LA CROSSE, WI - Since his official kick-off in Curtiss, WI on Sept 12, 2017, McCabe’s Principle Over Party campaign has been barnstorming the state with a message about getting government working for all of us and not just a few. Stops have included Curtiss, Wausau, Green Bay and Milwaukee.

The next rally stop will be in La Crosse on Sept 25th.  Several stops will be made that day including meetings with small business owners and tour of a local brewery. The day will conclude with a larger event  from 5:30pm - 8pm at the Concordia Ballroom.  (1129 La Crosse St, La Crosse) The event is free and all are welcome.

Mike understands that both major political parties bend to the interests of the rich donors and too often leave regular people feeling left out and forgotten. But, like Bernie Sanders, he is running in the Democratic primary because he recognizes that the U.S. has a very strong two-party system and the best chance to make change in our political system and return government to the people is to run in a major party primary.

“Wisconsin has lost its way and is becoming a shadow of its former self. Our state once was an industrial powerhouse, but now is leading the nation in shrinkage of the middle class and is dead last in new business start-ups. Roads and bridges are deteriorating badly, with some towns tearing up pavement and going back to gravel because they can’t afford to fill the potholes. Too many can’t drink what comes out of the water faucets in their own homes. Schools are slipping toward mediocrity. Education beyond high school is unaffordable, burying so many young people under a mountain of debt. The root cause of all of this is a poisoned political culture that celebrates greed, a political system that caters to a privileged few and ignores the rest of us.”

For 15 years, McCabe led the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a nonpartisan watchdog group that tracks the money in elections, exposes corruption and works to make people matter more than money in politics. ( wisdc.org/wdcaccomplishments.php ) He went on to start up the grassroots group Blue Jean Nation, which works to empower regular people to challenge the political establishment.

McCabe does not belong to any political party, but is entering the Democratic primary. The campaign’s website is  GovernorBlueJeans.com.

Announces Plan at Milwaukee Rally Thursday. "The house belongs to the people of Wisconsin," he says.

MILWAUKEE, WI - Wisconsin governor candidate Mike McCabe announced Thursday that he will decline to live in the Governor’s Mansion if elected but will leave it up to the people of the state to decide what to do with the residence.

“Governors should be servants, not masters. To me, that means a governor is under the people, not above them,” McCabe said. “It doesn’t seem right to move into a 20,000-square-foot mansion in the name of public service. I’ve never lived in a mansion in my life and getting elected to represent the people is no reason to start.”

He went on to say: “We have a poisoned political culture that glorifies greed and dooms us to a government and economy that work great for the rich and powerful at everyone else’s expense. Concern for the common good has fallen out of fashion. Genuine public service has given way to a lot of back scratching, nest feathering and ladder climbing. Bringing back true public service for the common good requires leadership by example.”

If elected, McCabe will continue to live in the 1,400-square-foot home he shares with his wife and teenage son. He won’t decide the future of the Governor’s Mansion, however.

“The house belongs to the people of Wisconsin. Let the people decide what to do with it,” he said. “If they want it sold, it should be sold. If they want to keep it for some future governor to live in, it should be kept. If they want to turn it into a museum, then that’s what should happen. Hell, if they want to make it into an Airbnb, it’s up to the them.”

The campaign's website is www.GovernorBlueJeans.com.

A nationally televised interview this morning showed irresponsible ignorance at best, or lack of compassion for Wisconsinites at worst, as the Republican health-care disaster hurdles forward

MADISON - This morning on MSNBC, Senator Ron Johnson turned an interview into an alarming spectacle by revealing under direct questioning how little he knows about the devastating impact his Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill could have on the people in the state of Wisconsin and nationwide.

After failing miserably to silence the anchors by talking over them with a rant against the Affordable Care Act, Johnson showed that he has no answers on the most basic and vital questions on this bill that he wants to ram through at top speed with little information on its impact.

When broadcast  journalist Willie Geist asked him, "People will lose coverage under your plan, Senator?" Johnson remarked, "I can't guarantee that."

Johnson went on to attack the Affordable Care Act with an incomprehensible claim that pre-existing conditions are not covered for those who have a job and those people would have to quit their job to get such coverage.

Again he was asked by Geist, "Senator, I want to be very clear in an answer you gave a minute ago because I think this is at the core of what we're talking about here, will people who currently have coverage, medical coverage, lose it under your plan in the United States?"

Johnson, again, gave an incorrect answer: "Listen, millions of people lost coverage under Obamacare. There are no guarantees other than the fact that premiums have already doubled and continued to skyrocket."

That is false, but the journalists were not surrendering to his failed attempts to distract.

MSNBC Morning Joe senior contributor Mike Barnicle stepped in with a heart-wrenching question in a last ditch attempt to get a straight answer out of Johnson:  "Somewhere in Wisconsin there is a child with cystic fibrosis currently covered under what you call the disaster of Obamacare. Can you tell that family that their premiums under your proposed bill -- that you're about to vote on -- their premiums will not go up?"

And what did Johnson say? "They certainly shouldn't go, they should be going down."

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Martha Laning reacted to Sen. Johnson’s terrifying interview, responding:

"Senator Johnson either has absolutely no idea of how his legislation will harm families across Wisconsin or – perhaps most alarmingly -- he cares more about Republican elections than the people this stands to truly and deeply harm.

“Either way, the fourth iteration of Trumpcare does exactly what the previous versions did: It institutes an age tax for older Americans, jeopardizes protections for people with pre-existing conditions, eliminates the ban on lifetime caps and yanks health care away from millions. Senator Johnson may not know what's in his own legislation, but one thing from today’s terrible media exchange is clear – it would be malpractice to let this dangerous bill pass.”

State barnstorm rally will be at The Eight Nightclub, 618 N Water St, Milwaukee from 6pm - 9pm. The event is free and all are welcome.

MILWAUKEE - After his official kick-off in Curtiss, WI on Sept 12, 2017, McCabe’s Principle Over Party campaign will barnstorm the state with a message about getting government working for all of us and not just a few, a living wage for every worker, health care for all, debt-free education and job training, and high-speed Internet to every doorstep.

The next rally stop will be in Milwaukee on Sept 21.  Several stops will be made that day culminating with a larger event  from 6pm - 9pm at The Eight Nightclub.  (618 N Water St, Milwaukee) The event is free and all are welcome.

“There is risk involved in taking a stand against the influence of big money. But there is an even greater risk if everyone keeps going along with the corrupt way election campaigns are regularly being funded. If big money rules again in the next election for governor, some candidate will win but the people will lose,” McCabe said.

“If money decides the election, the people will continue to be stuck with elected representatives who scratch the backs of those who scratched theirs, and our government will continue to be controlled by the wealthy and well-connected. Breaking free of this trap involves risk. It requires faith and the courage of conviction,” he said. “Political insiders will call this unilateral disarmament. No, it’s acting on principle. The insiders say you have to spend four or five hours a day begging rich people for money if you want to be taken seriously. That’s exactly what has gotten us into the mess we’re in.”

For 15 years, McCabe led the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a nonpartisan watchdog group that tracks the money in elections, exposes corruption and works to make people matter more than money in politics. ( wisdc.org/wdcaccomplishments.php ) He went on to start up the grassroots group Blue Jean Nation, which works to empower regular people to challenge the political establishment.

McCabe does not belong to any political party, but is entering the Democratic primary. The campaign’s website is  GovernorBlueJeans.com .

Expresses support for conservative Sen. Leah Vukmir instead.

JUNEAU, WI – Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R–Juneau) released the following statement Monday regarding the 2018 U.S. Senate race:

“After thoughtful consideration, I have decided that I will not enter the race for U.S. Senate and will remain dedicated to serving the 13th Senate District.

“I would like to express my complete support for Sen. Leah Vukmir, an actual conservative. She is an exceptional leader, one of the best Wisconsin has to offer, so I am choosing not to run for the U.S. Senate knowing we are in great hands. Leah will listen to the grassroots and will provide Wisconsinites the leadership they deserve in Washington.

“Leah is a dedicated public servant and her commitment to serving the people of Wisconsin is reflected in her record. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Leah in the State Senate and have complete confidence that she has the strength and determination to unseat Tammy Baldwin.

“It’s time to turn Wisconsin entirely red, and Leah is the candidate that will help us achieve that goal. I support Leah Vukmir, and I strongly encourage others to join me.”

New Republican proposed budget continues the same old out-of-touch Madison political games at the expense of Wisconsinites.

MADISON – Last week, after two months of infighting by Governor Walker and legislative Republicans, the Joint Finance Committee convened to finish their review of Gov. Walker’s 2017-19 state budget.

Notable last-minute provisions railroaded through the budget process on the last day by a party-line vote include: more tax breaks for the rich, hefty handouts to big corporations, doubling the school voucher program for students with special needs, auditing family planning clinics like Planned Parenthood, and instituting overreaching surveillance of UW System faculty workload.

Tony Evers, Democratic candidate for Governor, released the following statement:

“Can you say out-of-touch? Instead of working to invest and build Wisconsin’s middle class – which has been impacted by significant manufacturing job and wage losses over the last year – legislative Republicans doubled-down on tax breaks for those who do not need it and, to pay for it, they eliminated tax breaks for those who need it most. It’s no surprise Wisconsin’s middle class is shrinking faster than any other state in the country. Look no further than Kansas to see the devastating impact that these careless and ballooned tax breaks to big corporations will have.

“The politicians are at it again. For example, they are taking cheap shots at Planned Parenthood, which provides life-saving preventive health services like cancer screenings to over 60,000 Wisconsinites every year and trying to tell UW faculty how to do their jobs. Scott Walker and legislative Republicans should instead focus on creating jobs, improving our schools, and growing Wisconsin’s economy.”

Tony Evers has been elected three times to serve as State Superintendent of Public Instruction, winning 70 of 72 counties in his last election, with 70 percent of the vote statewide. Evers has spent his entire career educating our kids, previously working as a science teacher, a high school principal and as school district superintendent. As State Superintendent, Evers runs one of the largest agencies in the state, with responsibility over 70,000 educators and 860,000 students. Evers is the father of 3 children and 6 grandchildren, raising his family in communities throughout Wisconsin, including Plymouth, Baraboo, Tomah, Oakfield, Omro, Oshkosh and Verona.

MADISON - The Democratic Party of Wisconsin is launching a new, sharply targeted digital ad campaign to communicate directly to Wisconsin voters about Leah Vukmir's real record of Tea Party extremism. Thousands of dollars of ads will be run statewide, beginning Friday, September 8, targeting women, parents and middle class voters, highlighting her record of weakening protections for people with pre-existing conditions, tax giveaways for millionaires and billionaires, and her extreme views on women's access to healthcare.

Using demographic, psychographic, behavioral, and geographic information, Wisconsin voters will be shown information about Leah's long history of being out of the mainstream. This ad buy is a sophisticated approach to get the most relevant information to persuadable voting populations earlier than ever before in the cycle.

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Martha Laning commented, "The Democratic Party of Wisconsin is dedicated to helping share information about all candidates, especially when their views are too extreme for Wisconsin voters. Leah Vukmir's record is just too extreme to go ignored: she supports tax breaks for the wealthy, eliminating protections for people with pre-existing conditions and limiting a woman's access to healthcare options. Leah Vukmir is too extreme for Wisconsin."

Outsider campaign will barnstorm the state, first rally stop will be in Wausau on Sept 13th.

WAUSAU, WI - After his official kick-off in Curtiss, WI on Sept 12, 2017, McCabe’s Principle Over Party campaign will barnstorm the state with a message about getting government working for all of us and not just a few, a living wage for every worker, health care for all, debt-free education and job training, and high-speed Internet to every doorstep.

The first rally stop will be in Wausau on Sept 13th. Several stops will be made that day culminating with a larger event from 4:30-7pm at the Chatterbox Bar. (102 2nd Avenue South, Wausau) The event is free and all are welcome.

“Wisconsin is up to its eyeballs in problems. Same goes for our country as a whole. The problems grow out of political and economic inequality. Our society has been made more and more elitist, both politically and economically. It has been divided into royals and commoners,” McCabe said. “I am running for one reason and one reason only – to re-establish the ideal that our government should work as well for the commoners as it does for the royals.”

For 15 years, McCabe led the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a nonpartisan watchdog group that tracks the money in elections, exposes corruption and works to make people matter more than money in politics. (wisdc.org/wdcaccomplishments.php) He went on to start up the grassroots group Blue Jean Nation, which works to empower regular people to challenge the political establishment.

McCabe does not belong to any political party, but is entering the Democratic primary. The campaign’s website is GovernorBlueJeans.com.

Blue Jean Nation outsider run for Governor of Wisconsin gains strength.

ALTOONA, WI -  We need 500 people to pledge to give $200 on September 12, the day Mike will officially be a candidate for governor.

That’s the goal of the statewide committee of his supporters, Commoners for Mike McCabe.

We’ve set this goal for two reasons. First, we want to do everything we can to get Mike’s campaign off to a fast start. Second, we want to send a message to the political establishment that it’s possible to take a principled stand against the legal bribery of our elected officials and still have the means to mount a vigorous statewide campaign.

Candidates for governor can legally accept donations as large as $20,000 from individuals and $86,000 from political action committees. Mike sees these huge donations for what they are. Legal bribes. He won’t take them. In fact, he’s not accepting any single donation over $200. For decades as an independent watchdog Mike shined light on the legal bribes and exposed what these transactions do to corrupt our government and rob you of your voice.

He’s had our backs all these years. An army of us need to have his back now. The cynical insiders are busy telling each other Mike’s campaign shouldn’t be taken seriously. Raising $100,000 in a single day would blow a mammoth hole in that theory.

To do it, we need 500 people to pledge to give $200 on 9/12.

Will you be one of them? Email me at:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to join #500Strong

Various Milwaukee and Madison commentators recount what they think about conservative Senate candidate Leah Vukmir.

MILWAUKEE, WI - “Leah Vukmir probably doesn’t need much of an introduction if you pay attention to politics at all… Leah Vukmir has been the one who has always been trying to push the envelope and keep the Republican Party conservative, and move it more conservative… In terms of a track record on the issues, you can’t beat Leah Vukmir’s record. She has been there and backed conservative causes as long as she’s been in the Legislature. She’s been staunch on Act 10, she’s one of those who has never buckled… I think it comes down to this: Kevin Nicholson has to convince people that he’d be better than Leah Vukmir. I don’t think Leah has to convince anybody that she’d be good, because any Republican in Wisconsin who has been paying attention knows that she’d be a great United States Senator because she’s been a great Wisconsin State Senator." – Mark Belling, WISN

"If the Shepherd Express hates you and Milwaukee Magazine hates you and Bruce Murphy hates you and some of the Republicans that are fighting to increase road taxes and gas taxes and usage fees and import tollways… I’m struggling to find how that’s a negative here…" – Dan O’Donnell, WISN

“Vowing to bring the "Wisconsin Way" to the U.S. Senate, state Sen. Leah Vukmir of Brookfield entered the race for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic incumbent Tammy Baldwin next year.” – Bill Glauber, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“Leah Vukmir. Very well known to voters in southeastern Wisconsin. A proven conservative who certainly adds a very important voice to this campaign. I am thrilled to see her getting in the race. — Jeff Wagner, WTMJ

“Republican state Sen. Leah Vukmir made it official Thursday that she’s running for the U.S. Senate in Wisconsin, casting herself as the only true conservative in a primary contest that includes a former Democrat.” – Scott Bauer, Associated Press

“You know, I’m somebody that tweeted back at you probably about six weeks ago, ‘Run Leah Run!’ And I’m glad you’re making this decision today to go forward and get into that race. You are a conservative, and a woman. That’s kind of a rare thing on the national level, so I’m excited about that. But the fact that you’re going to take that Wisconsin story to Washington, I think that is significant.” — Steve Scaffidi, WTMJ

“The best primary is where you have a clear choice that is conservative because they have 16 years worth of a resume to prove it, not just because they claim to be…[Leah’s] a conservative we can trust.” – Ed Willing, The Resurgent

“Among Vukmir's legislative victories is a full repeal of the state's prevailing wage law, set to be approved in the state budget later this month. Vukmir has also championed the expansion of taxpayer-funded vouchers for private schools throughout her tenure in the Legislature. She became politically active as an education advocate when her daughter was in kindergarten.” – Jessie Opoien, The Cap Times

“Vukmir is a policy wonk. She led the fight against Obamacare expansion in the state, proposed reforms to national common core standards, supported concealed carry, castle doctrine (defending your home), veteran benefit reforms, statewide school choice, right-to-work, prevailing wage reform (mandated pricing for public works), holding the line on property taxes, freezing state tuition at state colleges, and dozens of other first-time conservative changes. As Wisconsin has slowly replaced the aging progressive legacy of our state with conservative policies that work, Vukmir has usually been on the front line.” – Ed Willing, The Resurgent