August 7, 2026: Data centers take center stage in Wisconsin governor’s race

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It’s Friday, August 7 and here’s what’s happening across the region.

• Data centers take center stage in Wisconsin governor’s race: As the AI buildout spikes energy demand, Democrats and one Republican offer solutions ranging from ramping up clean energy to instituting ratepayer protections. (Kari Lydersen, Canary Media)

• Hong defeating Crowley by 2-to-1 ratio in polling despite Milwaukee county executive’s efforts: State Navigate released a poll on Aug 7, four days before Election Day showing Francesca Hong leading the field at 44%, Crowley at 22%, Kelda Roys at 11% and Joel Brennan at 5%. (Drake Bentley, Civic Media)

• $1 million each: Uihleins backing different candidates for NW Wisconsin House seat: Billionaires Dick and Liz Uihlein regularly shower Wisconsin and beyond with huge sums, trying to get Republicans elected. Sometimes they disagree on the candidate. (Peter Cameron, The Badger Project)

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More news

• We Energies says Microsoft won’t be held to contract terms that conflict with state regulators’ order (Paul Kiefer, Wisconsin Watch)

• 450,000 student loan borrowers duped into high-cost loans receive $23B in relief (Charlene Crowell, Milwaukee Courier)

• State Rep. Francesca Hong visits Chippewa Falls before primary (James Kelly, Civic Media)

• Wisconsin critics say proposed federal changes would roll back Head Start standards (Erik Gunn, Wisconsin Examiner)

• Federal appeals court affirms Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline is trespassing on Bad River reservation land, grants company more time to reroute (Robert Chappell, Madison365)

• A wheelchair ride across Wisconsin calls attention to Medicaid cuts (Erik Gunn, Wisconsin Examiner)

• Lindell releases plan to eliminate income tax with massive cuts to education, healthcare spending (J. Patrick Coolican, Minnesota Reformer)

• Wisconsin regulators send ATC back to the drawing board on data center connection project (Paul Kiefer, Wisconsin Watch)

• Chippewa County report highlights EMS staffing struggles (James Kelly, Civic Media)

• Your local law enforcement is using Flock cameras (Sarah Alexander Melotte, The Daily Yonder)

• Get your 4-year-old ready for elementary school for free through new state program (Alex Klaus, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service)

Find daily news roundups from your community here.

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In “Five Questions, One Place,” Democratic gubernatorial candidate Kelda Roys chose Madison East High School — her alma mater — for her conversation with Frank Gargano and Jamie Martinson.

Roys discusses why she sees public education as a core responsibility of state government, the advice that changed how she campaigns, and why she tells voters federal law took Medicaid expansion off the table in Wisconsin — even when they would rather hear otherwise. She also talks about co-authoring three bills with Duey Stroebel, including Cocktails to Go.

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Election 2026

WISCONSIN

• Cooke makes final pitch to Chippewa Valley voters before primary (James Kelly, Civic Media)

• Sen. Hesselbein calls on Magadance Skinner to drop Senate bid (James Kelly, Civic Media)

• Legislative primaries to watch in upcoming August elections (Baylor Spears, Wisconsin Examiner)

• Wisconsin farmers push rural priorities ahead of primaries (Judith Ruiz-Branch, Public News Service)

• Wisconsin Democratic candidates for governor debate, mostly hold back direct attacks (Baylor Spears, Wisconsin Examiner)

• Democratic candidates for Wisconsin governor on the use of Flock cameras and police surveillance (Drake Bentley, Milwaukee Courier)

MINNESOTA

• How a rural NE MN district could shape control of the state Senate (Matthew Blake, MinnPost)

• OPINION: State of the race for U.S. Senate in Minnesota (Conrad Zbikowski, Minnesota Reformer)

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Since 1953, a pipeline called Line 5 has carried oil and natural gas liquids from Superior, Wisconsin, across the Upper Peninsula, down through lower Michigan, and into Canada.

You’ve probably heard people argue about it. Environmentalists want it shut down. Enbridge, the company that owns it, says that would be a disaster. Here’s what the data shows:

“Civic Minute” is a series of 60-second digital and radio segments that help make sense of the systems shaping everyday life. No jargon, no spin — just clear, useful context on what’s happening and why it matters.

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