Wisconsin Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez announces her bid for the 2026 governorship, criticizing former President Trump as a "maniac".
The 2026 Wisconsin gubernatorial race is shaping up to be a highly competitive contest, with a diverse field of candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties vying for the seat.
Incumbent Governor Tony Evers, who has been in office since 2019, is yet to announce his decision regarding a potential third term. However, several Democrats have already expressed interest in running for the position, should Evers choose not to seek re-election.
Key Democratic candidates include Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who, if elected, would be the first Black governor of Wisconsin. Other notable contenders are Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Mayor of Milwaukee Cavalier Johnson, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, state senators Kelda Roys and Chris Larson, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson, and current Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez. Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, is also among the potential candidates.
Tip McGuire, another potential candidate, has declined to run but has endorsed Evers.
On the Republican side, Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and suburban Milwaukee businessman Bill Berrien are the only announced candidates so far. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and state Senate President Mary Felzkowski are considering running for governor.
Sara Rodriguez, who won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor in 2022 after Mandela Barnes decided to run for the Senate, launched her candidacy for governor on her 50th birthday. Rodriguez, if elected, would be Wisconsin's first woman governor. She emphasized her background as a nurse and her intentions to continue Evers' policies on reproductive freedom, public school investment, and economic rebuilding. Rodriguez, who has a master's degree in public health, worked as a health care executive and an epidemic intelligence service officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before entering politics.
Rodriguez won a seat previously under Republican control and was motivated to enter politics due to how Republicans handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
The policy focus areas for these candidates, while generally aligned with Democratic priorities, are not exhaustively detailed at this stage. However, the current political context and previous campaigns suggest likely emphasis on education and economic development, healthcare access and affordability, local government and urban issues, and environmental policies and infrastructure.
The race is expected to be particularly competitive, especially since this will likely be an open seat if Evers declines to run. Public opinion polls reflect some Democratic voter ambivalence about a third Evers term, despite strong party support overall.
In her speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Rodriguez emphasized the importance of health care, including protecting abortion rights.
This developing race promises to be a fascinating spectacle, with a broad Democratic field, an uncertain incumbent, and an emerging Republican contest. As the election date approaches, we can expect more candidates to announce their intentions and detailed policy platforms to emerge.
- The business world and the political arena are closely watching the 2026 Wisconsin gubernatorial race, as a diverse group of Democrats and Republicans prepare to compete for the seat.
- In addition to education and economic development, healthcare access and affordability are likely to be key focus areas for Democratic candidates, given the prominence of health-related issues in the contest.
- As marketing strategies unfold for the various candidates, political news outlets and general-news sources will provide extensive coverage, following the race's development from its early stages to the primary elections and the ultimate contest in the general election.
- With Sara Rodriguez, a promising female candidate with a background in healthcare and nursing, focusing on reproductive freedom and protecting abortion rights, the 2026 Wisconsin gubernatorial race may significantly impact the health-and-wellness landscape in the state.
