The WBA Foundation Board will continue its 36-year tradition of holding statewide televised debates for Wisconsin’s voters by airing a general election debate in the 2026 Wisconsin gubernatorial race. The debate will be conducted by teams of broadcasters from stations and communities across Wisconsin.
Qualifying gubernatorial candidates will be invited to participate in the debate on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m., hosted by Milwaukee PBS. Radio and television stations from across Wisconsin will participate in the production of the debate.
The following broadcasters will make up the panel:
Elly Laliberte, Political Reporter, News 3 Now (WISC-TV), Madison
Kim Leadhom, Anchor/Reporter, WEAU 13 News (WEAU-TV), Eau Claire
Aisha Morales, Morning News, Safety, and Traffic Anchor, WBAY-TV, Green Bay
Kim Murphy, Anchor, Fox6 News (WITI-TV), Milwaukee
Steve Resnick, President/General Manager, Sunrise Broadcasting (WJMT/WAVL), Merrill
The question team will work with a team of journalists making up the data team to research issues important to voters and to produce debate questions that elicit specific, meaningful answers from candidates. During the debate, as members of the question team address the candidates, the data team will provide background, context, and resources to voters via digital and social platforms.
Here are the broadcasters making up the data team:
Kathryn Merck, Reporter, CBS 58 (WDJT-TV), Milwaukee
Adam Roberts, Reporter, 620WTMJ, Milwaukee
Devin Willems, Digital Content Director, WFRV-TV, Green Bay
The hour-long debate will be made available to radio and television stations throughout Wisconsin for live or delayed broadcast.
The debate will be moderated by veteran television debate moderator and WBA Hall of Fame inductee Jill Geisler. Geisler is Clinical Professor of Journalism, Leadership and Ethics at Loyola University Chicago. She’s from Wisconsin and was one of the first female news directors of a major market affiliate when she was news director at WITI-TV in Milwaukee. She moderated WBAF debates in 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2024.
Joyce Garbaciak will serve as consultant to the debate teams. She is Special Projects Reporter for WISN-TV in Milwaukee and member of the WBA Hall of Fame.
The WBA encourages its members to inform the public by airing this debate and their own programming to help educate voters ahead of the election.
The WBA Foundation debate is sponsored by the Wisconsin Counties Association.
The WBA is a non-partisan statewide trade association representing radio and television broadcasters across the state.
Questions or inquiries about the debates should be directed to debate@wbafoundation.org.
