Joel Brennan was Evers' COVID-Era Cabinet Chief, Now He's Running for Governor

Joel Brennan was Evers' COVID-Era Cabinet Chief, Now He's Running for Governor

Before there were campaign ads with his kids gently roasting him, Joel Brennan had one of the least flashy but most important jobs in Wisconsin: Secretary of the Department of Administration — basically the person who keeps the whole executive branch running. Think of the governor as the CEO and this role as the COO. He held it under Governor Evers, and two-thirds of his time on the job was during COVID. Now he's running for governor in the August 11 Democratic primary, and I wanted to sit down and actually understand what he'd do with the job. We get into how the state budget really works (and why it's a values statement, not just a spreadsheet), why our 33-year-old school funding formula keeps sending districts to referendum just to keep the lights on, his plan to make sure every kid in Wisconsin has health insurance, the OBGYN access crisis in rural counties, restoring reproductive rights and the 1849 ban, and what he learned about people from growing up as the 10th of 11 kids. If you've ever wondered what a governor actually controls versus what the legislature does to better understand some of the promises you're hearing from candidates, this one's a really good primer.

David Crowley on Listening, Leading, and Running for Governor

Next up in my series sitting down with the folks who want to be Wisconsin's next governor, I’m getting to know democratic candidate and current Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. AKA Disco David (IYKYK)  In a political moment where everyone's yelling, David Crowley is the guy who listens. When protesters showed up at an event he was at, he didn't get defensive or dig in. He walked toward the chaos and tried to understand it. That's rare in the world of politics right now. He’s not afraid of uncomfortable situations because everything in his life has prepared him for them.  We get into his story, which is not your typical politician's resume. He grew up in Milwaukee with parents who battled substance and mental health struggles, never knowing if he'd come home to find the family's belongings on the curb from another eviction, or whether the lights would still be on. He learned early what he says shaped everything since: when systems fail, families feel it first. He went on to become a State Representative — fighting for housing, criminal justice reform, and reproductive freedom — and then the first African American elected Milwaukee County Executive. He's living proof that lived experience makes for better policy, because you can't fake understanding a problem you've actually survived. If you're tired of politics-as-usual and curious what it looks like when a leader actually leads with empathy, this is your episode (and if you’re a Wisconsin voter, maybe your candidate, too.) Want to learn more about David before you vote? You can read up on his "Badger Basics" plan, built around affordability, care, and opportunity, and find ways to get involved at his campaign site, crowleyforwi.com [http://crowleyforwi.com] or follow his campaign on social media.  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crowleyforwi [https://www.instagram.com/crowleyforwi]  X: https://x.com/DavidCCrowley [https://x.com/DavidCCrowley]

A Candid Conversation About the Democrats Running to be Wisconsin's Next Governor

We’ve all been having the same conversations behind the scenes about the candidates running for Wisconsin governor — in one-on-one texts, in group chats, and off the record. After spending the weekend at the WisDems convention in Madison, it felt like time to bring those conversations into the open. This episode is a candid, thoughtful look at the candidates in the Wisconsin governor’s race, including Mandela Barnes, Francesca Hong, Sarah Rodriguez, Kelda Roys David Crowley, Joel Brennan, and Missy Hughes. We talk through the dynamics shaping the race, what we’re hearing on the ground, and the questions voters deserve real answers to. Questions like: * What does the straw poll tell us, if anything? * Who should step aside? * Who can actually win? No talking points or spin, just an honest conversation from people who are deeply engaged in Wisconsin politics, but not necessarily party insiders. Because at a certain point, being polite stops being helpful. And if we’re going to get this right, we need to start saying the quiet parts out loud. Kate Duffy, Motherhood for Good [https://instagram.com/motherhoodforgood] Dan Shafer, The Recombobulation Area [https://www.therecombobulationarea.news/] Dr. Kristin Lyerly [https://www.instagram.com/drkristinlyerly] Pat Kreitlow, Up North News [https://upnorthnewswi.com/]

A Rural Wisconsin Mom of Five and the Race for Wisconsin's Supreme Court

What does a state Supreme Court actually do, and why should a busy mom care? This week I sit down with Judge Lyndsey Brunette, a circuit court judge, former elected district attorney, and mom of five who's running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2027. Lyndsey grew up in rural Wisconsin and won her DA seat as a Democrat in a deeply conservative county — because people trusted her to be fair, no matter who walked into her courtroom. We talk about how she got here (spoiler: it wasn't the plan), what it's really like to sit with people on the worst day of their lives, and why she decided to run after watching the 2020 election through her kids' eyes. We also break down, in plain English, why these races matter so much right now: the 1849 abortion ban the court took up, why a single seat can flip the whole balance of the court, the flood of out-of-state money in recent races, and why a 10-year term means the justices we pick today will still be deciding cases when our little kids are grown. If you've ever felt like the courts are too confusing to follow, this one's for you. Lyndsey makes it make sense. Show notes & links Learn more about Judge Lyndsey Brunette and her campaign: * Website: https://brunetteforwisconsin.com/ [https://brunetteforwisconsin.com/] * Instagram: https://instagram.com/brunetteforWI [https://instagram.com/brunetteforWI] * Facebook: https://facebook.com/brunetteforWI [https://facebook.com/brunetteforWI] * X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/brunetteforWI [https://twitter.com/brunetteforWI] Want to get involved? You can sign up, volunteer, or learn how to support the campaign right on her website. Brought to you by Motherhood for Good — making the news make sense for moms and anyone newer to paying attention. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motherhoodforgood [https://www.instagram.com/motherhoodforgood]  Substack: https://motherhoodforgood.substack.com/ [https://motherhoodforgood.substack.com/]  Threads: https://www.threads.com/@motherhoodforgood [https://www.threads.com/@motherhoodforgood]  Website: motherhoodforgood.com [http://motherhoodforgood.com]

Angela Ferrell-Zabala and the Moms are Taking on the Gun Industry, One State at a Time

Episode Summary Kate sits down with Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Executive Director of Moms Demand Action — one of the largest grassroots gun violence prevention organizations in the country — for a conversation that is equal parts inspiring and eye-opening. They talk about what really drives gun violence in America (hint: it's way bigger than school shootings), what regular moms can actually do about it, and why Angela still has hope. What You'll Hear Angela shares how growing up watching her mother and grandmother show up for their community planted the seeds for a lifetime of advocacy. She talks about what it felt like to become a mom of four and how that deepened her sense of urgency around keeping all kids safe, not just her own. Then they get into the real stuff: the full picture of gun violence in America. Kate gets honest about her own learning curve: coming in mostly worried about school shootings, and realizing the issue is so much bigger. Angela walks through some stats that might surprise you (like the fact that Black Americans are 12 times more likely to die from gun violence than white Americans, and that guns are now the leading cause of death for children and young people in the U.S.). They also talk about what's actually working, including wins in red states that never make the headlines, and what you can do right now, no matter how busy or overwhelmed you are. Topics Covered * How Moms Demand Action started at Shannon Watts' kitchen table after Sandy Hook and grew into a nationwide movement * Why gun violence looks very different depending on where you live - and why all of it matters * The difference between the gun lobby and actual gun owners (spoiler: a lot of gun owners support common-sense reforms) * What the NRA's influence actually looks like today — and why it's not what it used to be * The Be SMART program and why asking "is there a gun in your home, and is it locked up?" is as normal as asking about a pool fence * Wins from 2025 * What's on the agenda for the 2026 midterms * The Students Demand Action movement and why young people give Angela her biggest source of hope Get Involved Text READY to 64433 to join Moms Demand Action in your state. About Angela Ferrell-Zabala Angela Ferrell-Zabala is the Executive Director of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of the Everytown for Gun Safety network. A mother of four, she has spent her career working on reproductive health, immigrant rights, education, and economic justice — and brings that whole-person lens to the fight to end gun violence.