>> PROFESSOR CHERGOSKY, THANKS VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ON APRIL 4th, WISCONSIN VOTERS WILL ELECT THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE THAT WILL DETERMINE THE IDEOLOGICAL BALANCE OF THE COURT.

ON THAT SAME DAY, VOTERS IN THE NORTHERN MILWAUKEE SUBURBS WILL ELECT A STATE SENATOR THAT COULD DETERMINE SOMETHING EQUALLY AS LARGE.

WHETHER REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE HOLD A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY.

SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER, ZAC SCHULTZ, HAS THE STORY.

>> HI.

HOW ARE YOU?

I'M JODI HABUSH SINYKIN.

I'M RUNNING FOR WISCONSIN STATE SENATE.

>> I'M DAN KNODL, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, RUNNING NOW FOR STATE SENATOR.

>> THE SPECIAL ELECTION IN THE EIGHTH SENATE DISTRICT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE OVERLOOKED ON APRIL 4th.

AFTER ALL, NO MATTER THE OUTCOME, REPUBLICANS WILL STILL CONTROL THE LEGISLATURE AND DEMOCRAT TONY EVERS WILL STILL BE GOVERNOR.

IF DAN KNODL WINS, HE WILL BECOME THE 22nd REPUBLICAN IN THE SENATE, GIVING THEM A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY.

BUT REPUBLICANS WOULD STILL BE A COUPLE VOTES SHY OF TWO-THIRDS IN THE ASSEMBLY.

SO THERE'S NO THREAT OF THEM BEING ABLE TO OVERRIDE A VETO FROM GOVERNOR TONY EVERS.

>> WISCONSIN IS, IN FACT A TIPPING POINT.

>> BUT DEMOCRAT JODI HABUSH SINYKIN IS TRYING TO CONVINCE VOTERS THE OUTCOME COULD IMPACT THE ENTIRE STATE.

>> I HAVE SOME LITERATURE IF I COULD GIVE TO YOU AND JUST IMPRESS UPON YOU THE IMPORTANCE OF THE APRIL 4th SPECIAL ELECTION.

>> SURE.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>> THAT'S BECAUSE TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY IN THE SENATE WOULD GIVE REPUBLICANS IN THE LEGISLATURE THE POWER OF IMPEACHMENT, THE ABILITY TO REMOVE CIVIL OFFICERS OF THE STATE FROM OFFICE FOR REASONS OF CORRUPT CONDUCT.

>> I WOULD HOPE VOTERS DO HAVE THAT IN THEIR MIND.

I WILL PUT IT IN THEIR MIND BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT.

>> DAN KNODL WOULD BE THE 22nd VOTE AND HE'S EAGER TO TEST OUT THE LEGAL LIMITS OF IMPEACHMENT, EVEN IF ANY ATTEMPT WOULD LIKELY BE CHALLENGED IN COURT.

>> I THINK WE HAVE TO BE HONEST.

THAT IS LIKELY I HAVE REQUESTS OUT RIGHT NOW FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE CONSTITUTIONALLY SCHOLARLY THAN I AM TO TELL ME, WELL, GIVE ME AN OPINION ON WHAT THIS AUTHORITY MIGHT PROVIDE.

>> BUT 2014 MEMORANDUM FROM THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MAKES CLEAR THE TERM "CIVIL OFFICERS" IS NOT DEFINED.

SO THE FIRST QUESTION IS WHETHER THIS WOULD ONLY APPLY TO APPOINTING CABINET LEVEL OFFICIALS OR STATE BOARD MEMBERS OR WHETHER REPUBLICANS COULD TRY TO IMPEACH GOVERNOR EVERS OR JOSH KAUL OR A MEMBER OF THE WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT.

>> THAT'S THE QUESTION, AND THAT WE MAY NOT KNOW THE ANSWER UNLESS WE TEST THAT AND USE THAT AUTHORITY AND SEE HOW IT SHAKES OUT, BUT I WILL INITIALLY LOOK AT IT.

THAT COULD INVOLVE ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL, PARTICULARLY ELECTED OFFICIALS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AS WELL.

SO I WOULD THINK IT'S -- I VIEW IT INITIALLY AS ALL ENCOMPASSING.

>> THOSE TYPE OF SHENANIGANS, THOSE GAMES OF IMPEACHMENT WHETHER THEY'RE TIED UP IN COURT OR NOT, IT'S NOT WHAT WE NEED IN WISCONSIN.

>> A WIN BY JODI HABUSH SINYKIN WOULD TAKE IMPEACHMENT OFF THE TABLE, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT SHE'S CAMPAIGNING ON.

>> AND I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU WERE SUPPORTIVE AND IF THERE'S ISSUES YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT.

>> WELL, WHAT ISSUES ARE YOU RUNNING ON?

>> I'M VERY MUCH RUNNING ON WOMEN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE AND HAVE HEALTHCARE OPTIONS.

>> LIKE DEMOCRATS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SINCE THE FALL OF ROE VERSUS WADE, SHE'S CAMPAIGNING ON ABORTION.

>> WHAT I AM CONTINUING TO HEAR THE GRAVEST CONCERN TO FOLKS IS WOMEN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE AND WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE OPTIONS IN GENERAL.

THAT'S REALLY THE NUMBER ONE.

>> AND TO ME BEING PRO-LIFE IS A POSITIVE THING.

>> KNODL HAS BEEN IN THE ASSEMBLY OR 14 YEARS AND HAS REPRESENTED LARGE PORTIONS OF THE SENATE DISTRICT OVER THAT TIME.

HE SAYS THAT REPRESENTATION EXTENDS BEYOND THOSE ALREADY LIVING HERE.

>> SO I BELIEVE I NEED TO BE THE VOICE OF NOT ONLY THOSE THAT ARE ADULTS, BUT YOUNGER PEOPLE AND THE UNBORN.

THEY DON'T HAVE A VOICE.

>> REPUBLICANS IN THE ASSEMBLY RECENTLY INTRODUCED A BILL THAT WOULD PROVIDE RAPE AND INCEST EXCEPTIONS FOR ABORTION IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER AND CLARIFIES WHEN AN ABORTION CAN BE PERFORMED TO SAVE THE LIFE OF A MOTHER.

>> I DON'T THINK PEOPLE GIVE ENOUGH CREDENCE TO CURRENT LAW WHICH PROTECTS THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER, WHICH IS A MAIN FACTOR.

SO -- BUT I AM ALSO -- I DO SUPPORT RAPE AND INCEST EXCEPTIONS.

>> THE BILL WILL GO NOWHERE AS GOVERNOR EVERS PROMISED A VETO AND SENATE REPUBLICANS SAID THEY WON'T EVEN TAKE IT UP.

JODI HABUSH SINYKIN SAYS EVEN SUPPORTING THE ASSEMBLY BILL PUTS KNODL OUT OF LINE WITH MOST VOTERS.

>> WHAT THEY DON'T APPRECIATE IS THAT KNODL, WHO IS MY OPPONENT, IS EXTREME ON ABORTION.

>> THE EIGHTH SENATE DISTRICT HAS BEEN A SAFE REPUBLICAN SEAT FOR DECADES.

REPUBLICAN ALBERTA DARLING HELD THE SEAT FOR 30 YEARS BUT SHE RESIGNED LAST FALL, SETTING UP THE SPECIAL ELECTION TO FILL OUT THE LAST TWO YEARS OF HER TERM.

OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS, THE SEAT HAS FOLLOWED THE PATH OF SUBURBS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND SHIFTED MORE DEMOCRATIC.

>> I HAVE TO ADMIT, CERTAINLY THERE'S A SHIFT THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON.

JUST LOOK AT THE ELECTION CYCLES.

>> KNODL SAYS SOME OF THAT SHIFT HAS BEEN PEOPLE MOVING OUT OF MILWAUKEE TO GET AWAY FROM CRIME.

>> AND NOBODY CAN DENY THAT THERE'S CRIME, RISING CRIME PROBLEM IN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE AND THAT EXTENDS OUT INTO THE SUBURBS AND SO WE FEEL THAT.

>> HA JODI HABUSH SINYKIN SAYS REPUBLICANS ARE TO BLAME FOR SHORT-CHANGING REVENUE, PREVENTING CITIES FROM HIRING ENOUGH POLICE OFFICERS.

>> THIS LEGISLATURE REALLY UNDER MY OPPONENT'S WATCH, THEY ARE PART OF THIS PROBLEM.

THEY ARE NOT PROVIDING OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH WHAT THEY NEED TO KEEP US SAFE.

>> KNODL HAS A DIFFERENT SOLUTION TO BATTLING CRIME IN MILWAUKEE.

HE WANTS TO SEE THE SENATE USE ITS NEW IMPEACHMENT POWERS TO TARGET JOHN CHISHOLM.

>> I'VE HAD STATEMENTS BEFORE CALLING FOR HIS RESIGNATION.

JUST DON'T FEEL THAT -- AND WHEN WE SEE THE REVOLVING DOOR, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN MILWAUKEE AND WE SEE THE COURT CASES AND THE AFTERMATH OF PEOPLE GETTING OUT WITHOUT -- WITH LOW BAIL, SPECIFICALLY AND CAUSING EVEN MORE HARM.

THAT'S A PROBLEM AND THAT GOES TO THE PROSECUTOR.

>> IT'S A CLASSIC MOVE TO POINT TO AN INDIVIDUAL, A REPRESENTATIVE TRYING TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND BLAME THEM FOR THE VERY THINGS THAT THEIR POLICIES ARE CAUSING.

>> REPORTING FROM GERMANTOWN,