This is the first time that Democrats have held control of the state Assembly, Senate, and governorship since 2010 and party leadership is ready to hit the ground running.
Reversing Republican Policies
At Governor-elect David Crowley’s victory party, Democratic Assembly Leader Greta Neubauer told supporters that now is the time to “end decades of Republican obstructionism.” Both Neubauer and Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein said lowering costs, increasing funding for public education, legalizing cannabis, and securing abortion access are top priorities.
- State Sen. Kelda Roys, who represents much of Madison, said democratic voters want to see the Legislature get things done and address the key issues of “affordability, wages, public education, and health care.” [WPR, WORT]
Goodbye Act 10?
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse political science professor Anthony Chergosky expects Democrats to nix the Scott-Walker-era policy that prevents public employees from collective bargaining. Chergosky told Cap Times the party is also sitting on a backlog of policies that they will also want to prioritize, like offering universal school meals and legalizing recreational cannabis. [CapTimes]
Stretching Across the Aisle
State Democrats have previously said they hope to work with their Republican colleagues, and avoid working in party-specific silos. Sen. Brad Pfaff, a Democrat from Onalaska, said in an interview with Wisconsin Watch before Election Day “I firmly do believe that it is important that we allow both sides to be heard and for a variety of issues to be considered, and that just hasn’t happened over the last few years.” [Wisconsin Watch]
