April 2026

Serving the People of Wisconsin State Senate District 11

April 26, 2026 - 07:04
2 comments

Backroom Deals

April 25, 2026 - 21:53
1 comments

Corporate media coverage of the La Crosse County Board’s reorganization meeting highlighted the reelection of Chair Tina Tryggestad and the swearing-in of new supervisors, but buried one of the most important actions of the night in the final paragraph: approval of a new contract for County Administrator Jane Klekamp.

Taxpayers deserve far more transparency than a passing mention.

The Armed Citizen

April 25, 2026 - 21:37
2 comments

The Armed Citizen is a registered title by the National Rifle Association (NRA) to publish firsthand “armed citizen” experiences to share the value of gun ownership as permitted by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution. The descriptive paragraph accompanying the experiences states “Studies indicate that firearms are used more than 2 million times a year for personal protection, and that the presence of a firearm, without a shot being fired, prevents crime in many instances.

IRG Files Complaint Over DPI’s Secret Meeting to Lower Testing Standards

April 25, 2026 - 21:18
1 comments

On Tuesday, IRG announced the filing of a complaint to hold the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) accountable for its secret meeting that led to DPI lowering test score standards.

Actions taken at illegal meetings are voidable under state law. If a court determines that DPI violated Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law by conducting the meeting in secret, a judge could declare the newly adopted controversial testing standards invalid.

Join Us for a Night at the Ballpark with the Coulee Conservatives!

April 25, 2026 - 21:14
1 comments

Looking for the perfect way to kick off your summer and celebrate the 250th Independence Day? Join Coulee Conservatives for an exciting group outing to see the La Crosse Loggers take on the Waterloo Bucks! It’s going to be a fantastic evening of baseball, food, and community.

**Event Details:**

* **Date:** Saturday, June 20
* **Time:** Gates open at 5:30 PM, and the game starts at 6:35 PM.
* **Location:** 1225 Caledonia St, La Crosse, WI 54603

Save the American Dream

April 25, 2026 - 21:09
1 comments

I'm a family man from the middle of America.

My story is pretty similar to most Americans who know what it means to work hard for a living. I grew up on a dairy farm in western Wisconsin. Before school, I’d get up at the crack of dawn to feed and milk the cows.

I built a life & a family and worked my tail off to save enough money to start a small business. I’m proud of everything I’ve accomplished and of the life I’ve been able to build in our great nation. But as I look around, I don’t see as many folks living out the American Dream the same way I did.

Report: American Biblical Literacy in Decline

April 25, 2026 - 21:03
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The American Bible Society recently released their 2026 State of the Bible report. Their survey found that American biblical literacy is well below the desired percentage. When respondents were asked if they had ever read the entire Bible, only 17% of Americans said yes, and only 48% said they had read half. In an article from the Washington Stand, journalist Joshua Arnold recommends Bible reading plans to help Americans increase their biblical literacy.

Tax Relief On Retirement Income

April 25, 2026 - 20:53
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When hearing from senior citizens, they often tell me the biggest challenge they face today is managing the rising cost of living while on a fixed income.

That is why my Joint Finance Committee colleagues and I wrote a provision in the 2025-27 state budget that allows older adults to keep more of the money they have earned.

More specifically, any full-time Wisconsin resident aged 67 and older can now subtract up to $24,000 of eligible retirement income from their state taxes.

Homeownership Slipping out of Reach for Many

April 25, 2026 - 17:28
1 comments

Homeownership is the foundation of the American Dream, but for too many Americans, that dream is slipping further out of reach.

According to the National Association of Realtors, the average first-time homebuyer is now 40 years old. Think about that. Young couples who want to start a family, put down roots, and build a future are wondering if they will ever own a home or if they are being sentenced to a lifetime of renting.

Milwaukee Public Schools Need Accountability and Reform, not More Money

April 25, 2026 - 17:23
1 comments

Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius appeared on UpFront last week as MPS faces a $46 million deficit and her schools continue to fall behind other school options in both reading and math, despite receiving $252 million in a referendum in April of 2024. In Milwaukee specifically, students in private choice schools outperform MPS students by measurable margins, with proficiency rates roughly 4-5 percentage points higher in both English language arts and math on average.

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