Battleground Wisconsin

We debrief this week’s historic blue wave that swept across the entire country and creates an unparalleled opportunity for progressive populist change that shifts power away from billionaires and the well-connected on produces real breakthroughs for everyday people. We cut through the media filter to get to the bottom of what the election really means for the fate of American democracy. We discuss...

Long suffering and tired Milwaukee Brewer fan Matt Brusky expresses his sheer joy the morning after the big victory. The first ever World Series victory means more than words can express to the city, state and many baseball families. The Brewers accomplished a feat many thought not possible when confronted by a system that privileges the richest billionaire owners and their access to unlimited res...

Following our weekly Tick Report, we debrief the one and only Wisconsin Governor candidate debate on Wednesday night. We assess the debate, it will not go down in the analysis of history like the Lincoln-Douglas debates. We also ask if debates matter anymore in modern politics. Lauren Reeg of Evergreen Action joins us to share their new policy comparison of both Governor candidates on clean energy...

We celebrate in amazement at the low payroll Milwaukee Brewers who are rolling through the playoffs with a great team that is beating a high payroll franchise stacked with the best players in the world. Can the defenders of democracy replicate the Brewers success in taking down the wealthy and powerful with better solidarity and teamwork? We update our listeners on the Democracy Defenders program...

We celebrate the late night victory of the Milwaukee Brewers that has Matt tired during the morning recording of the podcast. Go Brewers! Robert has a packed Tick report this week, including Alpha Gal Syndrome, spread by Lone Star ticks rising in Illinois and the theatrical release of a new horror movie focused on ticks. We take a deep dive into healthcare costs and coverage as a top election issu...

In this week’s Tick Report, Trump declares “war” on ticks and mosquitos through an executive order promising a 90% reduction in the populations of the “foreign, invasive” species. Of course, the order makes no mention of global warming as the cause of skyrocketing tick populations. We dive into big news this week that Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Crowley is publicly embracing a BadgerC...

Much of the media debate about the 2026 elections presumes voters are making ideological choices between moderate and progressive Democrats, and democratic socialists. This presumption that voters bring strong ideological commitments to the ballot box is refuted by over 70 years of voting research. In this Special Edition of Battleground Wisconsin Podcast, Robert Kraig interviews political scienti...

Following the latest Tick Report where the explosion of ticks and involuntary veganism rages into fall, we take a deep dive into the state of our economy. First: We talk about the Fed’s raising of interest rates today as inflation gets worse in Trump’s economy, marking the central bank’s first rate hike since July 2023 and first in Trump’s second term. Second: We are joined by Peter Rickman, presi...

We reflect on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, focusing on how the country has fundamentally changed since that fateful day and how we failed the first responders and civil servants who make this democracy function for all of us. Robert’s latest Tick Report finds Devil’s Lake State Park among the worst to tick-borne illnesses and Missouri residents seeking alternative to meat to help people infected...

We open with the tick report, including MAGA conspiracy theories about the supposed nefareous actors behind tick-bourn diseases that conveniently deflect attention from big oil and the fossil fuel utilities' responsibility in accelerating climate change. We discuss the We Energies rate hike media event and Public Service Commission (PSC) hearings this week in Milwaukee and how reining in the big f...

In our weekly Tick Report, we remind listeners that It may be the end of summer but don’t let your guard down on ticks and authoritarians. Robert updates us on authoritarian consolidation, as the U.S. Supreme Court left in place Trump’s flagrantly illegal and unconstitutional assaults on mail-in ballots. We highlight the great organizing by western Wisconsin community members and GROWW, that resul...

This week we dig into the criminal justice reform most needed in the next legislation session with Mark Rice, WISDOM’s Transformational Justice Coordinator. Before we get to that vital topic, we provide the latest Tick Report which has surprising findings on the true origin of Lyme disease. We also dig into the first week of the general election campaign for Governor, where AI Data Centers have ta...

Following our weekly tick report, we do a deep dive into the stunning primary election outcome in the race for governor. We unpack why the Francesca Hong campaign was so successful, why it fell barely short, and a brief road map on how David Crowley can engage the progressive base that worked so hard for Hong. Read an excellent Wisconsin Examiner article by Ruth Conniff on what the Democratic prim...

Following the tick report where we learn, in the words of a CDC scientist, that “the ticks are winning,” we discuss a new study finding wildfire smoke is now the primary pollutant negatively affecting pregnancy. Climate change, including increased heat, extended drought, and a thirsty atmosphere, has been a key driver in increasing the risk and extent of wildfires and the spike in tick borne illne...

We welcome Laurel Wales, Citizen Action's Managing Director, to the show as a guest panelist. Following the tick report, we dive into the latest developments in Wisconsin’s governor primary election, including two new polls that show Francesca Hong surging into a commanding lead. How has Hong confounded the pundits and the experts to become the overwhelming favorite in the Democratic gubernatorial...

We take a deep into the latest MU Law Poll, which finds Francesca Hong and Mandela Barnes distancing themselves from the field. What does the MU poll clearly tell us and what remains unclear and fluid? We look at other Internal candidate polls, which show Francesca Hong with at 35% and 39%, a 20+ point lead over Barnes and David Crowley, who has reentered the race. We also discuss how the headline...

We welcome Citizen Action’s newly endorsed Governor candidate, State Representative Francesca Hong, to discuss her historic campaign and why Citizen Action members endorsed her in a crowded field of strong candidates. Following the latest tick report, we dig into the Wisconsin Election Commission finding Elon Musk likely broke the law with $1 million voter checks and referred him to the Brown Coun...

With Matt on vacation this week Robert welcomes special Guest State Rep Christian Phelps to discuss the new "improved" Trump immigration crackdown, huge Wisconsin budget deficits in education and health care, and the freakout of establishment Democrats about the gains of democratic socialists and strong progressive candidates. Is it a civil war or a way to improve the Democratic Party? Finally, Ro...

Robert gives us the 250th July 4th Tick Report, nature’s revenge for climate change. This week’s report includes a menacing headline from the Boston Globe, There’s a terrifying uptick in tick-borne illnesses. We educate our listeners on the dangerous and deadly tick-borne disease, the Powassan virus, which transmits in 15 minutes and can include fever, headache, vomiting and weakness. Severe cases...

Robert opens the show with the latest Tick Report (aka Nature’s Revenge) Report) which includes a rash of tick-related livestock deaths in TN, a DMV region tick infestation to match the swampy reflecting pond on national mall, a USDA educational campaign with an image of 5 ticks you can’t see, and tick solutions you will need to navigate the outdoors this summer! We look ahead to the avalanche of...

We wish everyone a happy Juneteenth Day and encourage everyone to attend an event near you. Look for us at Milwaukee and Eau Claire events. Robert provides us with the latest Tick report: emergency room visits from tick-borne illnesses are at 10 year high and a Univ. of Rhode Island Tick website finds 9 ticks active in Wisconsin in June, the highest the Black Legged Deer Tick. The Lone Star Tick (...

Following the Tick Report, Robert updates us on Trump's pattern in Iran of threatening escalation and then pulling back. Wisconsin unveiled its new procedures for dealing with BadgerCare work requirements in the Big Ugly Bill. But the Trump/Kennedy HHS’s last minute changes to the final rule makes it much worse than the language of the bill, risking coverage for people with serious conditions such...

Welcome to June, it’s Pride Month! We encourage our listeners to RSVP to Citizen Action’s Annual Meeting this Saturday, at 10am. Robert gives us the latest tick report amid national concern about tick-borne illnesses. Spurred by global warming, tick activity continues to surge in Wisconsin while the national media descends on Martha Vineyard as the island is beset by ticks, and victims are forced...

Following the tick report, we dive into a wild week for MAGA lackey Tom Tiffany who said he was open to Trump slush fund payouts to January 6th insurrectionists and those who attempted to illegally overturn an election. In addition, Tiffany admitted he was against the budget deal because he wants to give away more state revenue (to rich people of course). Robert takes on the Marquette Law Poll whi...

This Memorial Weekend we open with Robert’s tick report, which finds the nation experiencing a surge in tick bites and news that half of deer ticks tested in Sconie carry Lyme disease. After touching on the spectacular crash and burn of the Evers/Vos budget surplus debacle, we dig in with State Representative Christian Phelps, one of the most knowledgeable lawmakers on public education funding. We...