Capitol Chats: Cowles reflects on 37 years in the state Senate
Release Date: 12/18/2024
Capitol Chats: Freshman Rep. Phelps wants the Legislature to prioritize school funding
WisPolitics Capitol Chats
In this week's Capitol Chats episode, Rep. Christian Phelps, D-Eau Claire, says the 60% special education reimbursement Gov. Tony Evers is proposing should be a minimum, instead of the current 30% rate.
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Capitol Chats: Freshman Rep. Tucker says veteran background has made him a better state rep
WisPolitics Capitol Chats
In this week's Capitol Chats episode, freshman Rep. Duke Tucker, R-Grantsburg, talks about his motivations for seeking public office, his priorities in the Assembly, and how his background as a veteran has made him a better elected official.
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Capitol Chats: State Medicaid director says 'big beautiful bill' will cost Wisconsin
WisPolitics Capitol Chats
In this week's Capitol Chats, Wisconsin Medicaid Director Bill Hanna says the reconciliation bill will cost the state $8 million in Medicaid-related costs in the first year of implementation.
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Capitol Chats: Josh Schoemann discusses his candidacy for governor
WisPolitics Capitol Chats
In this week's Capitol Chats episode, Washington County Executive and a Republican gubernatorial candidate Josh Schoemann says "disappointed" is a mild way to describe how he feels about Gov. Tony Evers work, and he'd like to make changes if elected governor.
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Capitol Chats: Freshman Rep. Piwowarczyk wants strict immigration enforcement in Wisconsin
WisPolitics Capitol Chats
In this week's Capitol Chats episode, Rep. Jim Piwowarczyk, R-Hubertus, talks about a bill he co-authored that would require local sheriffs to comply with federal immigration enforcement policies, at the risk of losing state funding.
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Capitol Chats: Revenue Secretary Casey says evaluating tariffs' impact on revenue 'very difficult'
WisPolitics Capitol Chats
In this week's Capitol Chats episode, Department of Revenue Secretary David Casey talks about the challenges of measuring tariffs' impact, the agency's budget priorities and more.
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Capitol Chats: Eric Fulcomer says college financial aid "threatened" by federal cuts
WisPolitics Capitol Chats
In this week's Capitol Chats, Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities President Eric Fulcomer expresses concerns with the impact of federal funding cuts on college grants, and says he hopes the state budget can support more grant money.
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Capitol Chats: DNR Secretary Hyun talks budget priorities, Senate confirmation
WisPolitics Capitol Chats
In this week's Capitol Chats episode, Department of Natural Resources Secretary Karen Hyun talks about her top priorities for the state budget and the prospects for her confirmation by the state Senate.
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Capitol Chats: Scott Walker discusses spring election, future of state GOP
WisPolitics Capitol Chats
In this week's Capitol Chats episode, former Gov. Scott Walker says the Republican Party needs to work on its grassroots organizing following the spring election. He also says he won't be running for governor next year, and isn't endorsing a particular candidate at this point.
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Capitol Chats: LFB Director Lang says evaluating tariffs' impact will be 'critical' to state budget
WisPolitics Capitol Chats
In this week's Capitol Chats episode, longtime Legislative Fiscal Bureau Director Bob Lang discusses the bureau's role in the budget process and says accurately evaluating the impact of tariffs on revenue estimates will be "critical."
info_outlineOutgoing Sen. Rob Cowles, R-Green Bay, in an interview for WisPolitics's Capitol Chats podcast says while there’s “definitely a danger” to breaking party lines, lawmakers can’t be afraid to “lose a committee appointment because of your principles.”
Cowles, the longest-serving Wisconsin state lawmaker currently in office, has been elected to the state Senate for the past 37 years since winning an April 1987 special election. Before that, he served in the Assembly from 1982-1987. He will retire next month after deciding not to seek reelection when he was drawn into a district with fellow Green Bay GOP Sen. Eric Wimberger.
Cowles joined WisPolitics’ Capitol Chats podcast to talk about his time in office, how the state of politics has changed over the course of his career, and his history of bucking party norms.