The Recombobulation Area is a 19-time 21-TIME! Milwaukee Press Club award-winning opinion column and online publication founded by Milwaukee journalist Dan Shafer.
With just days to go before the Aug. 11 primary, we have reached the silly season of the Democratic gubernatorial campaign. So, Angela Lang joined the podcast to ask: Have we lost the plot?
We pondered that questioned, talked about Francesca Hong’s national media appearances (which have some Democrats worried), Angela had a few things to say about David Crowley’s recent comments on “the establishment” as a “slur,” what the term “the establishment” even means anymore, Tony Evers’ involvement in the primary, what was the real turning point in the race, and more.
Plus: As fellow Milwaukeeans, we wondered: Who is going to win Milwaukee County? As folks will often reference, Bernie Sanders won 71 of 72 counties in the 2016 presidential primary in Wisconsin. The one county to go for Hilary Clinton? Milwaukee County. Could results next week show a similar map? Could Crowley carry Milwaukee? Or, could the emergence of Democratic Socialists in the city bring stronger results for Hong?
Much to discuss, folks.
For a beat-by-beat breakdown, check out our topics and timestamps below:
00:01: Intro, and catching up — last time they podcasted together (May 28th)
01:52: Plug for Dan’s article on down-ballot primary races (Assembly, Senate, congressional)
02:32: “Losing the plot” — old Thanksgiving tweets dominating coverage of Francesca Hong
07:19: Whether Hong should keep doing national media (CNN interview) as the race nationalizes
09:39: What they’d rather be discussing: Trump’s endorsement of Tom Tiffany, policing, ICE and local response
11:44: David Crowley calling “establishment” a slur — the clip and the reaction
15:10: What does “establishment” even mean anymore? — buzzword fatigue and the DSA-vs-establishment framing
21:46: Sara Rodriguez’s campaign finance scandal and exit as the real turning point
23:14: The legislative bill that split Democrats over the summer, and Tony Evers’ involvement in the primary
27:24: Milwaukee’s role in the race — 2016 Bernie Sanders comparison, union endorsements, yard-sign spotting
33:17: The generational divide — Marquette poll numbers among younger voters
35:11: “Blue no matter who” — does it cut both ways for moderates if Hong wins?
37:22: Wisconsin’s ideological extremes — comparison to Sens. Baldwin and Johnson
39:05: Marquette polling: Hong essentially tied with Tiffany in head-to-head matchups
41:35: Roots of polarization — the Scott Walker recall and a decade of gerrymandering
42:28: The independent streak in the Fox Valley and western Wisconsin
43:47: The “attention economy” and Trump-era campaign tactics (wedge issues like Thanksgiving)
46:47: Candidate forums and how much the Democratic field actually agrees on policy
48:20: Sign-off — closing thoughts on primary-season Facebook posts
You can watch this episode on the Substack video player above, or you can find it The Recombobulation Area’s YouTube Channel here.
You can listen to this episode as an audio podcast on Apple Podcasts (available here), Spotify (embedded below) or on the Substack app.
Dan Shafer is an independent journalist from Milwaukee who writes and publishes The Recombobulation Area. He worked with Civic Media from 2024 to 2026. He’s written for The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Heartland Signal, Belt Magazine, WisPolitics, and Milwaukee Record. He previously worked at Seattle Magazine, Seattle Business Magazine, the Milwaukee Business Journal, Milwaukee Magazine, and BizTimes Milwaukee. He’s won 24 Milwaukee Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards. He’s on Twitter at @DanRShafer.
Subscribe to The Recombobulation newsletter here and follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @ therecombobulationarea.
Already subscribe? Get a gift subscription for a friend.
Part of a group who might want to subscribe together? Get a group subscription for 30% off!
Follow Dan Shafer on Twitter at @DanRShafer, at BlueSky at @danshafer.bsky.social, and on Threads at @danshafer.
