Badger State Breakdown

Badger State Breakdown

@badgerstatebreakdown.substack.com

Your source for Wisconsin political insights | Politics & Law Junkie โš–๏ธ | Democracy Defender ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿฝ | Meidas Mighty โœจ| Here for politics only | May swear often ๐Ÿคฌ๐Ÿ˜‚ | #Wisconsin #Democracy #Resistance

20.8K followers42.5K following2.6K posts

๐Ÿšจ #JANESVILLE VOTERS! Don't overlook the GM/JATCO #referendum on November 3! It asks whether future projects exceeding $450M at the former GM site must receive voter approval. YES = Public vote required. NO = Existing City Council approval process. Know what's on your ballot! #Wisconsin

wpr.orgJanesville voters face referendum on future of vacant former GM plantWhen casting their ballots for governor next week, voters in the city of Janesville will also decide whether residents should have more of a say over the future of the long vacant site of a General Motors plant.

This is disturbing. ๐Ÿ˜ฆ #Anthropic's #Claude independently ๐—ฏ๐˜†๐—ฝ๐—ฎ๐˜€๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ฎ ๐—ฝ๐—ฎ๐˜†๐˜„๐—ฎ๐—น๐—น to access Georgia election statistics during testing. No voter records were altered. But why are experimental AI systems allowed to interact with real government websites without tighter safeguards? ๐Ÿค”

theguardian.comAnthropicโ€™s Claude AI model accessed Georgia voter data in USLatest example of unauthorised behaviour shows AI model bypassed paywall to access data as part of statistics project

Medicare vouchers? Seriously? ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ #MichaelAlfonso, #SeanDuffyโ€™s son-in-law and Republican candidate for #Wisconsinโ€™s 7th District, supports a voucher-style healthcare system, including Medicare. What happens when the voucher doesn't cover the bill? ๐Ÿค” #VoteFredClark #VoteBlue #SaveDemocracy

wisconsinexaminer.comRepublican candidate Michael Alfonso supports voucher style system for healthcare โ€ข Wisconsin ExaminerRepublican candidate for Wisconsin 7th CD Michael Alfonso has said he would support a voucher style system for healthcare.

TEN DAYS. ๐Ÿ“† If there is still something on your ballot making you go โ€œWho?โ€ or โ€œWhat does THAT mean?โ€โ€”excellent time to investigate. No shame. That is literally what research is for. #Wisconsin #VoteBlue

For fuck's sake! TRANS KIDS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM! #TomTiffany wants to police pronouns and bar trans girls from girls' sports while talking about reading scores. How the hell does targeting transgender students improve education? Kids need support, not another political battle. #Wisconsin

wpr.orgTiffany announces parental 'Bill of Rights' to ban transgender sports, pronoun changesRepublican candidate for governor Tom Tiffany says heโ€™ll make Wisconsin schools more accountable by giving parents and teachers more rights.

11 days. ๐Ÿ“† Wisconsin absentee ballots need a witness.โ€ Line one up now before you sit down to vote so you donโ€™t end up holding a completed ballot and yelling, โ€œWell, NOW what?โ€ ๐Ÿ˜‚ #Wisconsin #VoteBlue

Even Shady Vance is telling people to vote Democrat. ๐Ÿ˜‚

Headquarters@headquartersnews.bsky.social

JD Vance makes a recommendation on who to vote for in the midterms: "Vote for the people who have solutions to lower the cost of gas, don't vote for the people who made the problem to begin with."

Missed last night's #Wisconsin governor debate between #DavidCrowley and #TomTiffany? Hereโ€™s your chance to catch up. With Election Day closing in, this one is worth watching for yourselfโ€”not just reading everybody elseโ€™s hot takes afterward. ๐Ÿ‘€ #VoteBlue

wisn.comFULL DEBATE | Crowley and Tiffany face off in only Wisconsin governor debate before Election DayWISN 12 News Political Director Matt Smith and โ€œUPFRONTโ€ co-host Gerron Jordan moderated the debate, which covered the cost of living, taxes, education, data centers, immigration enforcement, election security, abortion and marijuana legalization.

12 days. ๐Ÿ“† Voting absentee? Please read the certificate envelope carefully. Wisconsin requires the voterโ€™s signature plus the witnessโ€™s signature and address. Tiny boxes can cause enormous headaches. #Wisconsin #VoteBlue

#Milwaukee said NOT SO FAST! ๐Ÿ›‘ The Common Council voted 13โ€“0 to pause new #DataCenters for one year while developing zoning protections. Another #Wisconsin community is demanding answers before developers start digging. Local control matters. ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿฝ

wpr.orgMilwaukee joins list of Wisconsin cities putting a pause on data center projectsAfter a unanimous vote by the Milwaukee Common Council to pause new data center construction, city leaders hope to develop new zoning rules while business groups say a pause sends the wrong message.

๐Ÿ‘€ ๐—ง๐—ข๐—ก๐—œ๐—š๐—›๐—ง ๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐Ÿณ ๐—ฃ๐— ! #DavidCrowley and #TomTiffany face off in #Wisconsin's only scheduled gubernatorial #debate. Taxes, immigration, election security, and yes, DATA CENTERS! One hour. Two candidates. Let's hear some actual answers, not campaign slogans.

wisn.comWISN 12 to Host Live Gubernatorial Debate Between David Crowley and Tom TiffanyDebate will be held on October 21, 2026 at Marquette University Law School

74% of #Wisconsin voters say #DataCenters cost more than they benefit communities. Yet only 5% rank them as their top election issue. ๐Ÿคจ Meanwhile, 68% support a one-year moratorium. That's quite a disconnect between public opinion and election priorities.

wpr.orgWisconsin voters hate data centers, but they may not be an election priorityIn Wisconsin Rapids and other communities, data center debates are a local political priority. But researchers say theyโ€™re not a top issue.

TWO WEEKS TO GO. ๐Ÿ“† Wisconsinโ€™s in-person absentee voting period can begin ๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐˜†. Your municipality sets its own dates and hours, so check locally before heading out. myvote.wi.gov?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=Badger+State+Breakdown&utm_campaign=publer #Wisconsin

It took a #lawsuit to get #Wisconsin to examine #DataCentersโ€™ statewide environmental costs. #Vantage pays for the #DNR reviewโ€”but #PortWashingtonโ€™s permits stay intact, and the deadline is January 2028. Progress, with a very large asterisk. *๏ธโƒฃ

wpr.orgWisconsin will examine environmental cost of data centers in lawsuit settlementWisconsin regulators will conduct a full statewide review of the environmental impacts of data center development under a legal deal with environmental groups.

Five seats! Thatโ€™s the net gain #Democrats need to end Republican control of #WisconsinAssembly. WPR breaks down the races that could decide itโ€”including #Neenah and #BrownCounty. Your down-ballot vote has a very big job & so do you. #VoteBlue

wpr.orgA handful of districts will decide which party controls the Wisconsin AssemblyEvery vote counts, but residents of a handful of Wisconsin Assembly districts will have more say than most when it comes to deciding who controls state government next year.

Well, this is awkward. ๐Ÿคจ #Microsoft, #WisconsinRegulators, AND ratepayer advocates are all questioning a utility plan meant to protect customers from #DataCenter transmission costs. If everybody agrees it needs more transparency, maybe donโ€™t approve it as-is. ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ

wpr.orgWisconsin regulators, Microsoft question utility plan for data center transmission costsMicrosoft, state regulators and customer advocates are raising concerns about a utility proposal meant to shield existing customers from transmission costs associated with data centers.

16 days. ๐Ÿ“† Tiny voting-plan checklist: โ˜‘๏ธ When are you voting? โ˜‘๏ธ Where? โ˜‘๏ธ How are you getting there? โ˜‘๏ธ Do you need anything beforehand? Congratulations, you now have a plan. ๐Ÿ˜† #Wisconsin #VoteBlue

๐Ÿšจ๐—ง๐—ข๐——๐—”๐—ฌ! ๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™‚๏ธ #Appleton: #NoKings is turning protest into voter power. ๐Ÿ‘‘๐Ÿšซ๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ Two events today will focus on turnout, early voting, and making sure voters have a plan before Nov. 3. Because democracy works better when people actually show up. #Wisconsin #VoteBlue

appletontoday.comAppleton No Kings events hope to inspire early votingSeparate gatherings at Appleton's City Park, Houdini Plaza will join No Kings 'Nationwide Day of Action,' encourage early voting

17 days. ๐Ÿ“† Registering to vote? Wisconsin requires proof of residence. Check the accepted documents ahead of time instead of discovering at the counter that the thing you brought isnโ€™t what you needed. #Wisconsin #VoteBlue

#Wisconsin's 8th District: #TonyWied wants to continue Trump's agenda. #RickCrosson says Congress needs to check presidential power. Meanwhile, Wied faces scrutiny over taxpayer-funded TV ads and stock trades. Their October 22 debate should be interesting. Bring the receipts! ๐Ÿ‘€

wpr.orgRepublican incumbent Tony Wied faces Democrat Rick Crosson in northeast Wisconsin Congressional raceRepublican Tony Wied of De Pere is running for reelection to represent northeast Wisconsinโ€™s 8th Congressional District against Democrat Rick Crosson of Green Bay.

#Microsoft is reducing its planned #MountPleasant #DataCenters from 9 to 7. Sounds like a smaller project, right? Nope! Total building space is growing from 5.2M to 5.8M square feet. ๐Ÿ˜ฒ Fewer buildings. MORE development. Don't let the headline fool you. #Wisconsin

wpr.orgMicrosoft planning to build fewer data centers at sprawling Mount Pleasant campusย Microsoft is planning to build fewer data centers at its sprawling complex in Mount Pleasant.

18 days. ๐Ÿ“† Wisconsin voting vocabulary lesson: proof of residence and photo ID are ๐—ป๐—ผ๐˜ the same thing. Different documents serve different purposes. Know what you need before you go. myvote.wi.gov?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=Badger+State+Breakdown&utm_campaign=publer #Wisconsin

Three weeks before Election Day, the #Wisconsin #ElectionsCommission received a letter containing suspicious ๐˜„๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜๐—ฒ ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜„๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ. Similar mailings have targeted election offices nationwide. The powder in Wisconsin tested harmless. The intimidation concern isn't. #Election2026

wpr.orgLetters with โ€˜suspicious substancesโ€™ sent to Wisconsin Election Commission, other offices nationwideThe Wisconsin Elections Commission said in a statement that it received a letter and the white powder enclosed in it was not hazardous, according to tests.

#Wisconsin's open Senate District 25 has an interesting candidate. #Democrat #CharlyRay wants better school funding, Medicaid expansion, legalized cannabis, and local control over data centers. ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿฝ He also helped bring #BayfieldCounty's #DataCenter #Moratorium forward.

wpr.orgDemocrat Charly Ray seeks open northwest Wisconsin Senate seat with focus on schools, healthcareCharly Ray of Bayview, a member of the Bayfield County Board, is the Democratic candidate for the open 25th District Senate seat in November's 2026 election.

#Wisconsin's CD7 #Republican #MichaelAlfonso is #SeanDuffy's son-in-law, registered to vote at Duffy's house, and openly campaigns on delivering Trump's MAGA agenda. ๐Ÿคจ Meanwhile, #Democrat #FredClark is emphasizing government accountability. Quite the contrast. ๐Ÿ‘€ #VoteBlue

wpr.orgA MAGA loyalist and self-described independent Democrat vie for 7th Congressional seatRepublican Michael Alfonso and Democrat Fred Clark are near-opposites in the race for the open 7th Congressional District seat.

GOOD! ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿฝ #Appleton ended its #FlockSafetyContract, and now officials are considering restrictions on ALL automated license plate readers. Because replacing one surveillance company with another solves absolutely nothing. Our streets shouldn't be tracking systems. #Wisconsin

appletontoday.comAfter ending Flock contract, Appleton moves to limit ALPR techCouncil committee advances measure to severely limit city's ability to use license-plate-reading cameras

#KenoshaCounty voted 22โ€“0 for a #BatteryStorage #Moratorium. Now a developer is seeking state approval for a 200-MW facility in #Wheatland. ๐Ÿ˜ค Residents have safety concerns, and local officials are pushing back. Who gets the final say: the community or state regulators? ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ #Wisconsin

wpr.orgKenosha County battery proposal draws pushback from residents, local officialsResidents and local officials in Kenosha County are pushing back on a utility-scale standalone battery project being proposed in the town of Wheatland.

Heartbreaking news from #SaukCounty. โ˜น๏ธ Six people, including a child, died in a #PlaneCrash near #WisconsinDells Tuesday night. The pilot reported ice forming on the aircraft before contact was lost. Investigators are still determining what happened. #Wisconsin

wmtv15news.comNTSB releases preliminary details on Sauk County plane crash that killed 6The National Transportation Safety Board released preliminary information Wednesday in a Sauk County plane crash that killed six people.

Rural #Wisconsin #farmers are raising concerns about rising costs, healthcare, and the future of family farms. #RebeccaCooke is putting those issues at the center of her rematch with #DerrickVanOrden in CD3. Their first #debate is October 20. Let's hear some answers. ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ

wisconsinexaminer.comCooke tries to pick off rural votes in second effort to flip Wisconsinโ€™s 3rd Congressional District โ€ข Wisconsin ExaminerDemocrat Rebecca Cooke is running again to unseat Rep. Derrick Van Orden in Congress, appealing to her plans to help rural voters.

Nine #WausharaCountySheriff's employees ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฑ $๐Ÿฎ,๐Ÿณ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฌ to #ZachGunderson's campaign to become their boss. ๐Ÿคจ Legal? Yes. But who's watching for favoritism, promotions, or pressure on employees?โ€ A badge shouldn't come with political IOUs. ๐Ÿ˜ค #Wisconsin

thebadgerproject.orgAt least 9 Waushara Co Sheriff's employees donated to GOP candidateSgt. Zach Gunderson won the Republican Partyโ€™s primary for Waushara County Sheriff. He faces Democrat Nina Monacelli in the November general election.

Another week, another #Line5 problem. ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ #Wisconsin #DNR says #Enbridge committed ๐Ÿณ ๐˜๐˜†๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฎ๐—น ๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜€, including ๐Ÿด ๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜€ of its waterways and wetlands permit. How many spills, leaks, and violations are enough? ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ #ShutItDown

wpr.orgWisconsin DNR notifies Enbridge of alleged violations on Line 5 rerouteWisconsin environmental regulators have notified Enbridge of seven alleged violations of state environmental laws on a $1 billion project to reroute its Line 5 oil and gas pipeline in northern Wisconsin.

#Wisconsinโ€™s mailed #AbsenteeBallots are down about 30% from this point in 2022. But donโ€™t mistake that for voters checking out. Clerks are preparing for ๐— ๐—ข๐—ฅ๐—˜ in-person absentee voting as voters worry about getting ballots through the mail on time. Early voting starts Oct. 20. #VoteBlue

wpr.orgAbsentee ballots mailed to Wisconsin clerks down roughly 30 percent compared to 2022Wisconsin election officials say a loss of trust in the U.S. Postal service is likely behind a roughly 30 percent decline in the number of absentee ballots received three weeks ahead of the November election.

This is a good direction. ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿฝ #DavidCrowley is proposing actual guardrails for #AI and #BigTech: ๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜€ for kids, limits on targeted ads, penalties for scam ads, and stronger fraud enforcement. Innovation is fine. A free-for-all isn't. #Wisconsin

wpr.orgDavid Crowley proposes AI safety policies for youth, seniorsAs lawmakers, scientists and even some tech leaders warn about the risks of unfettered use of artificial intelligence, Wisconsin's Democratic candidate for governor is proposing a series of AI regulations.