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Tony Evers Won’t Seek Third Term, Opening 2026 Wisconsin Governor’s Race

He cited a desire to focus on family after five decades in politics, unleashing competitive primaries in a state decided by razor-thin margins.

FILE - Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers gives the annual State of the State address Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, at the state Capitol in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers at the Wisconsin Democrats 2025 Convention in 2025.
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Governor Tony Evers

Overview

  • On July 24, Gov. Tony Evers announced via a video on X that he will not run for a third term, saying he owes it to his family after 50 years in public service.
  • His decision ends an incumbency that began with his 2018 victory over Scott Walker and continued with his 2022 reelection, creating Wisconsin’s first open gubernatorial contest since 2010.
  • Potential Democratic contenders—Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Attorney General Josh Kaul, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson—have already indicated interest.
  • Two Republicans, Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and businessman Bill Berrien, have launched campaigns, while U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and former nominee Tim Michels are weighing bids.
  • Wisconsin was won by President Trump by about 30,000 votes in 2024, making the 2026 open race a national bellwether with control of the governor’s office potentially shaping the midterm landscape.