They're the "Click and Clack" of Wisconsin politics. Scott Milfred, editorial page editor for the Wisconsin State Journal, and Phil Hands, the newspaper's political cartoonist, analyze the most important issues and debates from the Badger State with political independence and a sense of humor. Instead of tedious talking points from the left and the right, "Center Stage" broadcasts from the sensible center with audio clips from the Wisconsin Capitol, from State Journal editorial board meetings, and from political events across the state.
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Milfred and Hands size up the candidates for Wisconsin's top job, including those who have declared bids and others who are likely to follow. Our political podcasters agree that one Democrat and one Republican are best positioned for success in party primaries, now that incumbent Gov. Tony Evers has announced he won't seek a third term. So much can happen between now and November 2026, and key to christening a GOP nominee will be President Donald Trump's endorsement.
Milfred and Hands test drive Madison's "20 is Plenty" edict that feels cementy when you actually try to drive that slow -- not that many if any people ever will for very far. Sure, driving so slow in theory makes it easier for a car to stop. But "slow speeders" aren't the problem. Real speeders are. And that requires more traffic enforcement, not feel-good laws pretending motorists will drive slower in cars than many bicycles do on the city's bike paths.
Milfred and Hands tout U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson's resistance to the House-passed "big, beautiful bill" that would further burden our children and grandchildren with debt. But he's only half right in focusing on spending while mostly ignoring the cost of tax cuts.
Milfred and Hands get the bottom of Wisconsin's long-overdue legalization of medical marijuana and the stubborn Republican resistance to pot for recreational use -- even though GOP President Donald Trump is for it.
Milfred and Hands dissect Elon Musk’s impact on the Wisconsin Supreme Court race last week and look ahead to next year’s midterm elections in the swing state and beyond. President Donald Trump's billionaire buddy spent more than $20 million trying to elect Judge Brad Schimel to the Badger State's top court. Musk and Schimel failed in a blowout to Justice-elect Susan Crawford, who won by a quarter-million votes. A left-leaning majority will now hold the court until at least 2028, which would keep abortion legal and force changes to Wisconsin's congressional districts. Musk's lottery-like antics and fake-cheese persona turned off more voters than it charmed.