Senate leader steps down early to comply with law that requires lawmakers and other public officials to resign their seat if a potential employment opportunity could present a conflict of interest.

MADISON, WI – This morning, Sen. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) submitted a letter of resignation to Senate President Roger Roth indicating her intention to resign from her position as State Senator at the end of the day (May 15, 2020) in order to explore career opportunities. Current state law requires lawmakers and other public officials to resign their seat early if a potential employment opportunity could present a conflict of interest with state government activities.

“While I wish I could finish out my term and continue representing the residents and communities in the 32^nd Senate District, I understand the clear boundaries set by state law that will require me to vacate my position in the State Senate earlier than anticipated. It has been my distinct honor and privilege to serve the residents of western Wisconsin both as a Senator for the 32^nd Senate District and previously as a Representative for the 95^th Assembly District.

“The Driftless Region is full of the kindest, most caring and hardest working people you’ll ever meet. I'm humbled by the fact that residents in western Wisconsin have repeatedly put their faith in me to be their voice and advocate for our shared values. I will never forget the people I’ve met and the relationships I’ve developed over the years.”

“After almost 20 years in the Legislature, the time is right for me to close this chapter and take on new challenges. To everyone I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside, interacting with, and learning from, thank you from a very full and grateful heart!”

Legislative staff will continue to serve residents of the 32^nd Senate District through the end of the year. Individuals who have legislative questions or who need assistance accessing state services can contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 608-266-5490.

“Wisconsinites are suffering more than ever and Donald Trump couldn’t care less,” say Dems.

MADISON, WI -- Thursday it was reported that over 36 million Americans have lost their jobs due to Trump’s failed response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Wisconsin, a recent report highlighted that “since March 15, the Department of Workforce Development has seen more than 500,000 applications for unemployment insurance and nearly 1.5 million weekly claims.” Trump ignored warnings as early as January about the impending Coronavirus pandemic, wasting the time needed to contain the virus and put in place an economic plan that would have prevented the pain millions of Americans are now facing.

The massive job losses have led to millions of people losing their health insurance. In Wisconsin, the Kaiser Family Foundation found that roughly 446,000 Wisconsinites have lost their health care coverage due to job loss. This crisis has been going on for months, and Wisconsinites previously called on the Trump administration to safeguard health care access. The pain being felt by Wisconsinites is growing exponentially, and yet Trump has refused to stop attacking their health care, going so far as to continue his attempts to strip protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

“Wisconsinites are suffering more than ever and Donald Trump couldn’t care less,” Democratic party of Wisconsin Spokesperson Philip Shulman said. “He fueled this crisis by ignoring our intelligence community as far back as January while taking to heart every lie President Xi and the Chinese government fed him. Instead of taking actions like implementing a national testing and contact tracing strategy, Trump continues to waste time by going on Twitter tirades and fielding conspiracy theories that led him to encourage people to drink household cleaning products. He has made it clear he has no interest in solving the Coronavirus pandemic and is clearly ineffective at being president. Wisconsin and our country can’t afford another four years of Trump, and November can’t come soon enough.”

Self described obstetrician/gynecologist, mom, and advocate with northeast Wisconsin roots to run in District 88 covering UWGB, Ledgeview, Bellevue and rural areas surrounding.

GREEN BAY - Politics as usual have failed us, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The COVID-19 pandemic has only sharpened our need for responsive and responsible leadership. Our communities deserve leaders who listen, leaders who understand us, and leaders who don’t put our lives on the line so we can exercise the most basic of our constitutional duties — the right to vote. My name is Kristin Lyerly, and I am running for State Assembly, District 88, because I am that leader.

My roots and my heart are in Northeast Wisconsin. My mom’s parents were dairy farmers near Fond du Lac, back when family farms were a way of life in the Badger State. My uncle still owns the farm, although the cows are long gone. My dad was a foreman in the tool and die industry in Kaukauna, until that moved out of town. His entire family worked at the paper mill. My parents’ dream for me and my sister, a bank teller in Oshkosh, was to go to college, and they fought to get us there. I graduated from the University of Minnesota and then came home to the University of Wisconsin for medical school and residency training in obstetrics and gynecology, along the way earning a Master’s Degree in Public Health — as well as a student loan debt burden I am paying off to this day.

As a physician, I have the privilege of listening to my patients every day and helping them find solutions to complicated, individualized problems. These experiences fuel my work in healthcare advocacy, which lends itself naturally to a broader role in leadership, especially when healthcare is front and center. My passion for nurturing healthy communities, bolstered by leadership roles within my hospital and professional organizations and experience as a small business owner, give me a unique perspective that is sorely missing in our Legislature. The voice of medicine is absent from the body that determines much of what happens in your exam room, which is nonsensical at best and devastating — even deadly — at worst. I will be that voice, telling your stories and working with you to solve the problems that are closest to your heart and closest to your home.

I also care deeply and personally about our public education system. Our four sons have always attended public schools, and we couldn’t be prouder of our oldest, who is studying to become an elementary school music teacher at UW-Stevens Point. When we talk about issues at home, climate change is one of our greatest mutual concerns, although the conversation often drifts to the brazen, unacceptable behavior that continues to divide our communities and prevent us from moving forward together. We need to get beyond partisan politics to strengthen our communities by building relationships and bridging divides.

I look forward to hearing from you, listening to your stories, and meeting you in person, when we are able to do that again. I truly believe that, in the words of Paul Wellstone, “we all do better when we all do better.” Let’s start doing better, together.

****

Kristin Lyerly for State Assembly

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Tom Tiffany won Tuesday's special election in north central district, but Tricia Zunker was a powerhouse candidate and Trump’s base is cracking.

MADISON, WI -- The following is a statement from Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler on Tuesday's special election results in Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District:

“Trump went all in for Tom Tiffany and got egg on his face. For Trump to win reelection, red areas have to get redder to balance out blue areas getting bluer—but tonight, thanks to the terrific campaign run by Tricia Zunker and the organizing work of thousands of volunteers, Wisconsin’s reddest Congressional district swung drastically towards Democrats.

“Tricia Zunker was a powerhouse candidate running a brilliantly-executed campaign in a district gerrymandered to lock in Republican victories. In a district that went for Trump by 20 points in 2016, Tricia led a vital, honest and principled campaign centered on the issues that keep Northern and Western Wisconsinites up at night. Over her career serving the public, Tricia has proven to be a relentless advocate for Wisconsin’s working people, and her star is only rising. Moreover, Tricia’s historic candidacy will pave the way for more Native Wisconsinites to seek elected office. We couldn’t be more thankful for her leadership, and for the work of every volunteer that made calls and sent texts to support her.

“Meanwhile, Trump’s base is cracking. Whether it’s been Trump’s chaotic handling of wreckless trade wars, his cheerleading for agricultural monopolies, or his disastrous response to the COVID-19 pandemic, rural voters are running away from Trump because they know they can’t afford four more years of his broken promises in the Oval Office. 

“The Democratic Party of Wisconsin will continue to organize every square inch of Wisconsin over the coming 175 days. We’re taking no voter for granted and intend to earn every vote cast for Democrats in November.

MADISON, WI - Thursday, due to Trump’s chaotic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate nationwide rose to 14.7%. In Wisconsin, over half a million people have filed for unemployment insurance.

In response, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Spokesperson Philip Shulman released the following statement:

“Had Donald Trump taken the coronavirus seriously from the outset instead of playing it down and kowtowing to China, over half a million Wisconsinites and tens of millions of Americans who have now lost their jobs wouldn’t be left worrying about how they are now going to pay their bills, put food on the table, and pay for their medicine. But here we are: Trump left our country unprepared for Covid-19 and we are now seeing the devastating consequences. Wisconsin, and the country, can’t afford another four years under President Trump."

Jaeger is a strong advocate for more State attention to the drinking water contamination in northeast Wisconsin and wants expanded coverage for jobless families uninsured as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis.

20 million Americans could lose their health care coverage and as many as 2.4 million Wisconsinites with pre-existing conditions would be in danger of facing increased insurance costs if Trump gets his way to overturn ACA.

MADISON, WI -- Wednesday on a video press conference, DNC Chair Tom Perez, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, and Wisconsinite Noah Reif, who has type 1 diabetes, blasted Trump’s continuing attacks on protections for people with pre-existing conditions. This event comes on the back of Democrats and their allies filing arguments with the Supreme Court in defense of the ACA. 

The case, California v. Texas, has been buttressed by Trump and his Department of Justice in his latest attempts to overturn the law. If Trump is successful in striking down the ACA, at least 20 million Americans could lose their health care coverage and as many as 2.4 million Wisconsinites with pre-existing conditions would be in danger of facing increased insurance costs or being potentially kicked off their coverage all together. Furthermore, striking down the Affordable Care Act amid the coronavirus pandemic could jeopardize the coverage of millions of Americans who would be effectively uninsurable without protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

See below for excerpts from the event or click here to watch the press conference.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul: “Today is a really significant day. One of the leaders of the lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act had been my predecessor, Brad Schimel. Ultimately, the people of Wisconsin weighed in on this issue...and they elected Governor Evers and me….Wisconsin is no longer part of that challenge to the Affordable Care Act. It’s a suit that should not succeed and no state should be a part of. If this suit is successful, millions of Americans will lose access to health insurance coverage. We need more resources for our medical system, and it’s one of the reasons why expanding Medicaid now is critical for the state of Wisconsin. Frankly, I think it’s very troubling that this suit is going forward during a pandemic.” 

DNC Chair Tom Perez: “We know from the research that states that have expanded Medicaid see better health outcomes... But the President and Republicans across the country are on a mission to undo the heart and soul of health care for millions of Americans. It is tough enough right now in a pandemic to make ends meet. There is so much fear. And when we put the Affordable Care Act at risk for the tens of millions of people with pre-existing conditions…that’s unconscionable. That’s why Democrats are continuing to fight for the Affordable Care Act, continuing to fight to expand Medicaid...We believe that health care is a right for all and not a privilege for the few.” 

Wisconsinite with pre-existing condition Noah Reif: “For me this really hits home. Like millions of others of Americans I am immuno-compromised. Like too many other people in this country with Type 1 (diabetes), I know what it’s like to ration insulin…now we’re in the midst of a global pandemic, and health care coverage for people like me is more important than ever. It is unacceptable that President Trump would continue to push to overturn the Affordable Care Act. No matter where we live, no matter how much money we have in our wallet, that also applies to people with pre-existing conditions as we try to navigate this really challenging time. We should not have to live in fear because it ticks the box of someone trying to get reelected. Now more than ever we can’t afford to lose these protections that keep us safe."

While Trump fails to deliver for frontline Medical Professionals, group will not let his campaign’s dishonest, cherry-picked ads go unanswered.

Washington, DC - As part of its ongoing seven figure per week digital campaign in battleground states, Priorities USA Action is launching digital ads contrasting Donald Trump’s downplaying and mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic with Vice President Joe Biden’s steady leadership, calls to listen to experts, and compassion for those who have been hit hardest by this crisis.

“We will not let the Trump campaign’s dishonest, cherry-picked ad campaign go unanswered. Donald Trump downplayed the threat of the coronavirus and failed to heed expert advice, and now America has lost more lives than any other country in the world,” said Guy Cecil, Chairman of Priorities USA. “Vice President Joe Biden has demonstrated his ability to lead our country through a crisis with steadiness and honesty. America cannot afford another four years of Donald Trump.”

• “You Come First” demonstrates Joe Biden’s compassionate leadership, putting those who have been harmed by the coronavirus first, while Trump continues to focus only on himself.

• “Responsible” demonstrates that in contrast to Trump's failed leadership, Vice President Joe Biden has the experience to provide real solutions during hard times.

• “Real Leadership” and “Joe’s Got Your Back” show that a true leader is honest with the American people and puts them first. While Donald Trump lies and obfuscates, Joe Biden will listen to scientists and public health experts to protect the American people and get the country back on track.

• “Frontliners First” shows that unlike Donald Trump, Joe Biden knows that real leaders take responsibility. With Joe Biden in the White House, frontline workers will get the support they need to do the crucial work that keeps Americans healthy.

The digital ads will run on pre-roll video, social media, and streaming TVs in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Florida, targeted at voters who are likely to be undecided. Priorities has committed $200 million to defeat Donald Trump and has already spent over $11 million on TV and digital ads related to President Trump’s failure to protect the American people during the coronavirus pandemic.

State Democrats move ahead of Republican counterparts with April election.

MADISON, WI -- The spring election that concluded on April 13th with Judge Jill Karofsky defeating Donald Trump's candidate Justice Dan Kelly by more than ten points proved the superior organizing and digital infrastructure of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin (DPW) over their Republican counterpart. Since the victory, the DPW has continued to build their field and digital infrastructure to support the Democrat’s presumptive nominee Vice-President Joe Biden.

See the story below to learn more about the Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s organizing and digital infrastructure.

WI Examiner: Political organizers pivot to a digital campaign
With COVID-19 shutdown, Democrats finds a virtue in necessity
By Erik Gunn 

KEY POINTS:

• When Vice President Mike Pence visited Madison’s GE Healthcare ventilator factory on April 21 to praise company workers and tout the Trump administration’s response to COVID-19, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin offered a rebuttal a couple of days later.
• In a video on its Facebook page, Democratic Party spokesperson Philip Shulman looked at the camera and walked through a point-by-point takedown of President Donald Trump’s claims on his nightly videos about the pandemic.
• Of course, that’s part of Shulman’s job as the voice of the Democratic Party’s Trump rapid response operation in Wisconsin. But a few things stood out. The video wasn’t presented as a 30- or 60-second TV spot. It wasn’t even on TV, just on social media.
• The format is professional yet informal, and the temperature is relatively cool. The format “really allows us to communicate what the facts are and tie it into how it affects people in Wisconsin,” Shulman says. By “connecting all these dots for people,” he hopes to be able to get across the message of “Trump’s failure to Wisconsinites.”
• Shulman says more videos will be rolling out over the 2020 presidential campaign — “sometimes longer videos, sometimes shorter snippets” — and what sets them apart from past efforts is a greater emphasis on hard information and explanation.
• And another thing: For the foreseeable future, with perhaps the exception of direct mail,
• With many people required to stay home, and also intensely concerned about how the disease could affect not just their health and life but their livelihood, “they’re spending a lot more time on the internet and a lot more time on social media platforms,” Shulman says. “It gives us a bigger window to tell a bigger story.”
• That window includes the primary social media platforms — Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, along with Google advertising.
• “There’s a bigger hunger for this information because people have the time,” Shulman says. “This is touching everybody’s lives. There’s no one who’s immune to this.”
• Training — “three years building an armada of people knocking on doors” — switched to how to use Zoom calls to reach out to organize voters and supporters. Volunteers learned how to effectively use text messaging in the place of placards left at people’s screen doors.
• One tactical change was to organize phone banks so that the volunteers calling would be connecting with people in their own community instead of just anyone, he says. “We’re having a higher connection rate and warmer conversations than conventional statewide [campaign] phone conversations.”
• Voting by mail is a particularly resonant issue with voters, organizers have found, and so information about how to do that is welcomed by many who are at the other end of the campaign volunteers’ lines. “People are deeply motivated to vote right now, and they’re trying to balance the urgency of voting with their fear of the pandemic,” says Wikler. “Campaigning about voting from home is a useful service.”
• Shulman says the party’s shift to an all-digital strategy was made easier because it had already built a strong organizing structure that made use of digital tools, and forging “long-standing relationships” dating back to a year before the 2018 “blue wave” election in which Democrats swept the state’s top offices.
• The Supreme Court race was the test that proved the party had made a successful transition, Shulman says.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/elderly-crowd-s5.jpgTrump won 52% of voters age 65 and older nationally in 2016, but his disastrous mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic has made seniors increasingly concerned.