Obama meets Mamdani in New York City before reading to preschoolers
Former President Barack Obama met with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for the first time on Saturday at a child care center where they read to preschoolers and led a singalong.
Scott Bauer, The Associated Press
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Evers signs a law legalizing online sports betting in Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed a bill into law Thursday that legalizes online sports betting, making it the 33rd state to allow the practice.
Democratic-backed Chris Taylor wins Wisconsin Supreme Court race, growing liberal majority
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Democratic-backed candidate Chris Taylor won election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday, growing the liberal majority on the court as cases affecting congressional redistricting, union rights and other hot button issues await in the perennial battleground state.
Democrats hope to increase liberal control of battleground Wisconsin's Supreme Court
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Democrats hoped to increase liberal control of the state Supreme Court in Wisconsin on Tuesday in an election that has focused largely on abortion rights as cases affecting congressional redistricting, union rights and other hot button issues also await in the perennial battleground state.
Wisconsin judicial panel dismisses Democratic attempt to redraw congressional maps
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A three-judge panel in Wisconsin on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit brought by Democratic voters that sought to redraw the battleground state's Republican-friendly congressional boundary lines ahead of the November midterm election.
Wisconsin man who ordered ballots without consent found guilty of fraud and identity theft
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A jury convicted a Wisconsin man of election fraud and identity theft for requesting the ballots of Republican state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Democratic Racine Mayor Cory Mason without their consent.
Conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice is retiring, giving liberals chance to expand majority
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice first elected in 2007 announced Monday that she will not seek a third 10-year term next year, giving liberals another chance to expand their majority as cases affecting redistricting, union rights, school funding and other hot button issues await.
Wisconsin schools, teachers file lawsuit against GOP-led Legislature seeking more funding
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A coalition of Wisconsin school districts, teachers' unions, advocacy groups, parents, students and others announced a lawsuit Tuesday against the state Legislature, alleging that it's failing to adequately fund public schools.
Wisconsin passes expanded Medicaid for moms, would leave Arkansas as only state without it
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Women in Wisconsin will soon be eligible to receive expanded Medicaid coverage for up to a year after giving birth following near-unanimous passage of a measure Thursday by the Wisconsin Assembly that would leave Arkansas as the only state yet to expand such benefits.
Wisconsin GOP leader Robin Vos, who clashed with Trump, leaving office after reshaping the state
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Robin Vos, who has led the Republican charge in Wisconsin during his record-long stint as state Assembly speaker and blocked much of the Democratic governor's agenda, announced Thursday that he will retire at the end of the year.
Wisconsin poised to leave Arkansas as only state without expanded Medicaid for new moms
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Republicans who long blocked a bipartisan measure to expand postpartum Medicaid coverage planned to pass the measure on Thursday, which would leave Arkansas as the only state yet to expand Medicaid coverage for women a year after giving birth.
Trump endorses Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin's open governor's race, leading GOP rival to drop out
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- President Donald Trump's endorsement of U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin's open race for governor led the congressman's top Republican rival to drop out of the race less than a day later.
Trump endorses Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin's open race for governor
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- President Donald Trump has endorsed U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin's open race for governor, solidifying the congressman's front-runner status in the Republican primary in the battleground state while also bolstering Democrats' attempts to tie Tiffany to unpopular elements of the president's agenda.
Minnesota GOP gubernatorial candidate Chris Madel drops out, faults Trump immigration policy
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A lawyer for the immigration officer who shot and killed Renee Good dropped out of the Minnesota governor race Monday, breaking with many fellow Republicans and calling President Donald Trump's immigration operation in the state an "unmitigated disaster."
Minnesota GOP gubernatorial candidate drops out, citing opposition to federal 'retribution'
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Republican candidate for Minnesota governor Chris Madel, a Minneapolis attorney who offered free legal advice to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who shot and killed Renee Good, ended his campaign in a surprise video announcement Monday.
Network shutdown leaves Wisconsin lawmakers meeting outside of public view
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The shutdown of Wisconsin's version of C-SPAN amid a fundraising shortfall has led to state lawmakers meeting outside of public view, fueling complaints from open government advocates and putting pressure on lawmakers to reach a deal to revive the network.
Democrats hope a blue wave washes over Wisconsin and gives them total control of battleground state
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Talk to any Wisconsin Democrat about their hopes for 2026 and it's not long before the T-word comes up.
Liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate raises 10 times more than conservative
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The Democratic-backed candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court raised 10 times as much last year as her Republican-endorsed opponent, putting in stark relief the challenge conservatives face in winning the race in the battleground state.
Wisconsin Gov. Evers questions his lieutenant governor's immigration enforcement proposal
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is questioning whether a proposal from his own lieutenant governor to ban federal immigration enforcement actions around courthouses, schools, day cares and other locations can, or should, be done.
Gov. Tony Evers urges the Wisconsin Legislature to act on his key priorities in his final year
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin's Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday called on the Republican-controlled Legislature to act on a broad array of his priorities in his final year in office, even if it means working for longer than they are scheduled to be in session.
US Justice Department sues 3 states, District of Columbia for voter data
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The U.S. Justice Department sued three states and the District of Columbia on Thursday for not turning over requested voter information to the Trump administration.
Sen. Ron Johnson asks DOJ to investigate Wisconsin judge in former Trump attorney's case
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson asked the U.S. Department of Justice this week to investigate allegations made by a former attorney for President Donald Trump in Wisconsin that a judge overseeing his felony case is guilty of misconduct and must step aside.
2 Wisconsin congressional redistricting lawsuits may not resolve by 2026 midterm election
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- One of two lawsuits seeking to redraw congressional boundary lines that currently favor Republicans in Wisconsin would not be resolved until after the 2026 midterms under a timeline up for approval Friday.
New judicial panels to hear Wisconsin redistricting lawsuits for the first time
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Two lawsuits seeking to redraw Wisconsin's congressional districts were scheduled to be discussed in court Friday as a pair of three-judge panels, never-before-used in the state, meet for the first time.
Joel Brennan, former top Evers aide, joins crowded 2026 Wisconsin governor race
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Joel Brennan, a former top official in Gov. Tony Evers' administration, announced Thursday that he is running to succeed the two-term Democrat, joining a crowded primary field for the 2026 election.
Wisconsin judge refuses to step aside as requested by former Trump attorney
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A Wisconsin judge on Tuesday refused to step aside as requested by President Donald Trump's former attorney who faces felony forgery case related to the 2020 election in the battleground state.
Former Trump aides allege judicial misconduct in Wisconsin fake elector case
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- President Donald Trump's former attorney in battleground Wisconsin alleged Monday that a judge presiding over his felony forgery case related to the 2020 election is guilty of misconduct and must step aside.
Democrat Mandela Barnes, a former US Senate candidate, enters the Wisconsin governor's race
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Democrat Mandela Barnes, who served four years as Wisconsin's lieutenant governor and narrowly lost a 2022 U.S. Senate bid, jumped into the battleground state's open race for governor on Tuesday.
Wisconsin Supreme Court says 3-judge panels must decide congressional redistricting cases
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a pair of three-judge panels to hear two lawsuits that argue the battleground state's congressional maps must be redrawn because they unconstitutionally favor Republicans.
Wisconsin clerks refer 46 cases of suspected fraud, irregularities in 2024 presidential election
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin election clerks referred 46 instances of suspected fraud and voting irregularities to prosecutors related to the November 2024 presidential election, a report released this week showed, representing a tiny fraction of the more than 3.4 million ballots cast.
Wisconsin's governor signs Kennedy-inspired bill allowing candidates to withdraw from the ballot
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin's Democratic governor on Friday signed a bipartisan bill that will allow candidates to remove their names from the ballot, addressing an issue that arose last year when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tried to get himself removed from the presidential ballot.
Wisconsin becomes the 36th state to limit cellphones in schools
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin became the 36th state to limit cellphones and other electronic devices in school Friday, when its Democratic governor signed a bill requiring districts to prohibit phone use during class time.
Wisconsin judge puts on hold ruling that required citizenship check of voters
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A Wisconsin judge on Friday put on hold his order that requires elections officials to verify the citizenship of all 3.6 million registered voters in the battleground state before the next statewide election in February.
Wisconsin DOJ asks judge to pause voter citizenship verification order
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The Wisconsin Department of Justice on Monday asked a judge to immediately put on hold his order that would require elections officials to verify the citizenship of all 3.6 million registered Wisconsin voters before the next statewide election in February.
Conservative Wisconsin appeals court judge Maria Lazar is running for state Supreme Court
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A conservative Wisconsin appeals court judge announced Wednesday that she is running for an open seat on the battleground state's Supreme Court, promising to stop the politicization of the courts after record-high spending in the last race, fueled by billionaires Elon Musk and George Soros.
Conservative Wisconsin appeals court judge Maria Lazar running for state Supreme Court
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A conservative Wisconsin appeals court judge announced Wednesday she is running for an open seat on the battleground state's Supreme Court, promising to stop the politicization of the courts after record-high spending in the last race fueled by billionaires Elon Musk and George Soros.
Former Wisconsin Democratic economic development head joins governor's race
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The former state economic development director for Wisconsin, who previously worked as an executive at a dairy cooperative, announced Monday that she is running for governor as a Democrat, promising to reject "divisive politics."
Wisconsin Republican Bill Berrien quits governor's race amid fallout over sexually explicit links
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin business owner Bill Berrien, a supporter of President Donald Trump, ended his Republican campaign for governor on Friday, days after it was reported that he followed numerous sexually explicit accounts online, including a nonbinary pornography performer.
Wisconsin Republican Bill Berrien quits governor's race amid pornography fallout
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin businessman Bill Berrien, a supporter of President Donald Trump, ended his Republican campaign for governor on Friday, days after it was reported that he followed numerous sexually explicit accounts online, including a nonbinary pornography performer.
Trump loyalist US Rep. Tom Tiffany enters Wisconsin's open governor's race
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A fierce loyalist of President Donald Trump who represents a broad swath of Wisconsin's rural north woods in Congress entered the governor's race in the battleground state on Tuesday, shaking up the Republican primary.
Trump backer running for Wisconsin governor followed sexually explicit accounts online
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A Republican manufacturer running for governor in Wisconsin as a conservative supporter of "family values" and President Donald Trump followed numerous sexually explicit accounts online, including a nonbinary pornography performer.
Democrat Francesca Hong promises to be 'wild card' in Wisconsin governor's race
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A Democratic state lawmaker who is promising to be a "wild card" joined Wisconsin's open race for governor on Wednesday, saying she will focus on a progressive agenda to benefit the working class.
Democratic Milwaukee County leader David Crowley joins the race for Wisconsin governor
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The top-elected official in Milwaukee County, who rose out of poverty in one of the state's poorest neighborhoods, launched a bid for Wisconsin governor on Tuesday, saying his background and experience in office make him uniquely prepared for the job.
A conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice won't run again, creating an open seat
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A conservative justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court said Friday that she will not seek reelection, creating an open race for a seat on the court that's controlled 4-3 by liberals.
Wisconsin judge rejects motions to dismiss charges against Trump aides
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A Wisconsin judge Friday declined to dismiss felony charges against two attorneys and a former aide to President Donald Trump who advised Trump in 2020 as part of a plan to submit paperwork falsely claiming that the Republican had won the battleground state that year.
Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski launches bid for lieutenant governor
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Democratic Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, who passed up a chance to run for the open governor's seat, announced Wednesday that she instead will go for the No. 2 slot in 2026.
Wisconsin's Democratic secretary of state won't run for governor but mulls lieutenant governor bid
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin's Democratic Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski doesn't plan to run for governor or for a full term in her current position, but she is considering running for lieutenant governor next year, an adviser said Monday.
Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez enters 2026 governor's race, calls Trump a 'maniac'
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Democratic Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez entered the battleground state's open race for governor Friday by calling President Donald Trump a "maniac," as she attempts to differentiate herself in what is expected to be a crowded primary.
Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez enters 2026 governor race, calls Trump a 'maniac'
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Democratic Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez entered the battleground state's open race for governor on Friday by calling President Donald Trump a "maniac," as she attempts to differentiate herself in what is expected to be a crowded primary.
Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez becomes the first Democrat to enter the 2026 governor race
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Democratic Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, a former emergency room nurse, announced Friday that she is running for governor, the day after the incumbent decided against seeking a third term.
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers won't seek third term in battleground Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin's Democratic governor, Tony Evers, announced Thursday that he will not seek a third term in 2026, creating the first open race for governor in the battleground state in 16 years.
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers says he won't seek third term in battleground Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin's Democratic governor, Tony Evers, announced Thursday that he will not seek a third term in 2026, creating the first open race for governor in the battleground state in 16 years.
Wisconsin elections officials find clerk broke laws over uncounted ballots
MADISON, Wis . (AP) -- Wisconsin elections officials declared Thursday that the former clerk of the state's capital city broke several laws related to not counting nearly 200 absentee ballots in the November presidential election, but they stopped short of recommending that criminal charges be brought.
By the numbers: Wisconsin's race for governor
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The latest fundraising numbers and campaign spending in Wisconsin's closely watched race for governor shed some light on how the contest is shaping up more than a year before voters will start casting ballots.
Voting in Wisconsin's governor's race is a year away, but the ads are starting
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin's race for governor is hitting the airwaves more than a year before voting begins.
New lawsuit seeks to redraw Wisconsin's congressional maps before 2026 midterms
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A new lawsuit seeking to redraw Wisconsin's congressional district boundary lines was filed on Tuesday, less than two weeks after the state Supreme Court declined to hear a pair of other lawsuits that asked for redistricting before the 2026 election.
Former Wisconsin clerk who failed to count ballots broke laws, the state's elections commission says
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A "confluence of errors" including unlawful actions by the former clerk in Wisconsin's capital city led to nearly 200 absentee ballots not being counted in the November presidential election, an investigation by the state elections commission released Wednesday concluded.
Wisconsin elections commission says former Madison clerk broke laws
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A "confluence of errors" including unlawful actions by the former clerk in Wisconsin's capital city led to nearly 200 absentee ballots not being counted in the November presidential election, an investigation by the state elections commission released Wednesday concluded.
Wisconsin Republican compares himself to Trump as he launches his bid for governor
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A suburban Milwaukee businessman, former Navy SEAL and political newcomer entered Wisconsin's race for governor Wednesday, likening himself to President Donald Trump and promising a "Wisconsin First" agenda.
Wisconsin Supreme Court clears the way for a conversion therapy ban to be made permanent
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The Wisconsin Supreme Court cleared the way Tuesday for the state to permanently enact a ban on conversion therapy in a ruling that gives the governor more power over how state laws are enacted.