ANALYSIS | RACE FOR GOVERNOR Will moderate voters find a home in Wisconsin's governor's race? Craig Gilbert Special to the Journal Sentinel Jun 22, 2026 Jun 22, 2026 Updated 30 mins ago × Top stories for June 22, 2026, in the Wisconsin State Journal Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save It is easy in our polarized times for moderate voters to feel a bit homeless politically.kAmx? DH:?8\DE2E6 (:D4@?D:?[ >@56C2E6D 2C6 G2DE=J @FE?F>36C65 H:E9:? E96 #6AF3=:42? !2CEJ 3J G@E6CD E@ E96:C C:89E 2?5 G2DE=J @FE?F>36C65 H:E9:? E96 s6>@4C2E:4 !2CEJ 3J G@E6CD E@ E96:C =67E]k^AmkAmx? @E96C H@C5D[ E96:C G@:46 :?D:56 E96 EH@ >2;@C A2CE:6D :D =:>:E65]k^AmkAm%96 7=:A D:56 :D E92E E96 “:?56A6?56?E G@E6” :?4C62D:?8=J 4@?D:DED @7 D6=7\56D4C:365 A@=:E:42= >@56C2E6D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ J62CD @7 (:D4@?D:? A@==:?8 3J E96 |2CBF6EE6 {2H $49@@=] x? 2 AFCA=6 32EE=68C@F?5 E92E :D @7E6? 564:565 3J E:?J >2C8:?D[ E96 A2CE:6D :8?@C6 E96D6 G@E6CD 2E E96:C A6C:= 4@>6 }@G6>36C]k^Am People are also reading… Plans presented to demolish downtown Lake Geneva building Lake Geneva holds off vote on proposed supper club Lake Geneva Cruise Line conducts mailboat jumper tryouts Milwaukee Brewers partner with new boutique in Lake Geneva Packers offensive lineman confident heading into 3rd year with position change Walworth County duo delivers equipment to Ukrainian troops Robert G. Betzer Natural Grocers opens first Wisconsin store in Lake Geneva Lakeland Health Care Center renovations completed How did Brewers reliever Aaron Ashby get to 10-0 already? Here's an in-depth look Garth Brooks gives Summerfest 2026 in Milwaukee a thrilling kickoff These brands pulled back on Pride. It could cost them. Here's why Hollywood never made Fred MacMurray forget his Beaver Dam roots The paint is already peeling in Trump's renovated Washington Reflecting Pool Lake Geneva considers changes to city’s tourism commission kAm(9:49 3C:?8D FD E@ E96 a_ae @A6?\D62E C246 7@C 8@G6C?@C :? (:D4@?D:? E@ DF44665 s6>@4C2E %@?J tG6CD[ H9@ :D 86?6C2==J G:6H65 :? E96 H@C=5 @7 A@=:E:4D 2D 2 >@56C2E6\=62?:?8 =:36C2= @C 2 =:36C2=\=62?:?8 >@56C2E6]k^AmkAm%96C6’D 2 G6CJ 8@@5 492?46 E92E E96 ?6IE (:D4@?D:? 8@G6C?@C H:== 36 7FCE96C 7C@> E96 A@=:E:42= “46?E6C” E92? tG6CD] x? 724E[ E9:D 4@F=5 EFC? @FE E@ 36 E96 DE2C<6DE :56@=@8:42= 49@:46 7@C 8@G6C?@C E92E E9:D DE2E6 92D 72465 :? 564256D]k^AmkAmqFE ?@ >2EE6C 9@H 4@?D6CG2E:G6 E96 #6AF3=:42? 42?5:52E6 @C 9@H =:36C2= E96 s6>@4C2E:4 42?5:52E6[ E96 H:??6C H:== ?665 DFAA@CE 7C@> >@56C2E6 2?5 :?56A6?56?E G@E6CD] %92E’D ;FDE 6=64E:@? >2E9]k^Am kAm%9:D :D 2 =@@< 2E H92E E96 A@==:?8 E6==D FD 23@FE E96 C@=6 @7 >@56C2E6 G@E6CD :? E96 DE2E6’D 3:886DE 6=64E:@? E9:D J62C]k^Amk9am$E@:4 AC6D6?46k^9amkAm$6=7\56D4C:365 >@56C2E6D >2<6 FA 23@FE 2 E9:C5 @7 E96 DE2E6’D C68:DE6C65 G@E6CD[ 2 7:8FC6 E92E 92D?’E 492?865 >F49 :? E96 `d J62CD E92E |2CBF6EE6 92D A@==65 :? (:D4@?D:?]k^AmkAm%96:C 4=@FE :D D>2==6C H:E9:? E96 EH@ A2CE:6D[ @7 4@FCD6[ 3642FD6 E92E’D H96C6 E96 >@DE :56@=@8:42= G@E6CD 42? 36 7@F?5]k^Am kAm|@56C2E6D >2<6 FA `gT @7 #6AF3=:42? G@E6CD :? E96 DE2E6 2?5 aeT @7 s6>@4C2E:4 G@E6CD[ 32D65 @? E96 =2DE EH@ J62CD @7 A@==:?8 3J |2CBF6EE6] %96 “>@56C2E6” D92C6 @7 #6AF3=:42?D 92D 366? DE23=6 :? E96 %CF>A 6C2[ H9:=6 E96 “>@56C2E6” D92C6 @7 s6>@4C2ED 92D 366? 5C@AA:?8]k^Am kAmqFE BF:E6 E96 @AA@D:E6 :D E96 42D6 H:E9 E96 :?56A6?56?E G@E6[ H96C6 >@56C2E6D =@@> >F49 =2C86C]k^AmkAm|2CBF6EE6’D A@==:?8 8:G6D FD EH@ H:?5@HD :?E@ E96 >2<6FA @7 :?56A6?56?E G@E6CD :? (:D4@?D:?]k^Am kAm~?6 :D E@ =@@< 2E :?56A6?56?ED 3C@25=J 567:?65[ 2 8C@FA E92E :?4=F56D A6@A=6 H9@ :56?E:7J 2D :?56A6?56?ED 3FE 24<?@H=6586 E92E E96J =62? E@H2C5 @?6 A2CEJ @C E96 @E96C] %9:D 8C@FA :D C@F89=J 2 E9:C5 @7 C68:DE6C65 G@E6CD :? E96 DE2E6] |@56C2E6D 92G6 >256 FA 2 C:D:?8 D92C6 @7 E96D6 G@E6CD :? C646?E J62CD — >@C6 E92? d_T]k^Am kAm%96 @E96C :D E@ =@@< 2E :?56A6?56?ED ?2CC@H=J 567:?65] %96D6 2C6 E96 “AFC6 :?5:6D” H9@ 5@?’E =62? E@H2C5 6:E96C A2CEJ] %96J >2<6 FA @?=J `bT @7 C68:DE6C65 G@E6CD :? E96 DE2E6] xE’D 2 >F49 D>2==6C 8C@FA 3FE 2 36EE6C 4C@DD\D64E:@? @7 ECF6 DH:?8 G@E6CD]k^Am kAm%9:D :D E96 D68>6?E @7 E96 6=64E@C2E6 H96C6 >@56C2E6 G@E6CD 2C6 E96 >@DE AC6G2=6?E]k^AmkAmq24< :? a_`a[ E96 7:CDE J62C @7 E96 |2CBF6EE6 A@==[ >@56C2E6 G@E6CD >256 FA 23@FE cdT @7 E96D6 “AFC6” :?56A6?56?ED] %92E C@D6 E@ 2C@F?5 d_T 3J a_a_] p?5 :E 92D 4=:>365 E@ ;FDE F?56C f_T :? E96 A2DE E9C66 J62CD]k^AmkAmxE >2<6D A6C764E D6?D6 E92E E96 =62DE A2CE:D2? G@E6CD 2=D@ :56?E:7J 2D E96 >@DE >@56C2E6 2?5 =62DE :56@=@8:42= G@E6CD]k^AmkAmqFE E96 A@==:?8 5@6D?’E C62==J E6== FD H9J “AFC6 :?5:6D” 2C6 >F49 >@C6 >@56C2E6 :? E96:C >2<6FA E92? E96J FD65 E@ 36 :? (:D4@?D:?]k^Am kAmxE 4@F=5 36 E92E D@>6 >@56C2E6D 92G6 D9:7E65 7C@> :56?E:7J:?8 2D s6>@4C2ED E@ :56?E:7J:?8 2D :?56A6?56?ED] xE 2=D@ 4@F=5 36 E92E D@>6 4@?D6CG2E:G6D 92G6 >:8C2E65 7C@> “:?56A6?56?E” E@ “#6AF3=:42?]”k^AmkAm%9:D D@CE @7 :56@=@8:42= D@CE:?8 3J A2CEJ H@F=5 46CE2:?=J :?4C62D6 E96 >@56C2E6 D92C6 @7 E96 :?56A6?56?E G@E6] xE 2=D@ >:89E 96=A 6IA=2:? H9J E96 6586 :? A2CEJ xs :? (:D4@?D:? 92D D9:7E65 2 =:EE=6 7C@> s6>@4C2ED E@ #6AF3=:42?D @G6C E96 A2DE 564256 @C D@[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 A@==:?8]k^Am k9am%96:C 5:=6>>2k^9am kAm(92E6G6C E96 6IA=2?2E:@?[ @?6 C6DF=E :D E92E >@56C2E6 G@E6CD 42? 7246 2 5:=6>>2 :? 4@>A6E:E:G6 DE2E6D DF49 2D (:D4@?D:?] %96J 2C6 A@E6?E:2= <:?8>2<6CD :? }@G6>36C[ 3FE E96:C 49@:46D 2C6 5:4E2E65 3J EH@ A2CE:6D @G6C H9:49 E96:C :?7=F6?46 :D >@56DE @C 564=:?:?8]k^Am kAmp?5 H96? H6 D2J A@E6?E:2= <:?8>2<6CD[ E96C6’D 2 42G62E] (6 2C6 ?@E E2=<:?8 23@FE 2 3:8 D=:46 @7 E96 }@G6>36C 6=64E@C2E6] %9@D6 “AFC6” :?56A6?56?ED H9@ D<6H D@ >@56C2E6 A@=:E:42==J 2C6 =6DD 6?82865 :? A@=:E:4D 2?5 =6DD =:<6=J E@ G@E6 E92? >@C6 A2CE:D2? G@E6CD]k^Am kAm“%96J AF?49 36=@H E96:C H6:89E H96? :E 4@>6D E@ EFC?@FE] %92E >62?D E96:C :?7=F6?46 :? AC24E:46 :D =6DD E92? H92E E96:C :?7=F6?46 :? AC:?4:A=6 H@F=5 36[” D2JD |2CBF6EE6 A@==DE6C r92C=6D uC2?<=:?] “%96J’C6 DE:== E96 :>A@CE2?E G@E6 E92E :D 2D FA 7@C 8C23D 2D 2?JE9:?8 :? E96 DE2E6] qFE :E’D >F49 >@C6 2 82>6 @7 :?496D E92? 2 82>6 @7 J2C5D]”k^AmkAmp?5 H96? J@F =@@< 2E A6@A=6 H9@ 4964< 3@E9 3@I6D 7@C 36:?8 “DH:?8J” — >62?:?8 E96J 2C6 “AFC6” :?5:6D H9@ 2=D@ :56?E:7J 2D >@56C2E6D — E96? J@F’C6 5@H? E@ 2? 6G6? E9:??6C D=:46 @7 E96 (:D4@?D:? 6=64E@C2E6i gT @7 C68:DE6C65 G@E6CD :? |2CBF6EE6’D A@==:?8]k^Am kAmxE’D E@@ 62C=J E@ <?@H H9:49 A2CEJ’D ?@>:?66 7@C 8@G6C?@C H:== 92G6 >@C6 2AA62= E9:D }@G6>36C E@ E9:D D>2== D68>6?E @7 >@DE=J >@56C2E6 DH:?8 G@E6CD] (6 5@?’E 6G6? <?@H H9@ E96 s6>@4C2E:4 ?@>:?66 H:== 36] p?5 E96D6 G@E6CD 2C6?’E 62DJ E@ 86?6C2=:K6 23@FE[ 3642FD6 E96J’C6 ?@E >@?@=:E9:4[ E96J’C6 =6DD “A@=:E:42=[” 2?5 E96J’C6 92C5 E@ A@== @? 3642FD6 @7 E96:C C6=2E:G6=J D>2== ?F>36CD]k^Am k9am}682E:G6 G:36Dk^9amkAm~?6 E9:?8 J@F 42? D2J — 2?5 :E’D ?@ D9@4< — :D E92E >@56C2E6 :?56A6?56?ED 2C6 G6CJ ?682E:G6 E@H2C5 3@E9 A2CE:6D] x? A@==:?8 D:?46 =2DE 72==[ @?=J afT @7 E96D6 G@E6CD 92G6 2 A@D:E:G6 G:6H @7 E96 s6>@4C2E:4 !2CEJ] ~?=J adT 92G6 2 A@D:E:G6 G:6H @7 E96 #6AF3=:42? !2CEJ]k^Am kAmv:G6? E96 A@=:E:42= 4=:>2E6 :? E9:D >:5E6C>[ #6AF3=:42?D AC@323=J 7246 2 3:886C 492==6?86 H:E9 E96D6 G@E6CD E92? s6>@4C2ED] ~?=J `hT @7 >@56C2E6 :?56A6?56?ED 92G6 2 A@D:E:G6 G:6H @7 E96 |pvp >@G6>6?E[ 32D65 @? |2CBF6EE6’D =2DE E9C66 DFCG6JD 4@>3:?65] ~?=J aeT 2AAC@G6 @7 E96 ;@3 !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A :D 5@:?8] %92E ?F>36C 92D 366? 564=:?:?8] qJ 4@?EC2DE[ 2 =:EE=6 @G6C d_T 2AAC@G6 @7 tG6CD[ E96 s6>@4C2E:4 8@G6C?@C]k^AmkAmqFE :? E96 8@G6C?@C’D C246[ 2 =@E >2J 56A6?5 @? E96 42?5:52E6D E96>D6=G6D 2?5 E96:C 23:=:EJ E@ 2AA62= E@ F?2=:8?65 G@E6CD]k^Am k9am~? E96 C:89Ek^9amkAm(6 2=C625J <?@H E96 v~! ?@>:?66i &]$] #6A] %@> %:772?J[ H9@ C6AC6D6?ED >@DE @7 E96 DE2E6’D ?@CE96C? 92=7 :? E96 &]$] w@FD6 @7 #6AC6D6?E2E:G6D]k^Am kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ 2 C2E:?8 DJDE6> H:56=J FD65 3J A@=:E:42= D4:6?E:DED[ %:772?J :D E96 >@DE 4@?D6CG2E:G6 @7 E96 DE2E6’D 6:89E &]$] w@FD6 >6>36CD]k^Am kAmx? 724E[ 3J E9:D D2>6 DJDE6>[ 96 :D @?6 @7 E96 >@DE 4@?D6CG2E:G6 w@FD6 >6>36CD :? (:D4@?D:?’D >@56C? 9:DE@CJ WDFCA2DD65 @?=J 3J #6AF3=:42? |2C< }6F>2??[ H9@ D6CG65 7C@> `hhd E@ `hhhX]k^Am kAmr2? %:772?J 4@>A6E6 7@C E96D6 G@E6CD 2D 2 42?5:52E6 @7 E96 C:89E :? 2 J62C H96? 9:D A2CEJ :D 724:?8 3:8 9625H:?5Dnk^Amk9am~? E96 =67Ek^9amkAm~? E96 s6>@4C2E:4 D:56[ E96 ?@>:?66 H@?’E 36 564:565 F?E:= pF8FDE[ 2?5 H6 5@?’E <?@H H92E <:?5 @7 s6>@4C2E H:== 6>6C86 7C@> E96 DE2E6’D @A6? AC:>2CJ]k^Am kAm%96 7:6=5 :?4=F56D D@>6 42?5:52E6D 7C@> E96 A2CEJ’D >@C6 >@56C2E6 H:?8[ 3FE E96 EH@ =6256CD :? E96 AF3=:4 A@==:?8 92G6 366? =:36C2= 7@C>6C {E] v@G] |2?56=2 q2C?6D 2?5 DE2E6 #6A] uC2?46D42 w@?8 @7 |25:D@?[ 2 56>@4C2E:4 D@4:2=:DE] xE’D 72:C E@ D2J 3@E9 2C6 E@ E96 =67E @7 tG6CD[ E96 @FE8@:?8 8@G6C?@C]k^Am kAmp %:772?J\q2C?6D @C %:772?J\w@?8 >2E49FA H@F=5 2C8F23=J 36 E96 DE2C<6DE A@=:E:42= 4@?EC2DE :? 2 (:D4@?D:? 8@G6C?@C’D C246 :? >2?J 564256D[ 6G6? H96? J@F 4@?D:56C E96 A@=2C:K65 E96 6=64E:@?D @7 a_`a[ a_`c 2?5 a_`g :?G@=G:?8 #6AF3=:42? v@G] $4@EE (2=<6C]k^AmkAm(9:49 D:56 42? 42AEFC6 2 D>2== D=:46 @7 ECF6 :?56A6?56?ED H@?’E 36 E96 @?=J 724E@C E92E 564:56D E96 8@G6C?@C’D C246 E9:D 72==] %96 @E96C <6JD :?4=F56 H9:49 A2CEJ’D G@E6CD 2C6 >@C6 F?:7:65 369:?5 E96:C 42?5:52E6 2?5 H9:49 A2CEJ’D G@E6CD EFC? @FE :? 8C62E6C ?F>36CD]k^Am kAmqFE E96 F?2=:8?65 G@E6 >2EE6CD >@C6 :? (:D4@?D:? E92? :E 5@6D :? >@DE @E96C DE2E6D] %92E’D 3642FD6 E96 A2CE:6D 2C6 D@ 6G6?=J >2E4965[ 2?5 3642FD6 E9:D DE2E6 92D 925 DF49 2? F?FDF2= CF? @7 4=@D6 C246D] %96 =2DE E9C66 4@?E6DED 7@C AC6D:56?E[ E96 =2DE EH@ 4@?E6DED 7@C &]$] $6?2E6[ 2?5 @?6 @7 E96 =2DE EH@ 4@?E6DED 7@C 8@G6C?@C 92G6 2== 366? 564:565 3J ` A@:?E @C =6DD]k^Am kAm~?6 E9:?8 23@FE 2 DE2E6 2D 4@>A6E:E:G6 2D (:D4@?D:? :D E92E ?@ >2EE6C 9@H D>2== E96 DH:?8 G@E6 :D E96D6 52JD[ :E 42? DE:== 564:56 6=64E:@?D]k^Am Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Top stories for June 22, 2026 Top stories for June 22, 2026, in the Wisconsin State Journal Mandela Barnes downplays low straw poll finish in Dem governor race Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes argued that a recent sixth-place finish in a straw poll of party activists and his 2022 U.S. Senate loss did no…
Mandela Barnes downplays low straw poll finish in Dem governor race Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes argued that a recent sixth-place finish in a straw poll of party activists and his 2022 U.S. Senate loss did no…
