Barca: Vos, GOP signal they ‘want to go to war’

Reports that Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is considering pushing legislation that would limit the power of new Democratic Governor-Elect Tony Evers is not sitting well with the man who defeated Governor Walker on Tuesday.

It’s also not sitting well with Kenosha Assembly Member Peter Barca.

“It sends a terrible signal that the very first thing out of their box after Governor Walker concedes the election is that they want to go to war, essentially,” Barca told WTMJ’s Jane Matenaer in a 1-on-1 conversation.

“Governor Evers on his election night victory specifically mentioned he really does want to work effectively on a bipartisan basis throughout the campaign, but specifically mentioned Speaker Vos and Leader Fitzgerald that he’d be calling them and talking to them because he wanted to move the state forward.”

The GOP-controlled State Assembly and Senate could both hold lame-duck sessions and pass legislation for outgoing Governor Walker to sign before Evers takes office in January.

Barca said he does see some things that “did go too far” about past legislation giving the governor’s office too much power in administrative work processes going through that desk, but he said he’d rather see bipartisan discussion between Evers and GOP legislative leaders.

“It would be far better received by the new administration and by the people of Wisconsin if they were to sit down together and say ‘Look, here are concerns we have, here are some things we need to bring forward, and we want to have a little different balance of powers and try to work together to get things done effectively.’ “

WTMJ has reached out to Speaker Vos for comment.

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