DOWN, THERE WAS EVER THE RIGHT TIME TO PASS THE TORCH. THIS IS IT. DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF WISCONSIN CHAIR BEN WIKLER ENDING HIS RUN AS PARTY CHAIRMAN, AND HIS FIRST TV INTERVIEW SINCE MAKING THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS WITH US. DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP IS URGENTLY IMPORTANT AND THERE’S SO MUCH TO DO THIS SUNDAY IN BATTLEGROUND WISCONSIN. HIS DECISION, THE STATE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND HIS POLITICAL FUTURE. WALL STREET WHIPLASH. WE’RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT YIPPY, A LITTLE BIT AFRAID. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP PAUSING MOST TARIFFS BUT INTENSIFYING HIS TRADE WAR WITH CHINA. THE HEAD OF THE METROPOLITAN MILWAUKEE ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE, DALE KOOYENGA, WITH US FROM WASHINGTON ON WHAT WISCONSIN BUSINESS OWNERS ARE SAYING. BUDGET BATTLE. PLEASE INCREASE GENERAL PURPOSE FUNDING REVENUE. THE LEGISLATURE’S BUDGET WRITING COMMITTEE, TRAVELING THE STATE AS EXPECTED. WE’VE GOT A GREAT CROWD TURNING OUT HERE. REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR PATRICK TESTIN ON THE ROAD AHEAD AND TARGET WISCONSIN. WE’VE SEEN VOTERS OUTRAGED AND SCARED HOUSE DEMOCRATS ONCE AGAIN PUSHING TO UNSEAT REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN DERRICK VAN ORDEN AND BRIAN STEELE, THE HEAD OF THE D TRIPLE C. CONGRESSWOMAN SUZAN DELBENE IS WITH US MOMENTS AWAY. THIS IS UPFRONT WITH GERRON JORDAN AND POLITICAL DIRECTOR MATT SMITH. HI, EVERYONE. THANKS FOR JOINING US. JUST A WEEK AFTER HELPING USHER IN SUSAN CRAWFORD’S TEN POINT WIN IN THE STATE SUPREME COURT RACE, THE HEAD OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF WISCONSIN, BEN WIKLER, SAYS HE’S DONE WIKLER ANNOUNCING HE WILL NOT SEEK ANOTHER TERM AS PARTY CHAIRMAN WHEN HIS TERM IS UP IN JUNE. WIKLER HAS SERVED IN THE ROLE SINCE 2019, RAN AND LOST FOR DNC CHAIR EARLIER THIS YEAR AND HAS BEEN CREDITED FOR TURNING THE STATE PARTY INTO A FUNDRAISING POWERHOUSE. WIKLER SAT DOWN WITH US FOR HIS FIRST TELEVISION INTERVIEW SINCE MAKING THE ANNOUNCEMENT. LET’S START WITH THIS DECISION. WALK ME THROUGH WHY NOW AND HOW YOU CAME TO THIS. I’VE BEEN CHAIR OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF WISCONSIN FOR SIX YEARS, AND MY BELIEF IS THE BEST TIME TO HAND OFF THE TORCH OF LEADERSHIP OF AN ORGANIZATION IS WHEN THINGS ARE GOING GREAT. AND THIS IS A TERRIBLE MOMENT FOR THE COUNTRY. BUT A REALLY STRONG TIME FOR DEMOCRATS IN WISCONSIN. WITH THE SUPREME COURT VICTORY THIS SPRING. SUSAN CRAWFORD SEALED A PRO-DEMOCRACY MAJORITY FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS AT LEAST. WE HAVE A VERY REAL CHANCE TO WIN MAJORITIES IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY AND IN THE STATE SENATE AND THE GOVERNORSHIP TO WIN A DEMOCRATIC TRIFECTA IN WISCONSIN. OUR TEAM IS PHENOMENAL. OUR BENCH IS DEEP OF POTENTIAL LEADERS OF THE PARTY. OUR GRASSROOTS ARE ON FIRE RIGHT NOW, AND IT FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, I’M NOT GOING TO BE CHAIR FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. SO IF THERE WAS EVER THE RIGHT TIME TO PASS THE TORCH, THIS IS IT. AND THAT MEANS I CAN LOOK FOR THE WAY THAT I CAN BEST CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORK GOING FORWARD. WHEN DID YOU MAKE THIS DECISION? WAS IT AFTER CRAWFORD’S WIN? I’VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH FOR A WHILE. AFTER CRAWFORD’S WIN, IT FELT CLEAR TO ME THE WIND IS AT DEMOCRATS BACKS AND I HAVE ENORMOUS CONFIDENCE THAT THE NEXT CHAIR WILL BE ABLE TO CARRY THAT FORWARD. AND THAT MEANS I CAN TAKE A STEP BACK, SEE MY KIDS AND MY AND MY WIFE AND OUR DOG A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN THINK THROUGH, HOW CAN I HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT GOING FORWARD? I THINK WE HAVE A MOMENT HERE WHERE WITH THE COUNTRY IN CRISIS, DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP IS URGENTLY IMPORTANT AND THERE’S SO MUCH TO DO TO EXPAND THE WAYS THAT DEMOCRATS COMMUNICATE AND ORGANIZE AND AND PUSH THE ENVELOPE TO BREAK THROUGH THE NOISE. I THINK THE STATE PARTY IS GOING TO DO ENORMOUS, TERRIFIC WORK IN THE YEARS TO COME, AND I WANT TO HELP OUT IN WHATEVER WAY I CAN AND WANT SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT SHOULD LOOK LIKE. AND TO THAT, SOME WHO SAY MAYBE DEMOCRATS WHO SAY, WELL, IF TRUMP IS AS BIG OF A THREAT AS YOU AND DEMOCRATS SAY HE IS, HOW CAN YOU WALK AWAY AT THIS MOMENT? WELL, I’M NOT WALKING AWAY FROM THE FIGHT. I’M PASSING THE TORCH IN STATE PARTY LEADERSHIP. BUT I’M ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT I CAN LEND MY SHOULDER TO THE WHEEL. DOES THAT MEAN A POTENTIAL POLITICAL RUN FOR YOURSELF? MAYBE SOMEDAY. I YOU KNOW, I DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE WHAT THE NEXT STEPS IN THE FUTURE ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE, BUT I KNOW THERE’S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO TRY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PUBLIC CONVERSATION, TO TO TRY TO MAKE THE CASE THAT WHAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE DOING IS A DISASTER FOR WORKING FAMILIES IN OUR STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND TO TO SHOWCASE HOW DEMOCRATS HAVE SOMETHING BETTER TO OFFER. AND I WANT TO BE HELPFUL IN WHATEVER WAY I CAN. SO IF GOVERNOR EVERS DOESN’T RUN FOR REELECTION NEXT YEAR, BEN WIKLER DOES WHAT I HOPE GOVERNOR EVERS DOES RUN FOR REELECTION. HE’S A PHENOMENALLY SUCCESSFUL GOVERNOR. HE’S THE MOST POPULAR POLITICIAN IN THE STATE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL POLL, AND HE HAS A CHANCE TO WIN BOTH CHAMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND PASS THE GREAT IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN IN HIS BUDGETS THAT ARE IN HIS BUDGET RIGHT NOW INTO LAW. SO THAT IS THE THAT IS THAT IS PLAN ONE. IF HE DOESN’T, I FOCUSED ON PLAN ONE AND ALSO HAVING SOME SPACE TO REALLY THINK THROUGH WHAT I CAN DO MOST USEFULLY IN THIS MOMENT. DO YOU KNOW IF HE’S GOING TO RUN? I KNOW THAT HE HAS NOT MADE A FINAL DECISION, OR MY SENSE IS HE HASN’T MADE A FINAL DECISION. LEANING TOWARDS IT IS MY IS MY SENSE BASED ON WHAT HE’S WHAT HE’S COMMUNICATED PUBLICLY. SO YOU’RE NOT SHUTTING THAT DOOR COMPLETELY A RUN FOR GOVERNOR DOWN THE ROAD. I’M TELLING YOU THAT I, THE GOVERNOR EVERS, HAS MY ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT. LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR BID FOR DNC CHAIR. YOU CAMPAIGNED AGGRESSIVELY COMING OFF NOVEMBER. THAT WAS FROM ONE TO THE NEXT. DID THAT IMPACT YOUR DECISION HERE IN THE STATE AFTER YOU WENT THROUGH THAT? WELL, I RAN FOR DNC CHAIR BECAUSE I WANTED TO TRY TO DO THE BIGGEST THING THAT I COULD TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST THIS ADMINISTRATION. YOU KNOW, I ULTIMATELY CAME IN SECOND IN THE DNC CHAIR’S RACE. I THINK THE DNC HAS ENORMOUS PROMISE WITH WITH WHAT KEN MARTIN CAN DO ACROSS THE COUNTRY NOW. AND THEN I CAME HOME AND JUMPED RIGHT INTO ANOTHER GIANT FIGHT SUPPORTING SUSAN CRAWFORD IN THE SUPREME COURT ELECTION THAT RESULTED IN, YOU KNOW, AN ENORMOUS VICTORY AND HAVING A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY STEP BACK AND TAKE A BREATH AND THINK ABOUT WHERE IT CAN BE MOST USEFUL. IT FEELS LIKE THE RIGHT THING FOR ME RIGHT NOW. ARE YOU GOING TO ENDORSE WHO YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE LEAD THIS PARTY? MY PREDECESSOR DIDN’T ENDORSE IN THE IN THE CHAIR’S RACE. MY INTENTION IS TO NOT MAKE AN ENDORSEMENT. BUT I HAVE ENORMOUS FAITH IN THE DELEGATES TO THE WISCONSIN DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONVENTION COMING UP THIS JUNE 15TH. THAT’LL BE ELECTION DAY. AND THE WISCONSIN DELLS. AND I KNOW THE PARTY WILL BE IN STRONG SHAPE. DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, I DON’T THINK, WOULD DISPUTE THAT. YOU’VE TURNED THIS PARTY INTO A FUNDRAISING MACHINE. HOW MUCH HAVE YOU RAISED SINCE YOU’VE BEEN PARTY CHAIR? WELL, THE TOTAL FUNDRAISING, I THINK, IN OUR FEDERAL ACCOUNT IS $230 MILLION. AND IT’S A LOT MORE THAN THAT WHEN YOU ADD IN THE THE STATE ACCOUNT, IT’S IN THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS. IS THAT ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS YOU WOULD SAY? I THINK THE ONLY MEASURE OF OUR WORK AT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON PEOPLE’S LIVES. YOU KNOW, FUNDRAISING, CANDIDATE RECRUITING, ALL THE ORGANIZING, THE DOOR KNOCKS, EVEN ELECTORAL VICTORIES. THEY’RE ALL A MEANS TO TRY TO CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE FOR PEOPLE. KEN BARTON TOLD US JUST LAST WEEK THAT THERE’S A LOT OF CHALLENGES AHEAD NATIONALLY FOR DEMOCRATS. AND HE SAYS THERE’S A LOT OF DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE LEFT THE PARTY WHO WERE ONCE PART OF THE PARTY. I MEAN, HOW DO YOU WIN THEM BACK? I DO THINK THERE’S A LOT OF VOTERS WHO NOW, AT THIS MOMENT, ARE OPEN TO A DEMOCRATIC ARGUMENT, TO AN ARGUMENT BY SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM, EVEN IF THEY VOTED REPUBLICAN BEFORE. AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T VOTE, WHO DIDN’T, DIDN’T REALLY THINK THAT THAT THESE IDEALS WOULD BE FOUGHT FOR BY DEMOCRATS IN OFFICE WHO ARE OPEN TO BEING PERSUADED TO COME OFF THE COUCH AND INTO THE BALLOT BOX. SO I THINK THERE’S A CHANCE TO BUILD A MUCH BIGGER COALITION IN 2026, IN THE SPRING, IN THE FALL AND GOING FORWARD. BUT TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO REACH THOSE VOTERS, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO GO WHERE THEY ARE TO COMMUNICATE. YOU NEED TO TO SHOW THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS THAT YOU’RE FIGHTING FOR SOMETHING BIGGER THAN A POLITICAL VICTORY. YOU’RE FIGHTING FOR CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES. AND I THINK THAT’S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR DEMOCRATS NOW. ALL RIGHT. THE PARTY WILL ELECT A NEW CHAIR DURING THE STATE CONVENTION IN JUNE. NOW TO THE WILD WEEK ON WALL STREET. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP PAUSING MOST OF HIS RECIPROCAL TARIFFS FOR 90 DAYS. CHINESE TARIFFS GO UP TO 145%. BEIJING STRIKING BACK THIS WEEKEND, IMPOSING A 125% TARIFF ON AMERICAN GOODS. THE WHIPLASH COMES AS GOVERNOR TONY EVERS AND MEMBERS OF HIS ADMINISTRATION WRAP UP A TRADE MISSION TO EUROPE. THE DELEGATION, INCLUDING WISCONSIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SECRETARY MISSY HUGHES, VISITING FRANCE AND GERMANY. SHE TALKED WITH MATT FROM JUST OUTSIDE OF BERLIN. WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM EUROPEAN LEADERS? WELL, WE’RE REALLY HEARING A LOT OF DISAPPOINTMENT AND CONFUSION OVER HOW WE GOT HERE. WHAT ARE YOU TELLING THEM? WELL, WE’RE TELLING THEM IS THAT WISCONSIN IS STILL READY TO BE A STRONG PARTNER. WE’RE HERE SHAKING HANDS AND GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER. WE’VE GOT LONG TERM CULTURAL TIES. WE’VE GOT STUDENT EXCHANGES. AND OF COURSE, WE’VE GOT REALLY STRONG BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE WANT TO HAVE ENDURE THIS DIFFICULT PERIOD. IN A SENSE. ARE YOU AND IS THE GOVERNOR TRYING TO DISTANCE YOURSELF FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION? YOU KNOW, IT’S NOT REALLY LIKE THAT. IT’S REALLY JUST LIKE HERE WE ARE. WE’RE EXISTING IN THIS WORLD TOGETHER. HOW DO WE MAKE IT WORK? LET’S BRING IN DALE KOOYENGA, PRESIDENT OF THE METROPOLITAN MILWAUKEE ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE. HE’S IN WASHINGTON NOW MEETING WITH LAWMAKERS. DALE, IT’S GOOD TO SEE YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU AS WELL. SO WHAT IS THE MOOD RIGHT NOW FOR WISCONSIN BUSINESS OWNERS WITH THIS PAUSE IN TARIFFS NOW IN EFFECT? WELL THE UNCERTAINTY IS NOT GOOD FOR BUSINESS. BUSINESSES REALLY NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEIR COSTS ARE. AND RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK, BUSINESSES ARE PILING UP INVENTORIES BECAUSE WE DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN IN 90 DAYS. SO JUST THE UNCERTAINTY, THE UNCERTAINTY MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO RUN A BUSINESS AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR COST IS. SO IT MAKES IT FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR SALES PRICE IS. AND GENERALLY STRONG ECONOMICS REQUIRE MORE CERTAINTY. DALE, WHEN WE TALKED MIDWEEK BEFORE THIS PAUSE WAS PUT IN PLACE, THERE WERE SOME DIRE WARNINGS COMING FROM FOLKS ACROSS THE STATE. ARE THOSE STILL IN PLACE, OR IS IS THIS A PAUSE IN IN THE UNCERTAINTY AND CONCERN AS WELL TOO? WELL, A PAUSE CERTAINLY HELPED. AND I THINK THAT THE VOICES I HEARD IN THE MILWAUKEE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WERE AMPLIFIED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THAT IS THAT $600 BILLION IN NEW TARIFFS, WHICH IS $600 BILLION IN NEW TAXES. THAT’S GREATER THAN ALL CORPORATE TAXES THAT ARE TAXED IN AMERICA IN A GIVEN YEAR. THERE’S NO WAY OR IT TAKES A VERY CREATIVE MIND TO THINK THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE INFLATIONARY. AND SO THAT’S WHY BUSINESSES WAS REALLY CONCERNED. THE BUSINESSES WANT TO SEE. D.C. NEGOTIATE AND DEAL WITH THIS. BUT WITH A BUSINESSMAN. SCALPEL. NOT A POPULIST SLEDGEHAMMER. SO THE HOPE IS THAT IN THESE 90 DAYS, THEY REALLY NEGOTIATE, GET NET NET BETTER DEALS. THE HOPE IS THAT DONALD TRUMP DOESN’T BELIEVE THAT TARIFFS ARE ACTUALLY A NATIONAL STRATEGY TO PROSPERITY. BUSINESS LEADERS I SPOKE TO DON’T AGREE WITH THAT. MAINSTREAM ECONOMISTS DON’T AGREE WITH THIS. BUT IF THIS IS A NEGOTIATION TACTIC TO GET NET FREER TRADE, THAT’S GOOD. AND I’M ASSUMING THERE’S NO CONSENSUS OR CERTAINTY THAT THE SLEDGEHAMMER EFFECT IS TOTALLY GONE YET. NO, I MEAN, THAT’S THE PROBLEM WE’RE DEALING WITH, IS THAT YOU GO BACK TO THE UNCERTAINTY ISSUE. AND SO BUSINESSES JUST WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THEIR COSTS GOING TO BE, WHAT IS THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS LOOK LIKE. AND WE’RE TALKING ABOUT DECISIONS MADE WITHIN HOURS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I USED TO SAY THAT IF IT GOES ON A SHIP AND IT’S COMING FROM ASIA OR EUROPE OR ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR TARIFF IS GOING TO BE WHEN IT COMES TO THE DOCK, BECAUSE YOU’RE THE TARIFF IS ASSESSED WHEN IT HITS AMERICAN SHORES, NOT WHEN IT LEAVES. AND SO YOU’RE VERY VULNERABLE IN THAT COMMUTE. AND EVEN WITH THE SPEED OF EVERYTHING’S GOING ON, IF YOU USE A 737, YOU COULD BE WHEELS UP. AND THEN BETWEEN LEAVING THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN TO AMERICA, YOU MAY BE FLYING INTO A ENTIRELY DIFFERENT TAX SCENARIO THAN YOU DID WHEN YOU LEFT THAT COUNTRY. THE TARIFFS AGAINST CHINA ARE STILL, IN EFFECT, 125% TARIFFS TARGETING CHINA. COULD THAT ACTUALLY HELP WISCONSIN MANUFACTURERS? IS IT NOT IN THE SHORT TERM BUT LONG TERM? YES. I MEAN, IF YOU’RE LOOKING AT I MEAN, THERE’S NO DOUBT ABOUT CHINA’S STOLEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. THEY’VE MANIPULATED THEIR CURRENCY. IT’S A MIXED BAG. I MEAN, A LOT OF WISCONSIN BUSINESSES ACTUALLY HAVE PLANTS IN CHINA, DO BUSINESS IN CHINA. LONGER TERM, IT MAY BE GOOD FOR US MANUFACTURING WISCONSIN MANUFACTURING. IN THE SHORT TERM, THERE’S NO WAY AROUND IT THAT IT’S GOING TO CREATE MORE UNCERTAINTY AND MORE COST. DANE. THIS PAST WEEK, SENATOR JOHNSON, BEFORE THE PAUSE WENT INTO EFFECT, SAID THIS COULD RESULT IN BANKRUPTCY FOR SOME SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS HERE ACROSS THE STATE. I MEAN, IS THAT STILL A THREAT? AND WHAT HAPPENS NOW IN THESE NEXT 90 DAYS? WELL, IT’S STILL A THREAT. I MEAN, THERE’S THERE’S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, THE THE A LOT LESS OF A THREAT WITH THIS PAUSE FOR THE 90 DAYS. BUT EVEN FOR THE COUNTRIES THAT DON’T DEAL WITH CHINA, ARE DEALING WITH OTHER COUNTRIES RIGHT NOW. WHEN YOU’RE LOOKING AT SMALL BUSINESSES, THERE’S RISK ASSESSMENTS GOING ON. SO IF THINGS ARE MORE RISKY, THERE’S MORE UNCERTAINTY. CAPITAL IS MORE EXPENSIVE, INTEREST RATES ARE HIGHER, AND THAT’S NOT GOOD FOR BUSINESSES. AND SO YEAH, I THINK THAT THERE’S GOING TO BE IMPACT ON BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE SUPPLY CHAINS THAT ARE RELIANT UPON CHINA, ARE GOING TO BE IN A REALLY TIGHT SPOT, AND THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO RE-ORIENTATE THEIR SUPPLY CHAIN. TODAY, FAST MOVING DEVELOPMENTS IN WASHINGTON. DALE KULEBA, PRESIDENT OF THE METROPOLITAN MILWAUKEE ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE. DALE, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UP NEXT, BUDGET BATTLES STATE LAWMAKERS MEET THE PUBLIC. REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR PATRICK TESTIN, VICE CHAIR OF THE BUDGET WRITING COMMITTEE, IS STANDING