Happy Earth Day, everyone!
Another Tuesday, another electoral victory! We have the momentum — the BIG MO as they say. As you probably know, Virginia voters agreed to adopt the new — but temporary — congressional district maps the legislature proposed to override the maps drawn by an independent, nonpartisan commission after the last census. The new map provides Democrats with the opportunity to win up to five additional congressional seats, leaving just one for Republicans to hold. The new map will be in place only until the next decennial census in 2030, at which point the nonpartisan commission will again draw the congressional district maps in a nonpartisan way in 2031.
The map Virginia adopted yesterday is, as the New York Times puts it, "one of the country’s most aggressively gerrymandered congressional maps." (As usual, the link to the Times story is gifted to get you past the paywall.) The article goes on to note that the "party’s newly combative approach extends beyond redistricting as it has felt a new urgency to regain power in Washington." Both its "qualms over dark money" and its more compromising posture in previous funding battles have been overridden by the need not to "bring a stick to a knife fight." The referendum passed by only by three percentage points, possibly because the "issue seems to have unsettled some Virginia voters" and because the NO campaign relentlessly focused on Democrats' past positions vehemently opposing gerrymandering.
Wisconsin's process for developing its electoral maps makes it impossible for us to do the same, even though in our evenly divided state our congressional delegation includes six Republicans and only two Democrats. That's why two groups have brought lawsuits seeking the opportunity to draw new maps before the 2028 election. One of those lawsuits was dismissed on March 31. It argued that "the state’s congressional maps were an illegal partisan gerrymander." The other lawsuit — "challenging the congressional maps on the basis that they illegally dampen the competitiveness of the state’s congressional elections" — will probably go to trial next year (Wisconsin Examiner, March 31, 2026).
Meanwhile, as the result of an earlier case about maps for legislative districts, we have much fairer maps and have a solid chance of winning majorities in both the state Senate and in the Assembly. As a sign that the state's Republicans recognize that a sea change is coming, we are seeing lots of current office holders deciding not to run again, most notably both leaders of the two houses. The list in the Assembly includes:
- Robin Vos, the longest serving Speaker of the Assembly (AD 33)
- Scott Allen (AD 82)
- Robert Brooks (AD 59)
- Rick Gundrum (AD 58)
- Dave Murphy (AD 56)
- Jerry O'Connor (AD 60)
- Kevin Petersen (AD 57)
The senators hanging up their hats include:
- Devin LeMahieu, Majority Leader (SD 9)
- Rob Hutton (SD 5)
- Jesse James (SD 23)
- Steve Nass (SD 11)
- Van Wanggaard (SD 21)
Two of the retirees in the Senate — Rob Hutton and Van Wanggaard — are on the Grassroots North Shore hit list for the fall election. In addition, we will be targeting two Assembly Districts in the Milwaukee area — AD 21 (Jesse Rodriguez) and AD 61 (Bob Donovan) — and three Congressional Districts — CD 1 (Bryan Steil), CD 3 (Derrick Van Orden) and CD 6 (Glenn Grothman). We plan to connect with grassroots groups in those areas so that we can work together on phoning and sending postcards once the primary is over.
Our elections page has now expanded to provide you with access to nomination papers for many of those running for various offices. The top part of the page includes a link to information about absentee ballots and drop boxes for some communities plus the date of the August primary, registration information for students, and the results on the Wisconsin Supreme Court election (including the number of percentage points in the community's movement toward the progressive candidate, Chris Taylor). At the very bottom of the elections page, you will find a link to the online information candidates have provided.
I will be adding the online information for our target list of candidates in the coming days. Obviously, you cannot sign nomination papers for any of them unless you happen to live in their districts, but if you're interested in finding out about the people who want to run for those seats, be sure to check back in a week or two.
For me, the biggest surprise in this part of the election cycle is the number of people who would like to be on the primary ballot contesting for the nomination to run against Glenn Grothman in the 6th Congressional District. Ballotpedia lists eight Democratic candidates, but one of them informed us that he needed to bow out of the race to deal with an urgent family matter. In addition to the seven candidates on the Democratic side, there are two independents (and one Republican!) listed. I urge people who live in the 6th Congressional District to look at the online information about the candidates BEFORE you decide to download, circulate, and sign nomination papers for a candidate. Keep in mind: you can sign only ONE NOMINATION FORM for each office. And you must be a resident of the district the candidate is running in.
Most offices have many fewer people aspiring to be the nominee, and I know of no other races where there are candidates running as Independents as well as others running as Democrats. Between now and when nomination papers are due at the Wisconsin Election Commission on June 1, there may be some additions and/or subtractions. I'll try to keep up and let you know. You can also use the Ballotpedia index to Wisconsin elections. Ballotpedia provides a questionnaire to candidates and posts responses when they receive them. If you click on the "Click Here" link next to the race you are interested in, you will see a list of candidates for that office. If a candidate has submitted answers to the Candidate Connection questionnaire, you will see a
next to the candidate's name. Clicking on that will take you to that person's responses.
On a final note about our upcoming election, make sure you RSVP for our Governor's forum on Sunday, May 17, at Nicolet High School (6710 N Jean Nicolet Rd, Glendale). Seven candidates will participate: Mandela Barnes, Joel Brennan David Crowley, Francesca Hong, Missy Hughes, Sara Rodriguez, and Kelda Roys. Kathleen Dunn, a retired radio talk-show host of 44 years, will moderate the forum.
Whether or not you can attend the forum, you can help whoever wins the primary in August execute a robust campaign in the 84 days between the primary and the general election. Governor Evers in conjunction with the Wisconsin Democratic Party has set up the Governor Readiness Project, "a new initiative to prepare for the general election — starting now before we even know who our nominee will be." Not only will the initiative make sure the candidate has the resources need to run a competitive campaign, it will also provide technical support. As The Cap Times put it, "The goal is simple: Put together a ready-made campaign to hand off to the Democrat who wins the August 2026 primary."
Finally, I will leave you with some new data from my new favorite politics guru, G. Elliot Morris: "Trump's job approval has fallen to a new low" in the poll in the field from April 10 - 14. His net approval (approval minus disapproval) is now -26, or 35% approval and 61% disapproval. That's 17 points lower than when the tracker began in May 2025. "His net approval on prices and inflation has fallen to -46, worsening every single month of 2026: -31 in January, -35 in February, -40 in March, and now -46 in April. Just 26% of Americans approve of the way he is handling prices, while 72% disapprove. More than half of all respondents (56%) strongly disapprove." Morris shows that Trump's approval on every issue but one is underwater. He ends this most recent Strength in Numbers post with this: "Trump’s numbers have now declined in every wave of our poll this year. And while his support bounced occasionally in 2025, it has never increased two months in a row. Overall approval has dropped from 40% in January to 35% in April."
EVENTS
Wednesday, April 22
JoCasta's 50th Birthday Party & Nomination Signature Kickoff, 5:30 - 7pm
Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery, 917 W Juneau Ave, Milwaukee
JoCasta is turning 50 and she wants to celebrate with you! Join us at Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery for her signature kickoff and belated birthday celebration. We will be collecting the nomination signatures needed to get JoCasta on the ballot for Wisconsin Secretary of State, raising resources for the campaign, and having a great time doing it. Bring a friend and bring your energy! RSVP.
Phone bank for Ground Truth with Swing Left Milwaukee! 5:00 – 8:00pm CDT
Virtual
Join fellow members of Swing Left Milwaukee on the national Ground Truth phone banks! Ground Truth is a new program from Swing Left, designed to fix what’s broken in Democratic organizing. We’re launching an innovative new program that will revolutionize how we connect with voters over the phone.
Our goal: to help Democrats rebuild trust, win tough races, and flip the House. We're bringing people together to build the community of real people, having real conversations with real people. During Ground Truth phone banks, we will talk to as many people as possible and focus on listening.
At this phone bank, we’ll:
- Call ALL types of voters — not just those who vote like us.
- Have real conversations that LISTEN deeply to voters’ concerns.
- Gather insights to share with campaigns, so they can be responsive to voters’ needs and smarter with their messaging, targeting, and outreach.
Don’t worry if it’s your first time — training, materials, and support are all provided. Just come prepared with your computer! We recommend bringing your phone as well, and earbuds if you'd like. Sign up.
Thursday, April 23
ALL OUT for Mass Picket Before MPS Board Meeting, 4:30pm
5225 W Vliet St, Milwaukee
MTEA members and community supporters will assemble en masse on Thursday, April 23 at 4:30 p.m. to picket in front of MPS Central Office to demand that the Board reverse Cassellius's cuts to frontline, student-facing staff and to demand Administration agree to a full 2.63% COLA on July 1 for all MTEA-represented bargaining units. RSVP.
Meet and Greet with Kelda Roys, 6:30 – 8:30pm
3154 S Pine Ave
You’re invited to a meet and greet in Bay View with Kelda Roys, candidate for governor of Wisconsin! Come meet Kelda Roys, candidate for governor, hosted at the home of Sara Ogilvie and co-hosted by Kristin Settle and share the invitation with your network. We hope to see you there! You can donate online or "purchase" a free ticket! But please RSVP.
Fighting Federal Vouchers to Protect Public Schools, 6:30 - 7:30pm
Virtual
The growing pressure to implement school voucher programs has now reached the federal level. Congress has passed legislation that opens the door for states to redirect public education funding to private schools. This will be devastating to the public schools that so many of our kids rely on. And here’s an even bigger red flag: Governors are opting in before there are even clear rules in place. That’s a big decision with real consequences for our public schools. That’s why this moment matters. Join us to learn what’s coming, why it’s risky, and how you can take action. See you there! Sign up.
Saturday, April 25
Coffee, Tea & Democracy, 10:00 - 11:00am
1245 Cheyenne Avenue, Grafton
Stop by the OzDems office on the last Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
A: A fun and safe space where ideas will percolate and tea is spilt.
We provide refreshments. You bring yourself, and a friend. See you there!
Glendale: Stand for Democracy, 12:00 - 1:00pm
North Port Washington & Silver Spring, Glendale
Gather with us at noon every Saturday to make our voices heard. Dress for the weather. Bring your cellphone, water, hats & gloves, umbrella, sunscreen, and a chair if you need one. Bring a sign (use bold, large lettering, so your sign can be read by moving traffic, 2-5 words) or borrow one from our community. Parking is available in the Bayshore parking lot.
Tosa: Stand for Democracy, 12:00 - 1:00pm
76th & North Ave, Wauwatosa
Gather with us at noon every Saturday to make our voices heard. Together, we stand for justice, equality, and change, reminding those in power that we will not be silent. Bring your energy, your signs, and your friends. Let’s raise our voices, week after week, until real change is won. Parking is available in the Wauwatosa City Hall parking lot.
Spring Fundraiser for David Crowley, 5:30 - 7:30pm
The Fishbone Social, 2501 W North Ave, Milwaukee
Spring is here — and so is a great reason to get together. Join us for a Spring Fundraiser for David Crowley, hosted by Bria Grant! This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow supporters, hear directly from David, and help fuel our campaign as we head into this critical stretch. Sponsorship levels: Host: $2500, Co-Host: $1000, Sponsor: $500, Supporter: $250, Friend: $100. Suggested Contribution: $50, RSVP: FREE. Contributions are not required to attend, but if you’re interested in helping sponsor the event, we’d be grateful for your support. Donate.
Sunday, April 26
Phone bank for Ground Truth with Swing Left Milwaukee! 1:00 – 4:00pm CDT
Virtual
Join fellow members of Swing Left Milwaukee on the national Ground Truth phone banks! Ground Truth is a new program from Swing Left, designed to fix what’s broken in Democratic organizing. We’re launching an innovative new program that will revolutionize how we connect with voters over the phone.
Our goal: to help Democrats rebuild trust, win tough races, and flip the House. We're bringing people together to build the community of real people, having real conversations with real people. During Ground Truth phone banks, we will talk to as many people as possible and focus on listening.
At this phone bank, we’ll:
- Call ALL types of voters — not just those who vote like us.
- Have real conversations that LISTEN deeply to voters’ concerns.
- Gather insights to share with campaigns, so they can be responsive to voters’ needs and smarter with their messaging, targeting, and outreach.
Don’t worry if it’s your first time — training, materials, and support are all provided. Just come prepared with your computer! We recommend bringing your phone as well, and earbuds if you'd like. Sign up.
Campaign Launch Party for Amy Zimmerman, 2:00 – 4:00pm
CelticMKE Center, 1532 N Wauwatosa Ave, Wauwatosa
Amy is fighting for a Wisconsin where everyone can thrive - because families, workers, and retirees should be able to have happy, healthy, productive lives here in Wisconsin. Let's send Amy to Madison to support policies that make this possible!
Please join our host committee, including Caryl & Bob Sewell, Chris Rockwood, Karen Zimmerman, Chris Bauer, and Mike & Amanda Hallquist, in Wauwatosa for a Community Party supporting Amy Zimmerman's campaign for the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing District 13! We will have live music from Bear With, activities and play space for kids, as well as snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, and a cash bar available. RSVP now.
SE WI Indivisible Weekly Sundays, 3:00 – 4:00pm
1501 Miller Park Way, West Milwaukee
Every Sunday — rain or shine — meet in front of the Target sign. Parking is readily available. We spread out along Miller Parkway and display our pro-democracy signs and encourage joiners. Raising awareness and gaining more to the movement is our goal. It's always good to smile and wave :) Come with or without a sign. We will have extras. We like to get a photo together at the end and we do post online. We also will have pickers to pick up trash in the area for those who are so inclined. Looking forward to meeting you!
Thursday, April 30
Karen’s Birthday and Re-Election Celebration, 5:00 - 7:00pm
Los Mariachis Mexican Restaurant, 4305 W Layton Ave, Milwaukee
Please join us to kick off Karen Kirsch's 2026 re-election campaign for the 7th Assembly District! We will also be celebrating Karen's birthday with a Mexican buffet. We look forward to seeing you there and starting this campaign together. Donate here!
Friday, May 1
A Day Without Immigrants, 10:00am – 1:00pm
733 W Mitchell St, Milwaukee
Friday, May 1st, is a Day Without Immigrants, a day of solidarity, truth, and power. There will be two main events in Wisconsin in Milwaukee and Madison.
Agenda for Milwaukee:
- 10:00 am: Start at Voces Milwaukee
- Mass march toward the Federal Building (517 E. Wisconsin Ave)
Demands include:
- Abolish ICE!
- Abolish ICE!
- Economy for all
- Stop 287(g)
- ICE out of the courts
- Close the detention center in MKE
Saturday, May 2
Glendale: Stand for Democracy, 12:00 - 1:00pm
North Port Washington & Silver Spring, Glendale
Gather with us at noon every Saturday to make our voices heard. Dress for the weather. Bring your cellphone, water, hats & gloves, umbrella, sunscreen, and a chair if you need one. Bring a sign (use bold, large lettering, so your sign can be read by moving traffic, 2-5 words) or borrow one from our community. Parking is available in the Bayshore parking lot.
Tosa: Stand for Democracy, 12:00 - 1:00pm
76th & North Ave, Wauwatosa
Gather with us at noon every Saturday to make our voices heard. Together, we stand for justice, equality, and change, reminding those in power that we will not be silent. Bring your energy, your signs, and your friends. Let’s raise our voices, week after week, until real change is won. Parking is available in the Wauwatosa City Hall parking lot.
Sunday, May 3
Phone bank for Ground Truth with Swing Left Milwaukee! 1:00 – 4:00pm CDT
Virtual
Join fellow members of Swing Left Milwaukee on the national Ground Truth phone banks! Ground Truth is a new program from Swing Left, designed to fix what’s broken in Democratic organizing. We’re launching an innovative new program that will revolutionize how we connect with voters over the phone.
Our goal: to help Democrats rebuild trust, win tough races, and flip the House. We're bringing people together to build the community of real people, having real conversations with real people. During Ground Truth phone banks, we will talk to as many people as possible and focus on listening.
At this phone bank, we’ll:
- Call ALL types of voters — not just those who vote like us.
- Have real conversations that LISTEN deeply to voters’ concerns.
- Gather insights to share with campaigns, so they can be responsive to voters’ needs and smarter with their messaging, targeting, and outreach.
Don’t worry if it’s your first time — training, materials, and support are all provided. Just come prepared with your computer! We recommend bringing your phone as well, and earbuds if you'd like. Sign up.
140th Anniversary Commemoration of the Bay View Massacre, 3:00 – 6:00pm
Superior St & E Russel Ave, Milwaukee
Join the Wisconsin Labor History Society in commemorating the Bay View Massacre of 1886. This event will take place in person. In addition to the traditional commemorative event at 3:00 PM, the labor community and general public are invited to march the same path as the marchers in 1886. We'll meet at 2:00 PM at Lincoln Avenue and Bay Street and leave shortly thereafter. The march will conclude at the historical marker on E. Russell Avenue and S. Superior Street. The commemoration program will begin at 3:00 PM. The program will include a dramatic reenactment, music, wreath-laying, and reading the names of the workers who lost their lives.
Tuesday, May 5
Premiere of The Fight for Progress, 6:00 – 8:00pm CDT
Avalon Theater, 2473 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee
Join Wisconsin Conservation Voters and BlueGreen Alliance for the premiere of The Fight for Progress, a 30-minute documentary exploring Wisconsin’s lead service line replacement efforts. The film features an all-access look at the labor and leadership required to end the lead crisis in the state, from Milwaukee to Wausau and Racine. A Q&A session with film subjects and experts, including Richard Diaz, Water Infrastructure Field Manager for the BlueGreen Alliance, and Filmmaker Nels Lindquist, Visual Storytelling Manager for Wisconsin Conservation Voters, will follow the screening. Watch the trailer. RSVP (not required but highly recommended).
Wednesday, May 6
Deb's Birthday Bowl-A-Rama, 6:00 – 8:00pm CDT
471 5 W Bradley Rd, Brown Deer
Roll on over, strike up some fun, sign nomination papers and wish Deb (Andraca) a Happy Birthday! To RSVP, send email to [email protected].
Save the Date
Sunday, May 17
Democratic Governor Candidate Forum, 2:00 – 4:00pm CDT
Nicolet High School, 6710 N Jean Nicolet Rd, Glendale
Who will be the Democratic Candidate for Governor? Hear from seven leading candidates: Mandela Barnes, Joel Brennan, David Crowley, Missy Hughes, Francesca Hong, Sara Rodriguez, and Kelda Roys. Kathleen Dunn — veteran of 44years of distinguished broadcasting with more than 10,000 interviews of such notables as Maya Angelou, Ken Burns, and Studs Terkel, to name just a few — will moderate the forum. Seating is somewhat limited so RSVP today!
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