Republican Scott Walker (left) is seeking a third four-year term as governor. Democrat Tony Evers is the longtime state schools superintendent.

Scott Walker and Tony Evers: Fact checking the candidates for Wisconsin governor

All of the 2018 campaign checks on the Republican incumbent and his Democratic challenger.

Rulings from PolitiFact National

Says Mike Braun has supported two proposals and a lawsuit to end coverage for ... — Joe Donnelly
Says Sen. Dean Heller "wants to cut programs like Social Security and Medicare to ... — Jacky Rosen
Says Jacky Rosen "skipped work ... at the expense of veterans" to "attend a ... — Dean Heller
"President Trump in his first year and a half has already tripled what President ... — Sarah Huckabee Sanders
"Hospitals are closing in rural America because they don't have access to high-speed internet." — Marsha Blackburn
"Most of that money (made by the NFL) goes to the players." — Donald Trump
Says "43 of Joe’s legislative proposals have become law, including 21 since President Trump ... — Joe Donnelly
Says Matt Rosendale "consistently supported land use rules that would help developers like him ... — Jon Tester
"America’s hard-working agricultural producers … have taken a disproportionate hit when it comes to ... — Sonny Perdue
"I've always voted for keeping the government open. I’ve never cast a vote to ... — Kevin Cramer
"You see the Nazi platform from the early 1930s ... look at it compared ... — Donald Trump Jr.
Says the Koch Brothers sponsored "a study that shows that Medicare for All would ... — Bernie Sanders
"U.S. Steel just announced that they are building six new steel mills." — Donald Trump
Says HHS Secretary Alex Azar called family separations at the border and detention of ... — Equity Forward
"Just last year we gave the military a $700 billion budget increase, which they ... — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

The Latest from PolitiFact Wisconsin

Mostly True

Issue is still on the table

Baldwin

"President Trump continues to disrespect patriotic transgender Americans who want to serve their country."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Monday, August 20th, 2018

False

Read beyond the headline

Baldwin

Says the Trump administration "has banned the CDC even using the word ‘transgender.’ "

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Friday, August 17th, 2018

True

Lawmakers not immune to open records law

Club for Growth

Club for Growth

Says Leah Vukmir "claimed the open records law didn't apply to her, got sued, lost and cost taxpayers $15,000 in legal fees."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Tuesday, August 14th, 2018

Half-True

Attorney-client privilege involved

Republican Party of Wisconsin

Republican Party of Wisconsin

Claims that Democratic candidate for governor Matt Flynn "told one child predator to ‘wait and see,’ when he should have turned him in to authorities."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Friday, August 10th, 2018

Mostly False

More middling

Pade

"Wisconsin's still one of the highest-taxed states in the country."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Friday, August 10th, 2018

Half-True

Longtime defender of Milwaukee archdiocese

Flynn

Says he was "not part of transferring" any priests accused of sexual abuse.

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Friday, August 10th, 2018

Half-True

Some Democrats aiming for 50% cut over time

Walker

"A number of Democrats running for governor want to cut the prison population by 50%" and "that would require the release of thousands of violent felons."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Thursday, August 9th, 2018

Half-True

One-two punch scores half

Republican Party of Wisconsin

Republican Party of Wisconsin

Says Mahlon Mitchell "received a massive raise on the backs of hard-working firefighters and turned the union into his own personal political slush fund."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Thursday, August 9th, 2018

False

She backed other Republicans initially

Vukmir

"I have always been there with" Donald Trump.

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Wednesday, August 8th, 2018

False

Has become big supporter

Nicholson

Kevin Nicholson

Says Leah Vukmir said: "I’m not endorsing Donald Trump."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Wednesday, August 8th, 2018

Mostly False

Guilt-by-association claim lacks evidence

Baldwin

"New reports show Kevin Nicholson made over $1 million advising companies that shut down Wisconsin plants and laid off 1,900 people."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Tuesday, August 7th, 2018

Half-True

Nugget found while cherry picking

Vukmir

Says Tammy Baldwin's record includes "opposing harsher punishments for criminals who commit violent crimes near schools."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Tuesday, August 7th, 2018

False

Admits he erred

Evers

"Since Scott Walker has been our governor, we’ve gone from 50 percent state funding for the" University of Wisconsin System "to 15 percent."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Monday, August 6th, 2018

Half-True

Whether teacher's behavior violated state law key

Republican Party of Wisconsin

Republican Party of Wisconsin

Says Tony Evers "didn't revoke the license of a teacher caught spreading pornography and commenting on the bodies of middle-school girls."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Monday, August 6th, 2018

Mostly False

Only a record in raw dollars

Walker

Says he made "a record investment in schools."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Friday, August 3rd, 2018

Full Flop

From no 'sabotage' to undoing 'crooked deal'

Flynn

On whether he would seek to undo the Foxconn deal.

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Thursday, August 2nd, 2018

Mostly False

Mixes apples and oranges

Mitchell

Mahlon Mitchell

Says Scott Walker "has cut more from public education than he's put back in, obviously. He took $1.6 billion and some change away and then puts back $630 million and he's calling that progress."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Wednesday, August 1st, 2018

Mostly False

Violation is not the same as fraud

Flynn

Says Foxconn "is under investigation in mainland China for securities fraud, environmental fraud and labor fraud."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Tuesday, July 31st, 2018

False

He says he was surprised to learn it's been almost 40

La Follette

Doug La Follette

Says he’s been Wisconsin secretary of state "around 25 years."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Monday, July 30th, 2018

Mostly False

Scientists can share expertise

Roys

Kelda Helen Roys

Says "political interference" from Scott Walker’s administration has led to "gagging (DNR) scientists so they can no longer comment on proposed legislation" and "we’re letting polluters write their own permits."

— PolitiFact Wisconsin on Friday, July 27th, 2018

PolitiFact Wisconsin is a partnership of the
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and PolitiFact.com, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Web site of the Tampa Bay Times, to help you find the truth in politics.

Every day, reporters and researchers from the Journal Sentinel examine statements by Wisconsin elected officials and candidates and anyone else who speaks up on matters of public importance. We research their statements and then rate the accuracy on our Truth-O-Meter:

TRUE – The statement is accurate and there’s nothing significant missing.

MOSTLY TRUE – The statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information.

HALF TRUE – The statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details or takes things out of context.

MOSTLY FALSE – The statement contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression.

FALSE – The statement is not accurate.

PANTS ON FIRE – The statement is not accurate and makes a ridiculous claim.

For more details, see the Principles of PolitiFact and the Truth-O-Meter.

The latest from the Walk-O-Meter

Promise Kept

46 (%)

Compromise

11 (%)

Promise Broken

20 (%)

Stalled

3 (%)

In the Works

6 (%)