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In this update:

Court Updates
Election Updates
Committee Schedule

Court Updates

SCOWIS upholds Evers’ 400 year veto

The Wisconsin State Supreme Court ruled 4-3 to uphold Governor Tony Evers’ (D) veto in the 2023-2025 budget, writing into state law annual increases in how much schools can spend per student for the next four hundred years. The bill sent to the governor included an increase of $325 a year per student in 2023-24 and 2024-25. Gov. Evers removed the “20” and a dash from “2024-25,” altering it to “2425.” Republican lawmakers were waiting for the decision before continuing the state budget process.

Election Updates

Berrien creates PAC

Businessman and former Navy SEAL Bill Berrien announced he created the Never Out of the Fight PAC to advance conservative policy solutions and help Republican candidates win. Betsy Ankney, who served as U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson’s campaign manager in 2016 and led a super PAC that supported him in 2022, will be the PAC's general consultant. Dylan Lefler, who worked on Sen. Johnson’s 2022 campaign and President Trump’s campaign last year, and BJ Martino, a pollster with the Tarrance Group, are also a part of the Never Out of the Fight team.

Mr. Berrien has been discussed as a potential GOP candidate for the governor's race next year, along with Senate President Mary Felzkowski, former U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde, Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann, state Sen. Pat Testin, and U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany. Governor Tony Evers (D) has not announced if he will seek a third term.

Berge files to run for 3rd CD

President of the Eau Claire City Council Emily Berge filed to run for Congress as a Democrat in the 3rd Congressional District, currently represented by incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden. Berge was first elected to the Eau Claire City Council in 2018 and was elected by her peers in 2023 to be Council President. Berge is a Licensed Professional Counselor and has been providing mental health services in Eau Claire for 20 years. She joins Eau Claire small business owner and non-profit leader Rebecca Cooke, who previously ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2022 and 2024, as the announced Democratic candidates for the seat. Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District is one of the top targets of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the 2026 election cycle to flip from Republican-held to Democratic-held.

U.S. House of Representatives finance reports

Incumbent members of Congress and congressional candidates filed their finance reports for the first three months of 2025 this week, as candidates have started to announce their bids in the 3rd CD race. U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R) reported nearly $1.2 million in the bank while his challenger Rebecca Cooke (D) ended the period with $960,408. Rep. Van Orden's receipts include $661,210 from individuals, including $323,981 from small-dollar donors. Meanwhile, Ms. Cooke reported $962,591 from individuals with $477,754 of that total from small-dollar donors.

Rep. Van Orden defeated Ms. Cooke by 2.7 percentage points last November despite being the only incumbent Republican House member in Wisconsin to underperform President Donald Trump in their district. The 2026 election will be Ms. Cooke's third bid for the 3rd CD.

U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R)

Raised: $1,131,039.51

Spent: $453,264.62

Cash on Hand: $1,194,580.95

Rebecca Cooke (D)

Raised: $1,013,091.28

Spent: $62,822.86

Cash on Hand: $960,407.94

Other House members:

U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R)

Raised: $668,894.66

Spent: $137,794.43

Cash on Hand: $2,750,270.60

U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D)

Raised: $72,522.34

Spent: $123,511.16

Cash on Hand: $951,228.14

U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D)

Raised: $162,332.43

Spent: $136,944.02

Cash on Hand: $47,635.86

U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R)

Raised: $190,637.64

Spent: $67,657.76

Cash on Hand: $959,215.68

U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R)

Raised: $45,236.22

Spent: $110,085.51

Cash on Hand: $457,640.42

U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R)

Raised: $62,484.05

Spent: $103,087.50

Cash on Hand: $135,336.93

U.S. Rep. Tony Wied (R)

Raised: $161,689.98

Spent: $38,950.52

Cash on Hand: $167,969.96

U.S. Senate finance report

Wisconsin U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D) and Ron Johnson (R) both filed their finance report for the first three months of 2025. Sen. Baldwin raised $506,671 while Sen. Johnson brought in $192,470. Sen. Baldwin's report showed $443,169 came from individuals, including $317,634 from small-dollar donors. Sen. Johnson received $178,634 from individual donors.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D)

Raised: $506,670.95

Spent: $425,899.72

Cash on Hand: $106,038.08

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R)

Raised: $192,470.16

Spent: $115,662.57

Cash on Hand: $984,853.35

Committee Schedule

The following meetings have been noticed as of 11:00 am Friday. Committee and Agency meeting notices are frequently updated and can be found here (for the Legislature) and here (for the Administration).

Monday, April 21

Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules

Public Hearing at 1:00pm

Tuesday, April 22

No meetings currently scheduled

Wednesday, April 23

Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Executive Session at 10:00am

Public Hearing at 10:01am

Senate Committee on Health

Public Hearing at 1:00pm

Assembly Committee on Jobs and Economy

Public Hearing at 1:00pm

Joint Legislative Audit Committee

Public Hearing at 1:00pm

Thursday, April 24

Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development

Public Hearing at 10:00am

Friday, April 25

No meetings currently scheduled

ABOUT US

If you would like any additional information about the above topic, or if you would like to find time to discuss the above matter in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact your Michael Best Strategies contact.

Have a great day,

Wisconsin GR Team