There are signs that the overwhelming rejection of race and gender preferences by voters in Michigan is having a political ripple effect. Republican politicians have been notoriously reluctant to get behind such efforts. Yet Republican legislators in Wisconsin are girding for battle against a new decision by the University of Wisconsin system to consider race and ethnicity in admissions. While conservatives have been successfully forcing colleges throughout the country to open up race exclusive programs, the University of Wisconsin has stood by its restrictive policies. This, too, is likely to provoke the ire of Republican legislators in Wisconsin. Here’s a report on the changes at the University of Wisconsin. And here’s a report on resistance by Wisconsin Republicans.

Voters in Michigan passed the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative by a margin of 58 to 42 percent, in a Democratic state, in a Democratic year. Has this awakened Republicans to the fact that the public opposes race preferences? The Wisconsin state legislature is dominated by Democrats, and no constitutional amendment can pass without legislative approval. Even so, Republicans may be able to block increases in funding for the university system, and in the process remind voters where the Democrats stand on preferences. Corner readers in Wisconsin–please get out and support Republican state legislators fighting race preferences.