It’s been a wild 24 hours — and an even wilder three weeks — in Wisconsin politics. Just as the latest Marquette Law School Poll wrapped up, another major candidate dropped out of the Democratic primary for governor.

So, who better to help explain that than the premier pollster in the state? Dr. Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll, joins alongside UW-L political science professor Dr. Anthony Chergosky.

Together, they break down the latest polling data, unpack the chaos of a rapidly shifting candidate field — including Franklin’s story about hearing Mandela Barnes dropped out right after putting out a new poll and nearly driving into a ditch — and look under the hood at how modern polling actually works in a high-stakes swing state.

MAIN TOPICS:

• The Primary Moving Target: Dr. Franklin shares his real-time reaction to major candidate exits (including Barnes dropping out right after polling completed) and explains how pollsters re-allocate "second choice" votes and "leaners."

• The Rise of Francesca Hong: A breakdown of candidate trajectories — how Hong built steady, organic momentum among younger and very liberal voters while other campaigns remained flat or stalled out.

• How Polling Actually Works Today: Busting the myth of random digit landline calling. Dr. Franklin explains Marquette's modern hybrid methodology using voter lists, text/email links, online panels, and how they filter out low-attention or "trash" responses.

• MAGA, Socialist & Political Buzzwords: A look at Marquette's polling experiment on "Democratic Socialism" vs. "DSA" — and a discussion on how labels like "MAGA," "Socialist," and "Fascist" are weaponized on the campaign trail and whether overusing them dilutes their impact.

• The Limited Power of Endorsements: Why 89% of state Democrats approve of Gov. Tony Evers, yet his endorsement of David Crowley hasn't automatically translated into primary vote totals — plus why primary voters consistently make up their minds in the final days.