Wisconsin Democratic chair announces plans to step down
Ben Wikler, the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, announced on Thursday that he would not be running for another term as state party chair.
'Our state party is now in extraordinarily strong shape, we have secured a pro-democracy Supreme Court majority for at least the next two years, and Democrats are poised to win a trifecta in 2026,' Wikler said in a letter to Democrats in the Badger State.
'Now is the right time for me to take a breath, and to find new ways to advance the fight for a country that works for working people, and one that honors every person's fundamental freedom and dignity,' he continued. 'When my third term as chair ends this June, I will be passing the torch.'
Wikler took the helm of the state party in 2019, overseeing several major successes in the state since becoming chair, including former President Biden's win in Wisconsin in 2020; Gov. Tony Evers's (D) reelection in 2022; and winning three key state Supreme Court races in 2020, 2023 and 2025, which he noted in his letter.
While President Trump won the state last November, Wisconsin Democrats were able to narrowly reelect Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.).
The state party's successes in the state Supreme Court have also led to new legislative maps in Wisconsin, and Democrats have since made inroads in the Capitol.
Wikler ran for Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair earlier this year against a handful of other candidates, ultimately losing to DNC Chair Ken Martin, who had been the state party chair in Minnesota.
Asked in an interview with WISN 12 News aired on Thursday about whether his next steps could be a potential political run, Wikler answered, 'maybe someday,' while noting he wasn't sure what his next steps would look like.
Pressed at various points in the interview on whether he would run for governor if Evers didn't run, Wikler tried to dodge some of those questions, saying he wanted to see Evers run again and that the governor had his support.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
What US adults think about Pope Leo XIV, according to a new AP-NORC poll
WASHINGTON (AP) — Just over a month after Pope Leo XIV became the first U.S.-born pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church, a new poll shows that American Catholics are feeling excited about their new religious leader. About two-thirds of American Catholics have a 'very' or 'somewhat' favorable view of Pope Leo, according to the new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research , while about 3 in 10 don't know enough to have an opinion. Very few Catholics — less than 1 in 10 — view him unfavorably. Among Americans overall, plenty of people are still making up their minds about Pope Leo. But among those who do have an opinion, feelings about the first U.S.-born pope are overwhelmingly positive. The survey found that 44% of U.S. adults have a 'somewhat' or 'very' favorable view of Pope Leo XIV. A similar percentage say they don't know enough to have an opinion, and only about 1 in 10 see him unfavorably. As he promises to work for unity in a polarized church, Americans with very different views about the future of the church are feeling optimistic about his pontificate. Terry Barber, a 50-year-old Catholic from Sacramento, California, hopes Leo will seek a 'more progressive and modern church' that is more accepting of all. 'I'm optimistic. Certainly, the first pope from the United States is significant,' said Barber, who identifies as a Democrat. 'Since he worked under the previous pope, I'm sure he has similar ideas, but certainly some that are original, of his own. I'm looking forward to seeing what, if any changes, come about under his leadership.' Bipartisan appeal About half of Democrats have a favorable view of the new pope, as do about 4 in 10 Republicans and independents. Republicans are a little more likely than Democrats to be reserving judgment. About half of Republicans say they don't know enough to have an opinion about the pope, compared to about 4 in 10 Democrats. Republicans, notably, are no more likely than Democrats to have an unfavorable opinion of the pope. About 1 in 10 in each group view Pope Leo unfavorably. Victoria Becude, 38, a Catholic and Republican from Florida, said she's excited about the first U.S.-born pope and hopes he can steer the country back to Catholic doctrine and make Americans proud. 'I'm rooting for him,' she said. 'I hope that America can get back to faith, and I hope he can do that.' Being a political liberal or conservative, of course, isn't the same thing as identifying as a liberal or conservative Catholic. But the poll found no discernible partisan gap among Catholics on Pope Leo, and Catholics across the ideological spectrum have expressed hope that Leo will be able to heal some of the divisions that emerged during the pontificate of his predecessor, Pope Francis. Pope Leo recently criticized the surge of nationalist political movements in the world as he prayed for reconciliation and dialogue — a message in line with his pledges to make the Catholic Church a symbol of peace. Before becoming pope, Cardinal Robert Prevost presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms of Pope Francis' pontificate by having women serve on the Vatican board that vets nominations for bishops. He also has said decisively that women cannot be ordained as priests. Donald Hallstone, 72, a Catholic who lives in Oregon, said he expects that Leo will continue to promote women in governance positions 'at a time when there's a shortage of priests' and other leaders in the church. 'It'd be great to see women in those roles,' he said. 'Women were not excluded in the first centuries.' On the other hand, some right-wing U.S. Catholics hope Leo will focus on Catholic doctrinal opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion. Becude, the Republican, said she's against same-sex relationships because she believes that unions should be between a man and a woman, something that Pope Leo has reiterated . Even though she describes herself as 'very conservative,' though, she's in favor of reproductive rights even when church teaching opposes abortion . 'I don't believe that they should stop women from having abortions,' she said. 'We should have our own rights because you don't know the circumstances behind the reason why a woman would want the abortion in the first place.' Few have negative views — yet There's plenty of room for views to shift as Leo's agenda as pope becomes clear. Not all Americans have formed an opinion of the new pope yet; particularly, members of other religious groups are more likely to be still making up their minds. About half of born-again Protestants, mainline Protestants, and adults with no religious affiliation don't know enough to have an opinion about the pope, although relatively few — about 1 in 10 — in each group have an unfavorable view of him. Older Americans — who are more likely to identify as Catholics — are also more likely than younger Americans to be fans of Leo's. About half of Americans ages 60 and older have a favorable view of Pope Leo, compared to about 4 in 10 Americans under 30. But even so, only about 1 in 10 U.S. adults under 30 have an unfavorable view of the pope right now. Mercedes Drink, 31, is from the pope's hometown of Chicago. She still hopes that women will become ordained under his pontificate. 'It's cool; I like him because he brings something different,' said Drink, who lives in Minnesota and identifies as being part of the 'religious nones' — atheists, agnostics, or nothing in particular. 'As a young woman, I hope that he can bring change … considering who he is, he brings something new to the table. I hope he opens the world's eyes to modernizing the church, bringing more people in, having more diversity.' ___ Henao reported from Princeton, N.J. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,158 adults was conducted June 5-9, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4 percentage points. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
What US adults think about Pope Leo XIV, according to a new AP-NORC poll
WASHINGTON (AP) — Just over a month after Pope Leo XIV became the first U.S.-born pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church, a new poll shows that American Catholics are feeling excited about their new religious leader. About two-thirds of American Catholics have a 'very' or 'somewhat' favorable view of Pope Leo, according to the new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, while about 3 in 10 don't know enough to have an opinion. Very few Catholics — less than 1 in 10 — view him unfavorably. Among Americans overall, plenty of people are still making up their minds about Pope Leo. But among those who do have an opinion, feelings about the first U.S.-born pope are overwhelmingly positive. The survey found that 44% of U.S. adults have a 'somewhat' or 'very' favorable view of Pope Leo XIV. A similar percentage say they don't know enough to have an opinion, and only about 1 in 10 see him unfavorably. As he promises to work for unity in a polarized church, Americans with very different views about the future of the church are feeling optimistic about his pontificate. Terry Barber, a 50-year-old Catholic from Sacramento, California, hopes Leo will seek a 'more progressive and modern church' that is more accepting of all. 'I'm optimistic. Certainly, the first pope from the United States is significant,' said Barber, who identifies as a Democrat. 'Since he worked under the previous pope, I'm sure he has similar ideas, but certainly some that are original, of his own. I'm looking forward to seeing what, if any changes, come about under his leadership.' Bipartisan appeal About half of Democrats have a favorable view of the new pope, as do about 4 in 10 Republicans and independents. Republicans are a little more likely than Democrats to be reserving judgment. About half of Republicans say they don't know enough to have an opinion about the pope, compared to about 4 in 10 Democrats. Republicans, notably, are no more likely than Democrats to have an unfavorable opinion of the pope. About 1 in 10 in each group view Pope Leo unfavorably. Victoria Becude, 38, a Catholic and Republican from Florida, said she's excited about the first U.S.-born pope and hopes he can steer the country back to Catholic doctrine and make Americans proud. 'I'm rooting for him,' she said. 'I hope that America can get back to faith, and I hope he can do that.' Being a political liberal or conservative, of course, isn't the same thing as identifying as a liberal or conservative Catholic. But the poll found no discernible partisan gap among Catholics on Pope Leo, and Catholics across the ideological spectrum have expressed hope that Leo will be able to heal some of the divisions that emerged during the pontificate of his predecessor, Pope Francis. Pope Leo recently criticized the surge of nationalist political movements in the world as he prayed for reconciliation and dialogue — a message in line with his pledges to make the Catholic Church a symbol of peace. Before becoming pope, Cardinal Robert Prevost presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms of Pope Francis' pontificate by having women serve on the Vatican board that vets nominations for bishops. He also has said decisively that women cannot be ordained as priests. Donald Hallstone, 72, a Catholic who lives in Oregon, said he expects that Leo will continue to promote women in governance positions 'at a time when there's a shortage of priests' and other leaders in the church. 'It'd be great to see women in those roles,' he said. 'Women were not excluded in the first centuries.' On the other hand, some right-wing U.S. Catholics hope Leo will focus on Catholic doctrinal opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion. Becude, the Republican, said she's against same-sex relationships because she believes that unions should be between a man and a woman, something that Pope Leo has reiterated. Even though she describes herself as 'very conservative,' though, she's in favor of reproductive rights even when church teaching opposes abortion. 'I don't believe that they should stop women from having abortions,' she said. 'We should have our own rights because you don't know the circumstances behind the reason why a woman would want the abortion in the first place.' Few have negative views — yet There's plenty of room for views to shift as Leo's agenda as pope becomes clear. Not all Americans have formed an opinion of the new pope yet; particularly, members of other religious groups are more likely to be still making up their minds. About half of born-again Protestants, mainline Protestants, and adults with no religious affiliation don't know enough to have an opinion about the pope, although relatively few — about 1 in 10 — in each group have an unfavorable view of him. Older Americans — who are more likely to identify as Catholics — are also more likely than younger Americans to be fans of Leo's. About half of Americans ages 60 and older have a favorable view of Pope Leo, compared to about 4 in 10 Americans under 30. But even so, only about 1 in 10 U.S. adults under 30 have an unfavorable view of the pope right now. Mercedes Drink, 31, is from the pope's hometown of Chicago. She still hopes that women will become ordained under his pontificate. 'It's cool; I like him because he brings something different,' said Drink, who lives in Minnesota and identifies as being part of the 'religious nones' — atheists, agnostics, or nothing in particular. 'As a young woman, I hope that he can bring change … considering who he is, he brings something new to the table. I hope he opens the world's eyes to modernizing the church, bringing more people in, having more diversity.' ___ Henao reported from Princeton, N.J. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,158 adults was conducted June 5-9, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Politico
2 hours ago
- Politico
AOC rallies against Cuomo ‘gerontocracy'
NEW YORK — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ratcheted up the stakes in the New York City mayor's race Saturday night during a rally for contender Zohran Mamdani, framing the contest as a referendum on the future of the Democratic Party nationally. It is a choice, she said, between the 'gerontocracy' represented by the 67-year-old former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the change represented by Mamdani, a 33-year-old assemblymember. 'When I say that this is not just about New York City, but that this is about the United States, I mean that literally because Andrew Cuomo has made clear that if he wins this race, he wants to run for president of the United States,' Ocasio-Cortez, who's 35, said at Mamdani's event in Manhattan. Cuomo has not publicly said he would run in 2028, but he told POLITICO in May he intends to be a national figure as mayor, organizing Democrats across the country. 'In a world and a nation that is crying to end the gerontocracy of our leadership, that wants to see a new day, that wants to see a new generation ascend, it is unconscionable to send Andrew Cuomo to Gracie Mansion,' she added, referring to New York City's mayoral residence. Earlier this month, Ocasio-Cortez endorsed a slate of five candidates in the Democratic primary, making Mamdani her top choice under the city's ranked-choice voting system. On Saturday, she mentioned that Mamdani and Brad Lander had recently cross-endorsed, with both encouraging supporters to rank their respective ally second. During her speech, Ocasio-Cortez also praised two other candidates she has endorsed, Zellnor Myrie and Scott Stringer, but did not mention the candidate she herself ranked second, Adrienne Adams. She also specifically urged voters not to rank Cuomo on the ballot, becoming the highest-profile supporter of the movement dubbed DREAM: 'Don't Rank Evil Andrew for Mayor.' 'Not ranking Andrew Cuomo is the right thing to do in solidarity with survivors of sexual harassment,' she said on stage. Cuomo resigned as governor in 2021 after a report from Attorney General Letitia James' office determined he sexually harassed 11 women, allegations Cuomo denies. Cuomo's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday night. Not ranking Cuomo, Ocasio-Cortez added, 'is the right thing to do to turn the page on the future of a Democratic party that does not continue to repeat the mistakes that have landed us here. We can never get past Donald Trump if we continue to elect the same people and make the same decisions that got us here in the first place.' More than 2,500 people filled Terminal 5, a concert hall on the west side of Manhattan. The rally capped off the first day of early voting in the June 24 primary. Other speakers included Transport Workers Union International President John Samuelsen, the leaders of the New York Working Families Party and state Sen. John Liu. The Kid Mero, a media personality from the Bronx, emceed the event. Mamdani also presented the race as having implications far beyond the parochial concerns of New Yorkers. 'We stand on the verge of a victory that will resonate across the country and the world,' he said from the stage. 'Make no mistake, this victory will be historic, not just because of who I am, a Muslim immigrant and a proud democratic socialist. But for what we will do: make this city affordable for everyone.' Polling in the race has consistently shown Cuomo in the lead, though Mamdani is within striking distance. His growing prominence has unleashed a torrent of spending against him, funded largely by business and real estate interests who oppose his lefty politics. After former Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed Cuomo and donated $5 million to a super PAC boosting his candidacy, the group started running ads accusing Mamdani of wanting to defund the police and move homeless people into subway stations, POLITICO reported. Mamdani and his allies urged supporters to volunteer to counter the messaging. 'This election isn't just about the future of our city, it's about the future of our democracy, whether billionaires and massive corporations can simply buy our elections,' he said. 'But we know that this movement is more powerful than their money.'
