release: wispolitics.com/2025/berrien-c…

During oral arguments, @judgehagedorn said overruling the process would mean reversing years of precedent the court had set. He called it the most consequential case he’d seen in his five years on the bench.

Fundraising nuggets: @billberrienwi PAC raised $1.2 million April-June. See today's AM Update for more: wispolitics.com/2025/tue-am-up… @RebeccaforWI raised $935K See the release: wispolitics.com/2025/cooke-cam… State, fed reports due July 15.

Despite 25 years of doing this, 13 budgets and a couple repair bills, I'd never say I've seen it all. But a governor signing a budget at 1:30 am in a race with Congress definitely shortened the list of what I have yet to see. And with that, another wild Wisconsin budget ends.

.⁦@GovEvers⁩ signs veto messages as he complete the state budget about 1:30 am.

One chamber down, one chamber to go. wispolitics.com/2025/senate-ap…

Historical budget nugget: The office of @MaryFelzkowski, citing research conducted by the Legislative Reference Bureau, said it was the only time in state history a Senate president had voted against the budget.

After a procedural snafu, Senate approves the budget 19-14, sending it to the Assembly. Republicans voting no: Kapenga, Felzkowski, Hutton, Nass Dems voting yes: Dassler-Alfheim, Hesselbein, Pfaff, Smith, Wall

In the Senate, the technical amendment passes 20-13. Chamber then moves amended bill 19-14. Republicans voting no: Kapenga, Felzkowski, Hutton, Nass Dems voting yes: Dassler-Alfheim, Hesselbein, Pfaff, Smith, Wall Possible preview of final passage.

For those of you watching the Wisconsin Assembly tonight, GOP Rep. Callahan is absent. That leaves 53 Republicans and 45 Dems in the chamber. Republicans still need 50 votes to pass the budget with 98 members present. Could cut their margin for error if there are defections.

And here's the 35-page "technical" amendment: docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/raw/proposal/2… Makes a series of language changes to deal w/guv on UW, moves up implementation of hospital assessment and includes "technical" language changes.

The Senate is back in session after an hours long break to study a "technical" amendment. They're now back and have voted to table the remaining 13 Dem amendments.

Bjt update: The state Senate just voted down the third Dem amendment. There are 22 more listed on the Senate website. @SenHesselbein, who was part of negotiations with the guv and GOP lawmakers, authored 24 of the 25. She said ahead of session Dems would still seek changes.