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Who Will Replace Milwaukee’s Controversial Election Chief?

With the shuffling of election chiefs this close to a major election, many are skeptical, especially considering Milwaukee’s checkered electoral past.

Now that Milwaukee’s embattled election chief Claire Woodall has been unceremoniously ousted, Republicans across the swing state of Wisconsin are left wondering if this change spells genuine reform or merely a reshuffling of the same old deck. In a move announced by Mayor Cavalier Johnson, a Democrat with far-left leanings, Woodall will be replaced just six months shy of the November presidential showdown. This switch-up, curiously, has nothing to do with her questionable management of the razor-thin 2020 election, according to the mayor’s office, but rather “other issues” that remain mysteriously unspecified.

The entire ordeal reeks of political maneuvering. Woodall, who was notoriously in bed with leftist “voter rights” activists and embroiled in the Zuckerberg-funded election meddling scandal, seems to have fallen out of favor. Her successor, Paulina Gutierrez, Woodall’s right hand for over a year, steps into a role clouded by her predecessor’s controversial legacy. 

But let’s be clear: this isn’t just a routine administrative change. It’s a critical pivot point in a city that has become a focal battleground for election integrity. Under Woodall’s watch, Milwaukee was a hotspot for “Zuckbucks” — where huge sums were pumped into Democrat-majority cities under the guise of pandemic election safety. These actions cast long shadows over the fairness of the election process, tainting the trust voters place in their electoral system.

Now, as we edge closer to another contentious election, the real question looms: Will Gutierrez champion transparency and impartiality, or will she follow in the footsteps of her predecessor, bending the rules to benefit the same political allies? This change at the helm of Milwaukee’s election commission may just be a cosmetic fix, a sop to those calling for accountability, while the deeper issues of integrity and fairness remain unaddressed.

The situation is compounded by the mayor’s suspicious timing and vague justifications. Such ambiguity does nothing but fuel further distrust and speculation among voters who are already wary of the shadowy dealings that seem to pervade their electoral system. If anything, Mayor Johnson owes the public a full explanation — not just a cryptic note about “internal issues.”

Wisconsinites have every right to be skeptical. After all, when election chiefs are shuffled this close to a major election, especially in a swing state with Milwaukee’s checkered electoral past, it’s hard not to smell a rat. Whether this change marks a genuine step toward restoring voter confidence or just another chapter in the Democrats’ playbook of control and manipulation remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the citizens of Milwaukee, and indeed all of Wisconsin, must stay vigilant. The integrity of their elections may very well depend on it.

Robert Chernin

Robert Chernin

Robert B. Chernin has brought his years of political consulting and commentary back to radio. As a longtime entrepreneur, business leader, fundraiser and political confidant, Robert has a unique perspective with insights not heard anyway else. Robert has consulted on federal and statewide campaigns at the gubernatorial, congressional, senatorial, and presidential level. He served in leadership roles in the presidential campaigns of President George W. Bush as well as McCain for President. He led Florida’s Victory 2004’s national Jewish outreach operations as Executive Director. In addition, he served on the President’s Committee of the Republican Jewish Coalition. Robert co-founded and served as president of the Electoral Science Institute, a non-profit organization that utilizes behavioral science to increase voter participation and awareness. Robert can be heard on multiple radio stations and viewed on the “Of the People” podcast where you get your podcasts.