We’re Still Talking About This?! (Hour 1)

Transcript

We’re Still Talking About This?! (Hour 1)

Matenaer on Air · Fri Sep 19, 2025

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Jane Matt Nair (host)

Good morning and welcome.

Welcome to Matt Nair on air.

Jane Matt Nair, Greg Bach, Callan Butenoff, coming to you live from our home here at Radio Park in Racine.

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stream.

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Facebook, YouTube, and what used to be Twitter.

I'm gonna give you a little reminder.

Got a couple minutes right now.

If you do not yet have the civic media app, what's the big deal Jane today is our final free ticket Friday Wait, first of all, it's Friday.

It is Friday.

Holy crow.

Okay.

That

Greg Bach (co-host)

means

Time to get that civic media.

I'll do that.

Thank you.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Yes.

So go to wherever you get your apps.

Go to your app store, like Google Play or whatever is your thing.

Yeah.

Look for Civic Media, C-I-V-I-C, Civic Media.

That should come up little C-M logo.

Yep.

Okay, you download that.

Download

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the app.

Got it.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

It is free.

It's free.

It's free.

I know it's amazing.

Download the Civic Media app.

It is completely free because in just a couple of minutes, see, Greg is doing the example right there.

In just a couple of minutes, we are going to give you a keyword and you can only enter this free ticket Friday contest if you have the Civic Media app.

Correct.

And we want you to be able to take part because we are playing for a four pack.

of Milwaukee Brewers club level tickets for next Friday's game when the crew hosts Cincinnati.

Greg Bach (co-host)

If I'm not mistaken, because we're, I mean, we are in the very, very latter days of the season.

That is the last weekend

Jane Matt Nair (host)

of

Greg Bach (co-host)

the home of the home of the

Jane Matt Nair (host)

regular season

Greg Bach (co-host)

of regular season.

Yes.

So this is going to be a three game series against the Reds.

And this what it's Friday, Friday, Friday the 26th, Friday night game.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Great night great night

Greg Bach (co-host)

Hopefully by that

Jane Matt Nair (host)

point we will have clinched the the division can go and just have a nice relaxing evening watching the Brewers win But be ready.

Yeah, it's coming up in just a couple of minutes to text in that keyword And then you'll have until 11 o'clock to text in that keyword Tom Hartman will have a different one for you from 11 to 2 and then with Todd all but 2 to 4 and Maggie Dawn from 4 to 6 and that is not the only reason Hmm to download the civic media

Greg Bach (co-host)

app

Pray tell, why else Jane?

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Rumor has it.

Greg Bach (co-host)

Oh.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

That there's a new multi-state text to win contests starting very soon.

I must have information.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Greg Bach (co-host)

That's what we call a tease.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Oh, that's a tease.

So you want to have the Civic Media app because today is not the only reason you want to be able to enter.

There are some wonderful and fabulous things coming your way.

very soon.

Greg Bach (co-host)

And also the app is, besides the contest is great because you can also listen to us anywhere in the world.

You can take us with you on the go, find the station you need to find and listen to WAUK if you want to.

And if, you know, we've had people take that app on vacation, listen to our show in other countries on other continents.

And it's great to be a part of their lives.

So yeah, it's, it's great.

You get news.

It's just a very, and they're, and the great thing is, is that they're always updating it.

And there are

Jane Matt Nair (host)

always more features and it's

Greg Bach (co-host)

completely

Jane Matt Nair (host)

app.

Absolutely free.

Yes.

We're going to be talking to actually one of our sister stations next week, because what I love about the app too is if say you want to listen to one of our music stations around the state, yeah, because we have a whole bunch of them.

Correct.

And in Baraboo next week, they're doing this great fundraiser for a local domestic violence shelter.

It's a requestathon.

Yeah.

So you can call and request your song.

But if someone doesn't want you to, if they don't want to hear that song, they can pay a little more and knock your sound off.

It's great.

Greg Bach (co-host)

I know what I'll do.

I'm going to request wonderful Christmas time by Paul McCartney and Winx, because I know Pat Crite low will call and pay any amount of money to

Jane Matt Nair (host)

not play that.

But we're going to talk to David Grant about that next week.

And again, this is something that you can listen to on the app.

Yeah, exactly.

If you want to check out a music program for a couple of hours and get away from the news, you can do that.

via the Civic Media app.

So make sure you have it.

You're going to need it very shortly.

Yeah.

Wanted to start off with this, though.

I want to surprise Republicans.

This from WISN, set to propose sweeping changes to ballot drop boxes ahead of the midterms.

Greg Bach (co-host)

I didn't.

Okay.

Okay.

Few things change.

Sure.

First of all, wasn't it just last year?

where they had suddenly and out of nowhere embraced the change of other forms of voting that is not on the day in person, like drop boxes, mail in, all that stuff.

You know what comes to mind?

Bank your vote.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Yes.

I seem to remember bank your vote.

Bank your vote.

And Brian Shinning, the head of the Wisconsin Republican Party, was very big on taking advantage voting absentee.

Yes.

voting early using Dropboxes

Greg Bach (co-host)

and the experts agree that Dropboxes worked in the Republicans favor last election

Jane Matt Nair (host)

because

Greg Bach (co-host)

there are a lot of folks out there who need They need more options.

They need to be able to vote early They need to be able to drop the drop it off in a Dropbox like this is just helping

keep our democratic processes in place.

Although in this past week or two, I can see how democratic processes really just get in the way of power and, and, you know, not wanting to leave your office.

But this just doesn't.

Also, the other question I have, Jane, didn't the Wisconsin Supreme Court say this year that dropboxes are fine talking to you, Doug Dinney

Jane Matt Nair (host)

in Wausau?

Yeah, I believe they did.

Yeah, I believe the Wisconsin Supreme Court did decide that there was nothing

evil about Dropboxes because there's nothing evil about Dropboxes.

Greg Bach (co-host)

So wouldn't we qualify this then?

And I'm using technical parlances in the election industry.

Wouldn't this be classified as beating a dead horse?

One could say that.

Cool.

Just

Jane Matt Nair (host)

wanted to know.

Great use of our tax dollars, folks.

Wisconsin Republicans set to propose sweeping changes to how ballot drop boxes are used and monitors.

Monitored, rather, in legislation they will introduce next week.

Assembly Assistant Majority Leader Republican Scott Kluge says he will detail this this coming Sunday on WISN's up front.

Great.

The bill will also allow election officials to start processing

Absentee ballots the day before Election Day.

We've talked about this repeatedly.

This measure has failed over and over and over again, and it has bipartisan support.

Greg Bach (co-host)

Yes, and it fails.

because it allows Republicans to complain about Madison, but more specifically Milwaukee,

Jane Matt Nair (host)

because

Greg Bach (co-host)

ballot dumps, because, you know, in a town with more than, you know, 50,000 people.

And in the case of Milwaukee, 550 plus thousand people, it takes a little bit longer.

It does.

And will it, will this portion pass?

I don't know what I've been hearing a lot.

I reported, not reported, let me, let me, I recited.

I, the stories we talked about with regard to things coming out of the GOP in Wisconsin, they love to tell us, this is what we're going to do.

And then it's always followed with few details are known.

So Clue is not giving us anything right now other than this.

And he'll tell us more on Sunday.

And we can follow up on Monday about this.

Cause I want to know.

So you want to limit Dropbox usage, but then expand the ability to count ballots.

When I say I'm not being snarky, I don't understand the logic of it all, but make it make sense.

Scott Krug on up front.

Scott Krug.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Krug, sorry Krug.

To the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the bills aimed at codifying new election practices will be released next week, including the measure giving poll workers more time.

to process mail-in ballots, again, which we have tried to get passed over and over and over and over again.

But it's a really handy thing for one side when the election isn't going their way to then be able to say, oh, but they dropped off all these ballots in the middle of the night.

No one knows where they came from.

They just came from the sky.

Greg Bach (co-host)

It makes you look kind of crazy.

And, you know, at this point, we're at a place where no one really cares when they

act crazy, we just sort of shrug

Civic Media (announcer)

our shoulders.

Greg Bach (co-host)

We shrug our shoulders and we move on because we have lives and that's kind of the dangerous part, but we do, we have lives.

Even us who spend our time in the news, there are other things we have to talk about and look at, whereas other folks who have like jobs, kids, other responsibilities, they don't even have, they don't pay attention because it's not on their radar.

So, and my point being is that last year, Brian Schimming and

Many of the GOP members nationwide and states said, bank your vote, vote early, bank your vote.

And then Donald Trump was still saying absentee balloting, anything that's not traditional on the day in person is corrupt.

And then finally he stopped saying it and it worked for them and it works for everyone.

Period.

And now we are eight, nine, almost 10 months.

Yeah, we're nine months into the year and we're

Jane Matt Nair (host)

back at this.

The measures will include a ban on fixing errors on ballots called ballot curing, which has been happening for a long time.

We'll also codify rules governing the use of ballot drop boxes.

Another measure will change how many hours clerks have to be available for early voting based on population size.

Smaller the population, the shorter the voting time period.

According to Krug, if there's a community that has less than 100 registered voters,

They only have to do five hours in person during the two weeks before Election Day instead of 20 hours.

One other measure which I do agree with would include grants to boost security measures for poll workers.

Yeah, let's protect these people.

Greg Bach (co-host)

Let's also bolster just staff of these.

these polling places too.

So they continue and to work smoothly.

I mean, I don't know if it would still be happening now because Mark Zuckerberg is in his villains era, but he was providing grants to municipalities all over the state,

Jane Matt Nair (host)

all over the country.

Oh, the infamous Zucker

Greg Bach (co-host)

Bucks.

Yeah.

And those went away because, you know, the Republicans love democracy.

So now we have to find it in other ways.

And okay, we're going to get the safety is important.

I'm not against safety.

I love safety, especially for poll workers.

We need to take care of them and we need to thank them.

But.

We also need to give support in the way of funding to staff, to locations, to all the things they need, just to make it easier for them, which makes it easier for

Jane Matt Nair (host)

us.

A spokesperson for Governor Evers says the Evers wants to sign into law a bill that allows poll workers to process ballots ahead of election day, thank you, but will not support measures undermining and sowing distrust in existing election workers and practices.

Not a surprise Senate Majority Leader, Devin Lemahue, did not immediately respond to questions about the chances of the new bill becoming

Greg Bach (co-host)

law.

Oh, yes, of course.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

He's the sticker.

He's the sticking point.

A

Greg Bach (co-host)

lot of times, yeah.

He's the guy who's either not, he's the gentleman who doesn't even bring these votes to up for a vote, or I'm sorry, he doesn't bring these bills up for a vote.

And in a couple of instances, he has said out loud, that's not my job.

It's like, it's almost.

All of your jobs, sir.

Pretty much.

So on the live stream, a young person named this chick loves the squad says, many people in Wisconsin work away from home.

You need to vote at your town hall.

By mail was the only way to vote for me.

No way I was driving home to vote to go back to work.

Yeah, exactly.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

And I just think for elderly people.

I mean, people with special needs, all kinds of folks take advantage of drop boxes and voting by mail.

This is just a convenient

Greg Bach (co-host)

alternative for everyone, not to mention, you know, the way that the way they want.

I mean, I'm going a little bit outside of the GOP of Wisconsin, but like the attitude now is just that.

You know, you will vote on the day in person.

That's it.

Well, guess what?

All your military don't get to vote.

All those people who work out of the country don't get to vote.

All those kids who are voting at home, even though they're out at school, don't get to vote.

And that's exactly what you want.

This is voter suppression and voter intimidation.

So I'll be interested to see what he has to say on upfront this Sunday, because, you know, I'm all about bolstering security and I'm all about opening them absentee ballots early to vote, to count those votes.

But

Jane Matt Nair (host)

this whole

Greg Bach (co-host)

dropbox thing gives me the itch.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Stay with us when we return that keyword.

You want this keyword.

It's for Ticket Friday.

Playing for a four pack of tickets.

It's in Milwaukee Brewers Club level seats for next Friday's game against Cincinnati.

Stay close.

That's next

Civic Media (announcer)

on

Jane Matt Nair (host)

the Civic Media Radio Network.

We'll be right back.

Civic Media (announcer)

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started.

7524842 Leave a comment if you're on the live stream on Facebook YouTube and what used to be Twitter Dan Schaefer Civic media's political editor and creator of the re-combobulation area is gonna join us after the 9 30 news many many things We will be re-combobulating over there's

Greg Bach (co-host)

out.

There's so much re-combobulation happening today I can't even stand

Jane Matt Nair (host)

it so he'll be joining us in just a little bit right now though Here's what you need to do grab your phone.

Oh boy.

Okay

Open up the Civic Media app.

Done.

This is the only way to enter this contest via the Civic Media app.

Lay it

Greg Bach (co-host)

on

Jane Matt Nair (host)

me.

Okay, pick WAUK or whatever as your station.

Got it.

Text in the word.

Yes.

Gold.

G-O-L-D.

Got it, we'll do.

Gold.

You can't play.

Gee, Greg.

G-O-L-D.

Gold is the word you want to text in right now via the Civic Media app, and that is going to get you in the running for a four pack of Milwaukee Brewers Club level tickets for next Friday when the Brewers host Cincinnati at Amfam Field.

Text in the word gold.

G-O-L-D.

You have until 11 o'clock.

You can only enter once correct during our show Yeah, but then you have another chance with Tom Hartman from 11 to 2 then again with Todd from 2 to 4 and Maggie from 4 to 6 Right now though till 11 o'clock the word to text in is gold g old Good luck and spelling counts it does count you might be like rejected your you'll get a rejection notice I think if you do all right.

Greg Bach (co-host)

Yeah.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Yeah, good luck g old

Good luck.

And if this isn't your thing, there is going to be another multi-state text to win contest coming very soon.

What?

So make sure you have the Civic Media app.

It's free.

You can get it wherever you get your apps.

Text in the word gold.

Yeah.

G-O-L-D, just like Colleen from Richland Center.

Oh, they're coming in.

And Sean and Madison and Bob along Wisconsin's East Coast.

Sharky and Racine and Caesar and Madison and Carla and Eagle River.

I love it.

Love to see the entries come in.

Text in the word gold G. O. L. D. Can I

Greg Bach (co-host)

pose a question to Bob right now?

Sure.

Is Wisconsin's East Coast a thing I've just never heard of?

Or is that something he put in because he likes it?

I because it seems official.

Everybody else like Richland Center, Madison, Milwaukee, Muskego.

But Wisconsin's East

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Coast is something

Greg Bach (co-host)

I've never heard.

I like it.

And I'm wondering if that's maybe something in my southeastern Wisconsin bubble that I just didn't pay attention to.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Let us know, Bob, from Wisconsin's East Coast, if you'd like to clarify where that is.

So satisfy our curiosity.

Otherwise, the rest of you text in the word gold.

G-O-L-D.

Again, to be in the running for that four pack of tickets to see the crew host Cincinnati next Friday at Ampham Field.

With the time we have left before the bottom of the hour, Superintendent of Schools Jill Underly calls the Trump administration the biggest schoolyard bully that Wisconsin schools are facing.

Yeah.

State Superintendent Jill Underly calling a Trump administration a big schoolyard bully.

Her address yesterday, her first during her second term in office.

Dr. Underly says public education in Wisconsin isn't just a system.

It's a living story written daily by the people who believe in its promise.

And as we've learned, it seems like most of us love our public schools if it's our public school.

Yes.

If it's that other public school, not so much.

Greg Bach (co-host)

No, and I would say that Dr. Underly is correct in her assumption, but her description as Donald Trump is the biggest school yard bully.

I mean, he put.

Linda McMahon in charge of the Department of Education, but I would also say don't don't Don't sleep on Robin Voss and his cohorts.

They've done quite a bit to slowly choke the life out of public school

Jane Matt Nair (host)

without a doubt

Greg Bach (co-host)

and

Jane Matt Nair (host)

and it's very intentional.

Greg Bach (co-host)

Yes.

Yeah, exactly exactly.

It's almost with with There is a level of

pride they take, glee because they think whenever they give them money, that's enough.

And really it's never enough.

And looking back, her request for $4 billion, while seems crazy expensive, when you think about how long it's been underfunded, $4 billion for then and now would probably do the trick.

And it will never

Jane Matt Nair (host)

happen.

So thank you for that, Dr. Jill Underly.

This is

Civic Media (announcer)

good

Jane Matt Nair (host)

for speaking out.

Yes.

Yep, and I'm sure we will be hearing more from her as well Right now though the word to text in via the civic media app is gold g old and Bob from Wisconsin East Coast is on the line with us.

Good morning, Bob from the East Coast.

How are you?

Fine, man.

How are you?

We are great.

So can you be a little more specific on what is Wisconsin's East Coast?

Bob from Wisconsin's East Coast (caller)

It's everything that's on that's a longer shoreline.

Greg Bach (co-host)

Everything.

That's a very large piece of property you have, Bob.

Bob from Wisconsin's East Coast (caller)

Well, I covered it.

I started working in fundraising in 1977.

I'm originally from a place called Sturgeon Bay.

Yeah.

And in the fast foods industry, I worked in Milwaukee, Port Washington, and Kenosha.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

All right.

There

Greg Bach (co-host)

you go.

You're doing the stretch.

I like the way you do that, Bob.

That's how I feel.

Like I don't have like civic pride.

Like I'm from Waukesha.

I lived in Milwaukee, but I've lived in southeastern Wisconsin and all these counties.

So I have like a southeastern and a Wisconsin pride.

So I like the way you do that, Bob.

I like your style.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Thank you for calling to clarify, Bob.

We were just really curious about that.

I like how he runs from Sturgeon Bay down to the state line.

Greg Bach (co-host)

It's like, what's Wisconsin's East Coast?

the coast that's on the east.

I feel like Bob, you

Jane Matt Nair (host)

were

Greg Bach (co-host)

very nice in telling me.

I feel like I've said everything I need to say.

We appreciate that.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Thank you, Bob.

Text in the word gold, by the way, you have until 11 o'clock via the Civic Media app, G-O-L-D for that four pack of club level tickets for next Friday's game at MFAM when the Brewers host Cincinnati.

We have news coming up next and we'll come back with Dan Schaefer.

Stay with us.

You are listening to Matt Nair on air on the Civic Media Radio Network.

Good morning.

Welcome.

Welcome to Mattener on air.

Jane Mattener, Greg Bach, the one, the only Calzone on the board coming to you from our studio at Radio Park in Racine, where you can always join us.

Call or text at 855-752-4842.

Leave a comment.

If you're watching on the live stream, hello live stream.

Hi.

On Facebook, YouTube, and what used to be Twitter, we are in the midst of our final free ticket Friday.

So grab your phone.

Open up the Civic Media app, not you guys.

And text in the word gold, G-O-L-D.

You have until 11 o'clock.

You can't enter, Dan.

You have until 11 o'clock to text in the word gold, G-O-L-D.

And get in there running for a four pack of Milwaukee Brewer's club level tickets.

These are really, really good seats.

They are for next Friday's game when the Brewer's host Cincinnati

So you have until 11 o'clock to text in the word gold, G-O-L-D.

Just like Linda in Eau Claire and Peter in New London and Oscar in Madison and so many more.

Text in the word gold, you have until 11 o'clock, then Tom Hartman will have a new word for you from 11 o'clock to two.

Todd with a different one from two to four and Maggie again from four to six p.m.

But right now the word is gold.

G-O-L-D.

Make sure you enter and good luck.

And Schaefer is here.

It's Friday.

It's time for a little re-combobulation from Civic Media's political editor and some movement now in the governor's race stand.

A couple more.

hats in the ring.

It's

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

been a little bit of a busy week here with some of the announcements that we've got going on

Jane Matt Nair (host)

in the

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

governor's race.

Not just the governor's race, a few other announcements this week, and we can get into that too.

There's 2026 outlook is heating up a little bit.

But two candidates, both from Madison, each announced that they would be running for governor this week.

So on Monday, Calderoy, state senator announced that she would be running for governor.

And then I believe it was Wednesday that state representative Francesca Hong announced that she would be running for governor.

So, you know, last week we had David Crowley announced his candidacy.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson got behind it.

Last week was Milwaukee week.

Civic Media (announcer)

And this week is

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

Madison week.

And so, you know, we're making our way around the state with some of these announcements here.

But, um, yeah, what, what do you guys think of, you know, some of the, how some of the, I guess, announcement videos about how some of these landed?

I guess let's, let's start with Kelda Roy's.

I

Greg Bach (co-host)

mean, I, I, I, everyone I've talked about Kelda is excited to see what she has to offer.

Cause I think the thing that I think, well, I, I honestly think that Kelda Roy's Francesca Hong and Sarah Rodriguez all have a similar quality of good energy.

Kelda doesn't hold back night of those Francesca Hong.

I think there was a lot of excitement to see both of these individuals jump in because now it feels like there's going to be a discussion.

And it feels like there's going to be ideas.

And everybody I know, I mean, everybody I know who loves Francesca Hong is really excited.

But when it comes to Kelda, I think that she has a little bit more work to do as far as getting her name out there.

But I think that I was,

I'm happy.

She's they're both in it.

I was unsure with Francesca just because I feel like sometimes her message I don't want to see people trying to label her as like some Socialist commie and all of her but I think that's what's gonna happen.

Absolutely.

I mean she's

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

part of the Democratic Socialist

Greg Bach (co-host)

Caucus.

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

Exactly.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

So it's

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

not like she's running from that either.

No, it's a voluntary choice that she made to be part of that caucus.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

But I think you know Calvin I'd like your take on this because

In talking to younger Democrats and younger, leaning Democrats, I think they get tired of what they see are the regular old run of the, you know, middle of the road.

Let's all get along kind of Democrats.

And Francesca is different.

I do.

What do you think about the energy that she brings, Calvin?

Callan Butenoff (producer)

I had this discussion with Greg off the air yesterday afternoon and I'm, I'm.

Not sure what how I feel about the primary going forward.

I'd like all of the candidates well I'll share save my thoughts for the fifth member of the field for

Jane Matt Nair (host)

another day

Callan Butenoff (producer)

necessary um, oh Yeah, but yeah, I think it's torn between Do you vote for someone that you like and are confident?

They can win an election or do you vote for someone that you like?

and think is more the direction you would like to see the party move.

And I think that's kind of the dichotomy of Kelba Royce and Francesca Hong for me is, I think Kelba Royce has a better chance of winning the general election.

But I think Francesca Hong's progressive policies have a potential to speak more to the younger people.

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

Yeah.

And I think there is, right, Calvin, there's this, I forget who said the quote, but it's just like this quote about primaries and elections.

And it's just like in a primary vote your heart and in the general vote your head.

Civic Media (announcer)

And

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

like vote who, you know, which candidate speaks to you most in a primary, but once you're in the general election, like it doesn't necessarily have to be that.

It's just about who, you know, especially in the two-party system that we have, it's just like you're making a different type of calculation with that.

But yeah, I think that's interesting.

And I do wonder if there's, you know,

if there's a certain lane for a progressive candidate that had not yet been claimed, and that it can be claimed now by a representative Hong.

But I do think, you know, and I wrote about this in a piece a few weeks ago, and I had, you know, kind of like the top contenders I had in the group and in Calderois, I had in that kind of top four potential contenders for governor.

you know, of that Josh Call has not yet announced.

So we'll see what exactly he has in store for his plans for 2026.

Attorney General Josh Call.

But I think, you know, I think Francesca Hong would start outside of that group, outside of the group of top contenders.

But one of the things about, you know, knowing Francesca Hong for a few years now is

No one's going to outwork her on any of this.

And, you know, she just announced yesterday as she was, you know, at the, what, the second day of her campaign that she's going to be going on this like statewide tour and she had like a dozen different places that she's going to be over the next two weeks going to and speaking to people and rallying support in her state tour.

And I think the fact that she is going to be coming out of the gate and working super hard, that's going to make everybody else in the primary kind of need.

to up their game.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Work that much

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

harder.

Again, I consider myself a political realist in a lot of ways.

I don't think she has the best chance of winning this race.

I'm not ruling it out, but I don't think she is one of the top most likely to win this race.

But I think her entry to it is going to make everybody work that much harder.

And I think that is definitely a good thing.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Tony on the live stream says, if only we had ranked choice voting.

You could vote your values and then everyone wouldn't have to be a pundit.

Greg Bach (co-host)

Yeah.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

There's that too.

There is.

Yep.

But we

Greg Bach (co-host)

are not there yet.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

We

Greg Bach (co-host)

are

Jane Matt Nair (host)

not.

Greg Bach (co-host)

And I think when it comes to what's interesting to me about Kelda and Fran and saying that I want to tack on this last question for you, Dan, regarding David Crowley,

Civic Media (announcer)

is

Greg Bach (co-host)

that...

I feel like even though Fran has like, she definitely has those progressive democratic socialist values that she is, she is standing up for and she will not back down on.

And that's one of the things I love about her.

Kelda too, isn't like, to me, some centrist character.

I mean, when she came on the show after the budget,

We were kind of expecting a few days of you, Ra Ra, we did it.

And Kelda came on like, this is, I know this

Civic Media (announcer)

is bad.

And

Greg Bach (co-host)

both of us were like, Oh, is it bad?

I'm so sorry.

Cause, cause Tony Evers had proposed this budget being an end, and Diane Heselbein.

Like it was, it was good to see the Democrats walk in and take some control, but at the end of the day, there were Democrats, including Francesca Hong and Calderois who were not at please.

So I do feel like where it for.

Going back to what Kelvin says, if you're looking between those two, I feel like it is a good combination of your head and your heart.

You can vote for one or the other and feel represented and or feel like you're going to be spoken for by one of those two.

But I feel like the, the, the announcement from Kelda and from Francesca have kind of muted David Crowley's announcement.

Civic Media (announcer)

He

Greg Bach (co-host)

came out and it was, it happened and we knew it was going to happen because he said early he was going to announce and then he finally announced and I've seen things

But now we are focusing our attention on the two of them rather

Civic Media (announcer)

than

Greg Bach (co-host)

David Crowley.

And he's sort of just, I mean, that's not a bad thing.

He's going to do great.

He's a great campaigner, but I feel like he kind of lost some of the thunder because you had two candidates in very close amount of time come out and announced they're running and.

with Francesca, it was sort of like, yeah, but she did it and with a really great

Jane Matt Nair (host)

video too.

Yeah, the video is good.

If you're just joining us, Dan Schaefer is here, Civic Media's political editor and also the creator of the Recombobulation Area.

He joins us every Friday and we are talking about the recent entries.

into the gubernatorial race here in Wisconsin.

Talking about David Crowley, I certainly think he might have a little bit better name recognition.

He is Milwaukee County executive.

He's had that role now for several years.

But I also think he's an almost a tougher spot because he has to come forward and talk about all the wonderful things he's done for Milwaukee County.

I would think that's going to be challenging.

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

Yeah, I think that, you know, that the

Milwaukee candidates have a certain level of baggage to them fair or unfair.

I think mostly unfair And but I and I think Crowley in the five years that he has been at the helm in Milwaukee County I think he's done a very good job like he was able to get the you know shared revenue thing and sales tax fix over the finish line They've been able to they have so many just like smart under the radar wins, but I just don't know how those like

How

Jane Matt Nair (host)

to highlight those?

How to

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

highlight some of those types of things in a statewide race.

And I also wonder if like, what is his name recognition outside of Southeastern Wisconsin too?

Because I think there is like this quality of he's well known here

Jane Matt Nair (host)

where we are in Southeastern Wisconsin right now.

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

I don't know

Jane Matt Nair (host)

how well known he is in the rest of the state.

Well, and one of the recent things I heard, and I can't remember where I heard this interview with him, but it's, how do we address the needs of our, you know, it's like he has,

He asks all these right questions.

I'm not hearing the answers

Civic Media (announcer)

for those questions.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

And as a candidate, you are there to provide the solutions for these things.

So I don't know that coming out and ask, you know, coming out with a lot of open-ended questions is necessarily the best campaign tactic.

It's like, yeah, these are all valid concerns that people want to address.

Now, what are you going to do about

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

it?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

There is-

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Be

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

specific.

Gotta be specific.

And I think, you know, Crawley is kind of more of a, like governed by consensus type of leader as well.

He's not just like, everybody get here and listen to me type of person.

He surrounds himself with really smart people and he's kind of like governed by consensus there.

You know, he's been able to have a really good-

relationship with the Milwaukee County Board that has not always been the case.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Which is kind of astonishing, actually.

It is, actually,

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

yeah.

And so I think he is not somebody who's going to just get out there and be like, hey, my way or the highway, I'm gonna ruffle everybody's feathers.

He takes a little bit of a different kind of approach, and it's gonna be interesting to see how that translates in a campaign sense, because it's not typically what you see in a campaign.

Greg Bach (co-host)

Well, and I think of all of the candidates thus far, and I don't mean to disrespect Mr. Strand.

But I'm going to, you know, we got these, these people who have been in public office.

David Crowley is the one with the most experience of running a thing.

Like you have representatives.

Exactly.

And on top of that too, and I've said this before and I'm going to keep saying, I think one of his biggest strengths is that man had to convince the county of Milwaukee.

And now granted, you can say Chris Ably was behind him.

And that does mean a lot, but.

People's reservations, whether it's racism or his location, whatever it was, he convinced the people of Milwaukee County that he was the best choice for their executive.

And I think...

that on top of the fact that he has executive experience goes a long way for him.

And he is, I think of all of them personally, of the ones that I have met, he's the best at campaigning and governing.

Some people are blessed with one and not the other, and he is blessed with both.

He can walk into a room and start the conversation, but then as far as talking about the wins, I think what you do is you get to the granule level and say, here are the things we need to work on.

concerning you.

Great.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

I have the answer for that.

I have an answer.

Let's talk about it.

And that's what we need.

Yeah, that's what we need.

We're going to continue our conversation with Dan Schaefer, Civic Media's political editor and creator of the Multimulti Award-winning Reconpopulation Area.

Our conversation continues.

Stay with us.

This is Matt Nair on air on the Civic Media Radio Network.

We'll be right back.

Civic Media (announcer)

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It's Friday.

Dan Schaefer is here, Civic Media's political editor and also the creator of the Recombobulation Area.

And before the break, we were talking about the gubernatorial race in Wisconsin.

So we talked a lot about all the Democrats that are running.

And now we have an announcement of a pending announcement.

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

We have an announcement about an announcement.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

It's

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

like a turducken of announcements and press releases and all of that.

Yeah.

So the Wisconsin College Republicans yesterday on their Twitter account put out a flyer that said announcement.

Congressman Tom Tiffany is holding a very special event in Wausau on September 24th.

Everyone is welcome.

This looks like a good editorial announcement.

Pretty much.

This looks like, I mean, he's been acting like he's running for governor for the past couple of months here.

He was all over the place at Wisconsin State

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Fair.

State Fair, I was going to say.

He's been praising

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

his profile.

He's been talking about, in conservative media, he's been talking more about state related issues on social media.

It has seemed like he's been running for the last couple of months, maybe next week is when he finally makes it official.

I think he had hinted at the fact that he was wanting to announce a run before the end of, or make some.

make his decision before the end of September, it sure seems like his decision is going to be that he's going to run.

I think that's a pretty fair bet.

Greg Bach (co-host)

I would say this is a Tom Duckin happening in this next week.

Also, I just want to go over the fact that he took a picture of himself holding a fish so he could put it out there because someone said, I believe anyone running for governor should have to take a picture to show us how you can, if you can hold the fish correctly.

And he did.

thus giving us another candidate running for an office in Wisconsin where a lake was involved.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Well, that obviously, you know, Eric, he's so standard.

You gotta check those most important bucks.

Exactly, exactly.

You just need hatchet throwing and he'll be in the top five.

I can see Tom Tiffany trying to sell himself as the next Tommy Thompson.

Kind of a, you know, moderate, not a screamer.

But can you do that with Trump's endorsement?

That's

Greg Bach (co-host)

what he needs to.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

He needs that well, but he can get the endorsement without having to take it to the next level Yeah, he is no moderate though by any stretch.

Oh, I'm not saying that he is

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

but but he could he can try and sell himself that way Yeah Well, would you do you think it's more likely that he would sell himself that way or if he sells himself as hey, I'm the true conservative here

I'm a Trump supporter, MAGA supporter.

I'm gonna be your fighter in the state to try and stop Wisconsin from becoming California or Illinois or whatever these

Jane Matt Nair (host)

things are.

Minnesota was the

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

target lately.

So I think he is more of kind of just like the conservative fire brand type of guy.

I think it would certainly represent a big shift for...

Kind of like where the center of power is for Republican politics in Wisconsin because for forever It has been the wild counties.

It has been yes, watch out Ozaki and

Civic Media (announcer)

Washington

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

counties and I think we've seen so many candidates from there over the years You know even this year with Brad Schimel And you know Scott Walker ran up huge numbers in Waukesha County when he was running

I think this, if Tom Tiffany were to run and to be the nominee, I think it would really represent a shift in where the center of power is for Republican politics because I think it would shift to the north.

It would shift to the north woods or just kind of northwestern Wisconsin more broadly.

And, you know, Tiffany would, I think...

really struggle with crossover appeal in some of those wild counties that have been trending more purple in Waukesha and Ozaki in particular, but he might run up bigger numbers in more rural areas in his own, you know, seventh congressional district.

So there's a trade-off to be considered there for him, too.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Well, we'll find out more next Wednesday.

He's going to be making his announcement in Wausau.

I'm just curious, is there something, is there a public works project that was funded by the Biden administration

Civic Media (announcer)

that Tom

Jane Matt Nair (host)

Tiffany can go stand next to and claim credit for while he's in Wausau?

He's done that before.

He has.

He's done it with the Blotnik bridge.

I just thought maybe there's something in Wausau he could try and tag his name onto while he's

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

there.

We'll have to see if there are any Biden.

infrastructure, he'll have to avoid when he's in Wausau or something like that.

Greg Bach (co-host)

I think I would love to ask the question of Republicans in Wisconsin.

What do you think?

Cause you're the ones who will

Civic Media (announcer)

be

Greg Bach (co-host)

deciding who wins this primary.

Do you want to go with this name or do you want to go with someone new?

Because it's going to be a very, I mean, granted, if we don't get a billionaire guy, like a hubby or a Tim Michaels coming into it,

Who are the who are the people that Republicans want to represent them in Wisconsin?

Is it gonna be the Tom Tiffany or is it gonna be more unknown?

I'd love to hear from Republicans on this.

What is your thoughts?

Are you gonna vote for this guy or who who's catching your fancy?

It's not a deep bench and we

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

ran a piece on this at the reconvibulation area earlier this year from a contributor Josh Clemens He talked about how gerrymandering has hurt the Republicans bench because

They have not had the candidates who've actually had to compete

Jane Matt Nair (host)

for voters.

Oh, you mean actually run?

Yeah, actually run

Dan Schaefer (political editor, guest)

and compete for voters in tough districts.

They don't have...

tested candidates who are ready for a statewide run.

Jane Matt Nair (host)

We have news coming up next.

Stan Shaffer will be here.

We will continue to recombobulate.

So stay close.

You're listening to Matt Nair on air coming to across the vast statewide, countrywide.

You can pick us up around the world on the Civic Media app.

We are the Civic Media Radio Network.

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