Civic Media Today - Jan. 22, 2025
Seven Democratic candidates for governor shared the stage for the first time, discussing small businesses and the Main Street economy. Watch the forum here. Plus: the latest from across Wisconsin.
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It’s Thursday, Jan. 22, and here’s what’s happening in Wisconsin and across the Civic Media network today.
Last night in Milwaukee, seven Democratic candidates running for governor shared the stage together for the first time.
The event was hosted by Main Street Action at The Cooperage. The Recombobulation Area’s Dan Shafer moderated the forum, and Civic Media brought you the exclusive live-stream.
Candidates included Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, State Rep. Francesca Hong, State Sen. Kelda Roys, former WEDC CEO Missy Hughes, former DOA Secretary Joel Brennan, and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes.
You can watch the full video of the Main Street Governor Candidate Forum here.
The event began with an introduction by Richard Trent, executive director of Main Street Alliance / Main Street action, who discussed the importance of small business owners and the Main Street economy.
“(Small business owners) are powerful vectors for change,” he said. “With 33 million small businesses across the country, two-thirds of new job creation, small business really is the engine of the economy. But, if I can be real — because my job is to talk to small business owners all day — small business owners are hurting right now…They’re hurting because for the last year, billionaires have essentially been setting economic policy for working families.”
These remarks set the stage for the economic and small business focus of the evening. Six panelists and members of Main Street Action each asked a question to the panel of candidates. Topics for these questions will include: health care, child care, paid family and medical leave, capital access, tax policy, and utility costs. We then asked questions submitted by audience members, which addressed education, taxing the wealthy, and the recent ICE operations in Minneapolis.
If you go to the video above, you can navigate to individual questions, each of which was answered by about half of the field of candidates. Civic Media video editor Tony Zimmerman identified when and where you can watch each question and answer, with a link to each. So, they are:
Candidate opening statements: 13:55
Question: Do you support a public option for BadgerCare? (24:48)
Candidates answering: Rodriguez, Crowley, Hong, Roys
How will you expand child care access and increase provider compensation? (34:50)
Candidates answering: Hughes, Brennan, Barnes
Do you support a statewide paid family and medical leave program? (42:39)
Candidates answering: Rodriguez, Crowley, Hong, Roys
How can Wisconsin improve capital access for women and minority-owned small businesses? (52:07 )
Candidates answering: Hughes, Brennan, Barnes
How can Wisconsin reform the Manufacturing and Agriculture Tax Credit to support small and mid-size businesses? (1:00:23)
Candidates answering: Roys, Hong, Crowley, Rodriguez
How will you ensure Public Service Commission appointees serve the public, not those of large utilities? (1:09:39)
Candidates answering: Barnes, Brennan, Hughes
How can Wisconsin address teacher shortages while ensuring quality education in rural and urban schools? (1:18:02)
Candidates answering: Rodriguez, Crowley, Hong, Roys
Should Wisconsin increase taxes on the wealthy to fund essential services? (1:23:15)
Candidates answering: Hughes, Brennan, Barnes
In light of the recent events in Minneapolis, how will you communicate and position yourself to strike the balance of maintaining law and order while ensuring citizens’ rights won’t be infringed upon by federal government overreach? (1:26:58)
Candidates answering: All
Do you have thoughts on last night’s forum, and this field of Democratic candidates? Let us know in the comments below!
— Dan Shafer, Political Editor
Protesters bundled up for the Free America Walkout in Wisconsin Rapids (Melissa Kaye)
Cold creates lake effect snow and thriving tourism (Meteorologist Brittney Merlot)
Microsoft Proposes 15 more Data Centers at Mount Pleasant Project (Teri Barr)
Gragert officially kicks off bid for Eau Claire City Council president (James Kelly)
In conversation with Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez (Isabela Nieto)
You can listen to the full interview with Wausau’s WXCO here:
Richland County Board of Supervisors meet, discuss EMS services and other items (Adam D. Hess, Jo Ann Krulatz)
Meredith Scheuermann makes return to Oshkosh politics with Common Council Campaign (Lisa M. Hale)
Started in a Kitchen Sink: Wisconsin Product Now Worldwide (Teri Barr)
Kewaunee County town staves off interest from data center developers (Miranda Dunlap, Wisconsin Watch)
Planned Parenthood offers vasectomies in Michigan as abortion access drops (Eli Newman, Bridge Michigan)
Victim-focused human trafficking bills back before Michigan Legislature after dying in lame duck (Ben Solis, Michigan Advance)
Find daily news roundups from your community here.
Every weekday, these news/talk broadcasts air on the Civic Media network:
“Civic Media Mornings” (6-8 a.m.); “The Rick Smith Show” (8 a.m.-9 a.m.); “Civic Media Mid-Mornings” (9-11 a.m.); “The Thom Hartmann Show” (11 a.m.-2 p.m.); “The John and Gordy Show” (2-5 p.m.); “Nite Lite with Pete Schwaba” (5-8 p.m.); “Native Roots Radio” (8-9 p.m.); and “The Rick Smith Show” (9-10 p.m.).
Listen / Watch
On “Civic Media Mornings”:
Today’s episode: An in-depth look at news from across the state.
On “Mid-Mornings with Greg Bach”:
Guests include: Angela Lang, co-executive director of Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC), Dan Shafer, founder of The Recombobulation Area, and Jim Santelle, host of “Amicus: A Law Review.”
Stream on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
On “The Difference with Will Martin”:
Guests include: U.S. Representative Tony Wied (R - District 8).
Coming up:
On “The John & Gordy Show”:
Guests include: Jim Santelle, host of “Amicus: A Law Review,” and Rokker, host of WMDX’s “Max Ink Radio.”
ICYMI: On yesterday’s show, John & Gordy were joined by Ryan Michalesko, Communications & Advocacy Specialist at International Crane Foundation; Dan Shafer, The Recombobulation Area founding editor; and Mike McCabe, ”Ebiyan House” founding editor.
On “Nite Lite with Pete Schwaba”:
Guests include: NBC 26 reporter Hanna Lopez and Irish novelist Molly Aitken.
ICYMI: On yesterday’s show, Pete was joined by comedian Chasity Washington and Wisconsinology website and podcast founder Frank Anderson.
On “Wisconsin Forward,” host Matt Rothschild welcomes Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, to discuss the demise of Wisconsin Eye and the anti-democratic ban on recordings in the state Capitol.
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