The Wisconsin Group Chat podcast features Dr. Kristin Lyerly, Pat Kreitlow of UpNorthNews, Kate Duffy of Motherhood for Good, and Dan Shafer of The Recombobulation Area.
Find the previous episode of the Group Chat here.
It’s been another busy week in Wisconsin politics, with the one and only debate happening Tuesday at Marquette University, two new polls showing Francesca Hong opening up a sizable lead over the rest of the field, and a news cycle unfolding at breakneck pace as we get closer and closer to the Aug. 11 partisan primary.
Your friends here at the Wisconsin Politics Group Chat podcast are here to break it all down.
This episode aired live on the Motherhood for Good YouTube Channel, available here:
For a beat-by-beat breakdown, check out our topics and timestamps below:
00:00 — Intro: recapping a big week in Wisconsin politics
00:42 — Debate recap: format and moderators
03:30 — Pat’s debate takeaways
05:04 — The state of the field and Francesca Hong’s lead
06:10 — Why the other candidates didn’t attack the frontrunner
11:12 — What’s next for Barnes, Crowley, Brennan, and Roys
16:26 — The missing healthcare questions
20:14 — Working with the legislature
21:29 — Down-ballot primaries and previewing your ballot
22:26 — Inside the spin room with Dan
28:05 — Comparing the Marquette and State Navigate polls
31:25 — Undecided voters and leaners
33:44 — The candidates as Breakfast Club characters
35:42 — Listener question: how to decide your vote
39:18 — Hong’s campaign style and ground game
44:08 — Looking ahead to the general election
47:43 — The generation gap in the polls
50:51 — Predictions for the final stretch
52:03 — The 3rd Congressional District and 17th Senate District primaries
58:21 — Closing thoughts on unity after the primary
59:54 — Plugs, voting reminders, and wrap-up
Watch the video on YouTube here:
You can find this as an audio podcast on Spotify (embedded below) and on Apple Podcasts (here).
In case you’ve missed a previous episode, you can find them all here.
Dan Shafer is a 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.
