Citizen Action Weekend ’26 Newsletter, Friday, June 26th
Work for Citizen Action of Wisconsin
Join Citizen Action of Wisconsin
Citizen Action Statewide Healthcare Action Team Update
Join Our Healthcare All Team Meeting – July 14 on Zoom
We know healthcare access and affordability is a top issue with Wisconsinites. The BadgerCare Public Option (BCPO) bill is the most comprehensive legislation in WI that can mitigate the damage done by HR1 (The big ugly bill) and expand coverage for tens of thousands of Wisconsinites. As we build momentum for the BCPO campaign and prepare for the 2026 election season, we’re bringing together our statewide Healthcare Team, Co-op Healthcare Action Teams, and coalition partners for an important evening of learning and organizing.
6:30–7:00 PM – BadgerCare Public Option Campaign Refresher
New to the campaign? A coalition partner? Or just looking for a refresher? Join us for a review of the BadgerCare Public Option Strategic Campaign and our next steps to win.
7:00 PM – 8 PM Phase 2 Deep Dive & Mass Listening Training
At 7:00 PM, everyone is invited to join us for a deeper dive into Phase 2 of our BadgerCare Public Option campaign. We’ll also kick off training for our Mass Listening Summer Program, which will help us have meaningful conversations with community members, listen to healthcare stories, and build the relationships and power we’ll need heading into the election season.
Whether you’ve been involved from the beginning or are just getting started, this meeting is a great opportunity to learn, connect with organizers from across Wisconsin, and help win the fight for affordable healthcare in WI.
You can take action today:
- Email your state legislators and urge them to co-sponsor the BadgerCare Public Option bill
- Attend your local Co-Op Healthcare team meeting
- Ask your local Co-Op organizer or Kristie Tweed, Healthcare Action Coordinator for petitions you can take to events
- Use this simple form to share your healthcare story – stories about rising cost of your healthcare, medical debt, importance of medicaid in your life all help us in our work. We won’t share your story without reaching out to you first!
For more information or to get involved, contact: Kristie Tweed, Healthcare Action Coordinator; 📞 608-317-1331; ✉️ kristie.tweed@citizenactionwi.org
Together, we can build a healthcare system that truly works for Wisconsin families and small businesses.
No one in Wisconsin should have to make these healthcare choices!
Watch BadgerCare Public Option radio ad
It’s summer! Citizen Action members are out talking to Wisconsin voters.
Citizen Action North Side Rising and Milwaukee celebrate Juneteenth Day
A Busy Week in the Citizen Action Driftless Organizing Cooperative
Last week was one of the most active weeks yet for Citizen Action’s Driftless Region.
Representative Steve Doyle joined our Healthcare Action Team to share his strong support for the BadgerCare Public Option. The following day, members pressed Senator Brad Pfaff directly on where he stands on the BCPO. These are exactly the kinds of conversations that move legislators, and we will keep having them. Wednesday evening brought our first round of assembly endorsement interviews, where Driftless members evaluated candidates on their alignment with our values.
Thursday marked a first for the Driftless region— the launch of the brand new Climate Action Team. We are building something exciting here, focused on climate solutions, reducing energy burden, and educating families about the available funding for more energy-efficient homes.
We closed the week at the La Crosse Juneteenth celebration, where five CAW members spent a beautiful day connecting with community members about healthcare affordability and the BadgerCare Public Option. We met a lot of new people and look forward to building on those connections.
This Saturday, June 27th, find us at Viroqua Pride. We look forward to expanding our engagement with our Vernon County neighbors.
At the heart of all of this is a simple commitment to meet and empower more people who are deeply affected by the failing policies of federal, state, and local “leadership,” and to build the grassroots power necessary to change it. Do you know somebody interested in channeling their anxiety, rage, or disappointment into real, effective change? Forward them this newsletter, and connect me with them via email at aron.newberry@citizenactionwi.org, I’ll be glad to follow up.
The Driftless is organizing. Stay tuned.
Citizen Action Northeast Organizing Cooperative Update:
This past weekend Citizen Action Northeast attended and tabled at the Green Bay Pride event.
Thursday, nine Citizen Action Northeast members participated in a healthcare action with other area healthcare coalition partners at Congressman Tony Wied’s office to protest the cuts to Medicaid he voted for last year and are now hurting community members.
To join our organizing, contact, Garnet at: g.degrave@citizenactionwi.org
Support Anodyne workers organizing their union in Milwaukee this Saturday, June 27th
While continuing to bargain a first union contract, Anodyne workers in the Milwaukee area have overwhelmingly voted to authorize all actions – up to and including a strike.
The private equity company that owns Anodyne, FairWave, continues to stall bargaining a first union contract. In the midst of contract negotiations, the company made unilateral changes on job duties, conditions and compensation. Fair Wave is not only breaking the law, but also disrupting good faith bargaining.
They have called for a Day of Action this Saturday, June 27th to protest FairWave’s unfair labor practices. Anodyne workers are asking you to join them on one of three (3) shifts this Saturday at: 8am, 10am, and Noon.
Attend Governor Candidate Forum in Milwaukee at North Division High School, tomorrow, Saturday, June 27th, 10am.
Join our partners Walnut Way, 350 Wisconsin, Healthy Climate Wisconsin, Reclaiming Our Neighborhoods for a governor candidate forum on fighting climate change and creating good new jobs, high utility rates, and other issues facing our community.
Watch Citizen Action’s governor candidate forum in April.
Attend a $20 Minimum Wage Town Hall
Join the Wisconsin Living Wage Coalition and Citizen Action for a $20 minimum wage town hall to hear from local residents about their daily struggle to make ends meet at less than $20/hour.
- MADISON: Thursday, July 2 at 6pm – Madison Labor Temple, 1621 S Park Street.
- MILWAUKEE: Monday, July 13 at 6pm – Turner Hall, 1040 N. Vel R. Phillips, Milwaukee.
- ST. FRANCIS: Thursday, September 10 at 6pm – La Finca Coffeehouse, 3558 E. Sivyer Ave, St. Francis.
For more information, contact: matt.brusky@citizenactionwi.org
Take action in support of the state $20 Wage bill.
Attend Progress for the People Town Hall in Racine, July 8th, 6pm
On Wednesday, July 8, the Progress for the People Town Hall is coming to Racine.
Join U.S. Reps. Gwen Moore (WI-04), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and Delia Ramirez (IL-03), for a conversation about how Republican policies are raising costs, cutting health care and food assistance, and handing tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations — and what we can do about it.
Doors: 5:15 PM | Program: 6:00 PM
Racine, WI (RSVP for the exact location)
ADA accessible | Spanish-English & ASL interpretation available | Family friendly
Citizen Action in the News
Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig was on the Jeff Santos Show to discuss the Wisconsin Governor’s race and the stunning progressive sweep in New York Congressional primaries.
The nationally syndicated Jeff Santos Show airs weekdays 2 to 5 PM in Wisconsin on the Civic Media Radio Network.
Watch the interview here (@ 2 hour 9 minute mark of video)
Listen to “Progressive Caucus in Wisconsin” Battleground Wisconsin Podcast
Robert opens the show with the latest Tick Report (aka Nature’s Revenge) Report) which includes a rash of tick-related livestock deaths in TN, a DMV region tick infestation to match the swampy reflecting pond on national mall, a USDA educational campaign with an image of 5 ticks you can’t see, and tick solutions you will need to navigate the outdoors this summer!
We look ahead to the avalanche of Supreme Court rulings set to be released in the coming days before the MAGA justices retreat to their summer resorts and junkets until the first Monday in October. How lucky for them.
Robert tells us what the NYC primary sweep for Mayor Mamdani backed candidates means for the 2026 elections and the reinvention of the Democratic Party. We look at any lessons for Wisconsin’s upcoming election, including the governor’s race.
What would a progressive Congress in 2027 and beyond do? We welcome Catherine Rowland from the Progressive Caucus Action Fund to discuss a Town Hall Wednesday, July 8th, 6pm in Racine, Wisconsin featuring members of Congress, Rep. Gwen Moore, Rep. Mark Pocan, and Caucus leader Rep. Pramila Jayapal, among many other progressive luminaries. RSVP NOW
We look at a new report from the High Road Strategy Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison finding 458,800 Wisconsin workers would see higher wages (16% of the state’s workforce.) if Wisconsin passed a $20 minimum wage next year. 277,700 Wisconsin workers would be “indirectly affected”, as people earning just above the minimum wage would see raises as pay scales adjust upwards.
We close with a review of the 2026 election steal efforts by President Trump, including Postmaster General testimony that U.S. The Post Office will not deliver mail in ballots of states (like WI) that do not hand over their voter files to Trump’s corrupt DOJ.
Listen to the show.
