Democratic candidate Tony Evers clinched the gubernatorial election Tuesday night, but he will likely run into roadblocks governing a Republican Legislature, according to UW-Madison professors.
UW-Madison professors David Canon, Mike Wagner and Kenneth Mayer discussed the implications of a blue wave sweeping the state Tuesday night, emphasizing the limits Evers will face if he tries to enact policy that the Republican-controlled Legislature is strongly against.
Evers ran on a platform supporting public education, health care, and raising the minimum wage. But delivering on those campaign promises could be challenging, according to Canon.
“I don’t think you’ll see any massive changes in policy that would be something that the Republican Legislature would be opposed to,” Canon said. “I think you probably will see some things where you’ll see some more bipartisan compromise.”
The day after the election, Republican state legislators told reporters they plan to take certain powers away from Evers by overhauling state boards and removing certain authorities they gave Gov. Scott Walker in 2011, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
But some policy changes that could get some traction include redistricting and pulling out of a lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act, two things that are likely to be affected by a Democratic governor and attorney general.
For the Badger Report, I’m Sophia Dramm.
Photo: Lilly Price