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In this episode of New Fashioned Conservatives, two semi-involved Wisconsin guys unpack the latest gubernatorial buzz, starting with Minocqua brewery owner Kirk Bangstad's tease of a Democratic run for governor, framing it as a bid to "save democracy" while critics whisper it's a desperate move to finance his cash-strapped life amid his brewery's legal battles. They also spotlight former Evers administration insider Joel Brennan, the ex-Secretary of Administration and current Greater Milwaukee Committee CEO, mulling a moderate Democratic entry with his September 2025 hints at a "practical governance" platform—who is this guy, and can he stand out in the clown car? Gov. Tony Evers draws ridicule for opposing a Republican-backed grooming definition bill, claiming in a veto threat that it could criminalize giving a hug to students—prompting the hosts to ask, "What the hell is he talking about?" amid DPI scandal fallout. The legislature's busy week in session sees bipartisan wins like election reforms. The Senate voted to ensure illegal aliens don't receive healthcare with three Democrats shockingly crossing the aisle for the vote. The online betting bill stalls after conservative pressure highlights tribal monopolies, delaying a vote. In Mequon, reports of South American crime network (illegals) linked to a string of home burglaries that terrorize residents, with Democrats staying eerily silent. The episode closes solemnly, marking the fourth anniversary of the tragic Waukesha Christmas Parade attack on November 21, 2021, honoring the victims.

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In this episode of New Fashioned Conservatives, two semi-involved Wisconsin guys sit down for an exclusive interview with Republican gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany. Tiffany traces his roots back to a dairy farm in Elmwood, where he milked cows at dawn and learned the value of hard work, before owning a sightseeing cruise business on the Willow Flowage and working as a dam tender—experiences that fueled his entry into state politics with a 2010 election to the Wisconsin State Assembly, followed by terms in the State Senate until 2020. Get to know more about Tom in this week's episode.

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Note from the Hosts: Listeners, we discovered a pesky audio glitch in this episode's file after recording—Justin's audio sounds distant. We're sincerely sorry for the rough quality; it just proves it's still the scrappy operation of two semi-involved Wisconsin guys, no fancy production team. We'll iron it out next time—thanks for bearing with us!

In this episode of New Fashioned Conservatives, two semi-involved Wisconsin guys reflect on last week's off-year elections, where Democrats racked up wins. Is this a 2026 harbinger, or do Republicans face doom in the Badger State? The hosts unpack a recent candidate forum where Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Francesca Hong quipped that legalizing weed solves everything from broadband gaps to economic woes. Turning to the legislature, a no-vote-yet online gambling bill sparks tribal monopoly beefs while major operators like DraftKings gripe about revenue shares. In response to the DPI grooming scandal, Republicans drop new bills making child sexual grooming a felony, with examples like inappropriate texts or touches, amid calls for Underly's overhaul and subpoena powers. Gov. Tony Evers' pet Milwaukee soccer stadium project? Still a dusty vacant lot in the Iron District, despite $9.3 million in state cash since 2023 for the delayed USL venue. Finally, Beloit College joins the campus crackdown, stonewalling Turning Point USA's chapter push.

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In this episode of New Fashioned Conservatives, two semi-involved Wisconsin guys dissect the latest Marquette Law School Poll, revealing 83% of voters want judicial candidates to discuss key issues ahead of the 2026 Supreme Court race—up from 79% in February. The hosts pivot to the gubernatorial showdown, where the poll shows a wide-open Democratic primary with 81% undecided, but State Rep. Francesca Hong surging as a "wild card" socialist, pulling the field leftward. A Mandela Barnes internal poll claims the former Lt. Gov. leads hypothetical general election matchups 50%-44% over U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and 51%-44% over 2022 GOP nominee Tim Michels—echoing his narrow 2022 near-miss against Sen. Ron Johnson. The UW-Eau Claire College Republicans ignite a firestorm with a Halloween "ICE arrest" costume photo, drawing "distasteful" backlash from campus Democrats and the 3rd CD Dems as "hateful rhetoric." Shadow Gov Vos' favorite illegal alien, Yessenia Ruano—the Milwaukee educator who self-deported in June 2025 after fleeing El Salvador—joins a federal lawsuit against ICE for "unlawfully" deporting crime victims. The hosts debate nuking the Senate filibuster to end the 31-day shutdown, with Trump pushing the "nuclear option" but Thune and a dozen GOP senators digging in against it as a future Democratic weapon. New Arctic Frost details expose the Biden-era FBI probe targeting over 160 Republicans, including Wisconsin talk show host Vicki McKenna and alternate electors, as "lawfare" via phone metadata sweeps and subpoenas. Marking the one-year anniversary of Ann Selzer's infamous 2024 Iowa Poll—that shockingly showed Harris up 47%-44% before Trump's blowout—the hosts mock its "fraud" fallout, including Trump's SLAPP suit. Finally, Milwaukee's hiring a PR flack ($85,000-$95,000 salary) to polish The Hop streetcar's tarnished image amid Ald. Scott Spiker's shutdown push over a $4.2 million shortfall.

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In this episode of New Fashioned Conservatives, two semi-involved Wisconsin guys kick off with fresh candidate announcements: Republican State Treasurer John Leiber, elected in 2022 with a razor-thin margin, launched his 2026 reelection bid. Will Martin, who snagged third place in the 2022 GOP Lt. Gov. primary, jumps back in for another shot at the office. The episode's heavyweight is the explosive Cap Times investigation exposing Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) under State Superintendent Jill Underly for probing over 200 educators on sexual misconduct and grooming allegations from 2018-2023—ranging from soliciting nudes from minors to post-graduation assaults—yet shielding details from the public via voluntary license surrenders, outdated Google Sheets tracking, and just two understaffed investigators, with districts stonewalling open records requests to bury the mess. Underly skipped a key Assembly hearing on October 23, drawing bipartisan fire and calls for her resignation from GOP figures like Josh Schoemann. Other headlines include the tragic hit-and-run in Lisbon where an illegal alien, struck two kids on a minibike on, leaving an 11-year-old boy critical and an 8-year-old girl recovering. For “Candy Stories,” the hosts chuckle over Oscar-winner Halle Berry's virtual testimony before the Senate Health Committee, pushing bipartisan bills for menopause education after her own misdiagnoses at 54, and a Milwaukee drug dealer hilariously admitting on WISN 12 News that he's "small potatoes" slinging weed during a live bust interview, turning interrogation into a free ad.

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In this special midweek episode of New Fashioned Conservatives, two semi-involved Wisconsin guys zero in on U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald's sharp take on the ongoing federal government shutdown, now in its third week since Democrats rejected a clean continuing resolution. Listen in to this special shutdown episode.

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In this episode of New Fashioned Conservatives, two semi-involved Wisconsin guys sit down for an exclusive interview with Republican Lt. Governor candidate David Varnum, the former Lancaster mayor making a bid for the 2026 GOP primary after a strong third-place finish in 2022, where he topped the vote in Grant and Lafayette counties. Varnum opens up about his deep roots in local politics, from his three terms as mayor starting in 2016—where he slashed property taxes, lured new businesses, and boosted economic development as president of the Grant County Economic Development Corporation—to his earlier days on the Lancaster Common Council. He traces his journey back to southern California, where he cut his teeth as a congressional staffer before relocating to Wisconsin with his wife.

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In this episode of New Fashioned Conservatives, two semi-involved Wisconsin guys unpack Appeals Court Judge Maria Lazar’s entry into the 2026 Supreme Court race as the first conservative challenger to liberal Judge Chris Taylor. Lazar’s pitch as a nonpartisan “independent, impartial judge” who won’t lean into conservative talking points draws head-scratching confusion from the hosts. They pivot to the governor’s race, where new polling shows a wide-open Democratic primary with no clear frontrunner, while Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is ahead of the GOP field at 30%. Former Gov. Tommy Thompson’s ongoing tease of a fifth-term run at age "super old" is wearing thin. What could he be possibly thinking? The episode digs into the latest medical marijuana bill from GOP lawmakers as they propose regulating the controlled substance. Emerging data center boom gets scrutiny too and facing fierce pushback over energy demands and environmental strain on the Great Lakes. Additionally, there is apparently a "Waukesha Werewolf" on the loose.