Wednesday, July 22: Berge’s longshot bid in the 3rd CD, Wisconsin needs an energy plan, record number of women run for governor, mass voter challenges likely in 2026
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“It's kind of that classic tension between the national party and local activists”
– UW-La Crosse Professor Anthony Chergosky commenting on the 3rd CD Democratic primary campaigns
Congressional candidate Emily Berge meets with La Crosse area local elected officials at Bodega Bar in downtown La Crosse on July 18. (Photo by Henry Redman/Wisconsin Examiner)
Emily Berge, the former president of the Eau Claire city council, is running an underdog campaign against Rebecca Cooke — a former political fundraiser, business owner and waitress who nearly won the 3rd CD House seat from GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden in 2024 and entered this year’s primary with massive advantages in fundraising, name recognition and support from high-profile national Democrats. Henry Redman covers the swing-seat contest between a candidate who appears determined to shake every hand in western and central Wisconsin and the consultant-backed favorite.
“Wisconsin stands at one of the most consequential energy crossroads in its history,” writes John Imes, co-founder of the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative, in a commentary. As the PSC evaluates the Foundry Ridge and Red Oak Ridge methane gas plants alongside transmission projects, data center tariffs and utility investments, he says, regulators need to stop using a piecemeal approach and develop a comprehensive plan.
The number of women running for governor has reached an all-time high this election cycle, and the number seeking a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives could also set a record, according to July 20 data from The Center for American Women and Politics. Amelia Twyman reports.
Mass voter challenges are likely to occur in the 2026 midterm elections, the Brennan Center for Justice warned Tuesday, with the potential to “undermine the democratic process,” David Lightman reports. President Donald Trump and the Republican Party have been laying the groundwork for questioning the election process in state after state, as Trump has made “election integrity” the centerpiece of his recent domestic policy initiatives.
PLUS:
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Voters fill out their ballots at a Sioux Falls polling place during the South Dakota primary election on June 2, 2026. (Photo by Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)
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