Wisconsin Voters Reject Ballot Questions That Limit Governor’s Power To Spend Federal Money

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin voters on Tuesday rejected Republican-authored ballot questions that would have limited the governor’s power to spend federal money that comes to the state for disaster relief or any other crisis, unless it’s already earmarked.

The constitutional amendments were placed on the ballot by the GOP-controlled Legislature.

Wisconsin voters also set the field in a closely watched Senate contest Tuesday, with Republican businessman Eric Hovde, who was endorsed by Donald Trump, easily winning Wisconsin’s Republican Senate primary.

But two of Trump’s biggest backers in the Legislature, including one endorsed by the former president, lost in primaries to more moderate Republicans.

State Rep. Janel Brandtjen, who Trump endorsed, lost in a primary to current Sen. Dan Knodl, a race between two Republican incumbents created under newly drawn legislative districts. And former Rep. Tim Ramthun lost to Sen. Dan Feyen.

Both Brandtjen and Ramthun had pushed to decertify President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory.

Rejection of the ballot measures was a huge win for liberals.

Democrats, including Gov. Tony Evers, and a host of liberal groups and others organized against the amendments. They had argued adopting them would slow down the distribution of money when it needs to be spent quickly.

But Republican backers argued the measures would have added more oversight and serve as a check on the governor’s powers.

Republicans pushed the amendments after taking issue with Evers having the power to distribute billions of dollars in COVID-19 federal relief money without legislative approval.

In the Senate race, Hovde faced only nominal opposition and has been running as the presumptive nominee for months. He’s already spent at