Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022
Are some of Gov. Tony Evers’ nominees still waiting to be confirmed by the Wisconsin Senate nearly four years into his term?
As of Dec. 2, 2022, the Wisconsin Senate has still not confirmed Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' nominees to lead the state departments of Administration, Health Services, Financial Institutions, Safety and Professional Services, Workforce Development and other agencies. These nominees are among nearly 200 appointments the Senate Chief Clerk says have not yet been confirmed by the Republican-run Senate — nearly four years after Evers took office.
The Senate has confirmed several cabinet secretaries, including Craig Thompson, who has led the state Department of Transportation since his confirmation by the state Senate in 2021.
During Evers' governorship, the Senate has kept some Republican appointees in office by refusing to confirm Evers' nominees — an approach deemed legal by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in June 2022. Democratic state senators have also used this strategy in the past to gain political leverage.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Google Docs Pending Gov. Evers appointments as of 12.2.22: Obtained from Senate Chief Clerk
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Wisconsin Senate confirms Gov. Tony Evers' cabinet members after years in limbo
- Governor Tony Evers Cabinet
- New York Times Wisconsin court validates a Republican strategy to preserve power
- Google Books Exxon and the Crandon Mine Controversy
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