Crucial shortcomings catch up with Evers, GOP leaders, as ‘blockbuster’ deal fails in the Senate

On Monday morning, Gov. Tony Evers announced a “blockbuster” deal had been struck with Republican legislative leadership, but less than 72 hours later, the bill failed in the state Senate by a 15-18 vote, with all Democrats and three Republicans voting against the deal.

The $1.8 billion deal would have spent $850 million in rebate checks for some Wisconsinites, increased special education funding by raising the reimbursement rate to 50%, eliminated taxes on cash tips and overtime income, and provided some property tax relief (find more details on the proposal in this release from the governor’s office).

In failing at the finish line, this puts a spotlight on some of the more fraught elements of state government that have been lurking beneath the surface, particularly as it pertains to the state Senate.

First, there’s the fracturing Republican caucus in the state Senate, which has been a bit of an underexplored story under Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, particularly in this current session. The GOP holds a 18-15 majority, but as we’ve seen repeatedly in the 2025-26 session — including in the state budget vote in July 2025 — Senate Republicans are not all on the same page. Three of the four Republican senators who voted against the final version of the state budget — Steve Nass, Chris Kapenga and Rob Hutton — also voted against this deal.

But unlike with the state budget, this time, there were no Senate Democrats who voted in favor of the deal. All 15 voted against, and during comments on the Senate floor that preceded the vote — including from Democratic senators Jamie Wall and Kristin Dassler-Alfheim, who voted in favor of the budget last year —many sounded the alarm on claims of fiscal irresponsibility of the deal.

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