Monday, May 18: Wis. Republican convention speakers trash Minnesota, a new path for psychedelic research, voting rights demand returns to Alabama, World Cup health worries, states embrace menopause protections, housing construction eases shortages
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“To be honest, we’re not matching them [Democrats] quite yet, but they do believe they’re on that verge of losing America, and that that is why they have so many volunteers out there, so many people who are gathering signatures. We have got to find a way to match that enthusiasm.“
– U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman, urging Republicans to catch up to Democrats in their 2026 election energy
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany addresses the 2026 Republican Party of Wisconsin convention. (Screenshot/WisEye)
At the Wisconsin Republican Party convention at Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells Saturday, elected officials, party leaders and former governors repeatedly warned that if Democrats do well in this year’s midterm elections they will turn the state into its more liberal neighbor of Minnesota. Henry Redman reports on the recurring theme of Wisconsin in decline that dominated the day's speeches.
A new executive order signed by President Donald Trump has expedited the review of psychedelics as mental health treatments. Isiah Holmes interviews the director of a University of Wisconsin-Madison research center on the implications of the order, which could open new doors for researchers.
Thousands of people joined demonstrations in Selma and Montgomery on Saturday to protest redistricting by southern Republican state legislatures targeting Black Democratic members of Congress. Ralph Chapoco of the Alabama Reflector covers the rallies, part of a campaign to organize voters and offset advantages Republicans may gain from redistricting.
Health officials from the 11 U.S. cities hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup say they are preparing to deal with infectious diseases, heat-related illness, and an array of other health threats when as many as 5 to 7 million fans, many of them from overseas, come to watch the games. Shalina Chatlani of Stateline has the story.
PLUS:
ICYMI
Corey Minor Smith of Canton, Ohio, holds a “Black Voters Matter” sign while marching over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama on May 16, 2026. Faith leaders gathered in Selma Saturday for a prayer event as part of the “All Roads Lead To The South” protests, aimed at mobilizing voters amid Republican efforts to eliminate majority-minority districts. (Photo by Ralph Chapoco/Alabama Reflector)
Thanks for reading Quick Study. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.