By Chad Zuleger, Associate director of government affairs
Political poll
A recent Marquette Law School Poll of Wisconsin registered voters found that Gov. Tony Evers’ job approval stands at 50 percent, while 43 percent disapprove. The numbers are unchanged from October 2020.
Approval of Evers’ handling of the coronavirus pandemic is 54 percent, with 39 percent disapproving. In October 2020, the numbers were 52 and 45 percent, respectively.
The poll interviewed 807 people by landline or cell phone from Aug. 3-8. The margins of error range from 3.8 to 5.4 percentage points.
Ron Kind retirement
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, a 13-term Democrat from La Crosse, announced he will retire at the end of his term in 2022. Kind has represented the 3rd District, a dairy-rich region encompassing La Crosse, Eau Claire and rural areas along the state’s southwestern border, since 1997. Kind faced the first serious threat of his career in November 2020, when he defeated retired Navy SEAL Derrick Van Orden by just under 3 points. Van Orden has spoken about his intent to run for the seat again.
The impact of pending legislative redistricting could have portended an even more difficult reelection for Kind, who said at his retirement announcement, “I’ve run out of gas.”
Budget surplus
The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau projects that Wisconsin will end its two-year budget cycle in 2023 with a $1.7 billion surplus. The budget totals $87 billion. Fiscal Bureau Director Bob Lang said the surplus will be one of the largest in recent memory. Having money left over provides lawmakers with more spending or tax-cutting opportunities in future budget cycles.
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