Although it began as a quiet race with few candidates, the Wisconsin race for governor has heated up exponentially in the past couple of weeks. Since Sept. 15, five new candidates have thrown their hats into the ring. 

Following Gov. Tony Evers’ announcement that he will not be competing for a third term, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez became the first democrat to announce a campaign for the seat. 

She visited Lazy Monk Brewing in Eau Claire on Monday, Sept. 15 to talk with constituents as part of her ongoing tour through the state of Wisconsin. 

“I think what I bring to this race is that I have statewide experience in elected office,” Rodriguez said. “But I have a lot of experience outside of that — I was a top executive for a healthcare company as well as vice president within a fortune 100 company. I think that balance between private industry experience and elected office is what people are looking for.”

Rodriguez is running alongside four other democrats: Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, State Senator Kelda Roys, State Representative Francesca Hong, and former State Rep. Brett Hulsey.

Crowley, Milwaukee’s top elected official, is vying to be the state’s first Black governor. He told the Associated Press that he “wants to be a ‘governor for all of us,’ focusing on lowering costs for families, affordable healthcare and housing and fully funding public schools.”

Roys, who came in third during the 2018 race for governor, is an attorney and small business owner who represents the city of Madison in the state senate. She said in an interview that her number one priority is helping working class families struggling to make ends meet.

Hong, a state lawmaker also from Madison, said she likes to consider herself the “wild card” of the race. Hong works multiple jobs in food service on top of serving on the State Assembly. As a single mother tasked with making ends meet, her campaign is emphasizing the candidate’s relatability and commitment to voter engagement.

Hulsey, who announced his campaign on Sept. 24, said in a press release that he believes the state “must unite to stop these vicious attacks on America.” According to the same release, Hulsey served in the Assembly for four years opposing Scott Walker’s Act 10 legislation.

“I respect anybody who wants to serve in the state of Wisconsin,” Rodriguez said of her democratic opponents. “I welcome anybody coming into this race who’s going to be a great candidate.”

Three republicans have also entered the gubernatorial race. Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and Milwaukee business owner Bill Berrien will be competing for the republican slot at the August 2026 primary. 

Just recently, on Sept. 23, U.S. representative Tom Tiffany, who represents Wisconsin’s 7th district, announced his campaign for the position.

Fred Kappus, chair of the Republican Party of Eau Claire County, said both of the republican candidates have visited Eau Claire. While his organization doesn’t endorse candidates, Kappus said he feels Wisconsin needs “a good conservative leader to get us back on track.”

At her campaign event in Eau Claire, Rodriguez reflected on her background as a working-class mother, the wife of an immigrant and a former emergency room nurse. She said her goal during this tour is to listen to Wisconsin voters and discuss their needs from the government.

“Every year I’ve been lieutenant governor, I have gone to all 72 counties,” Rodriguez said. “I have made it a priority to go and to listen to people. And what I have heard from them is that they are feeling squeezed.”

Rodriguez invited constituents to share their concerns within the Chippewa Valley. One resident asked about Rodriguez’s vision for the future of higher education in Wisconsin in the midst of federal budget cuts.

“In terms of where we are nationally for university funding, Wisconsin is near the bottom,” Rodriguez said. “I want to get us to the median or above in terms of supporting our universities, working with our technical college system so we have multiple pathways for folks to get the degrees they need.”

The Lt. Gov. also referenced the loss of international students that is resulting from recent federal immigration issues and funding cuts to scientific research efforts.

“If you were in another country right now and you were thinking about where to send your child for college, would that not give you a pause?” she said. “On top of losing that talent, we’re also having students who earn their PhDs and choose to leave the country and do research elsewhere.”

Gloria Hochstein, vice chair of the Eau Claire County Democratic Party, asked Rodriguez what her plans are regarding rural healthcare. Rodriguez said she hopes to “shore up” the funding for rural healthcare using state funding, as the federal government has not been providing the necessary support.

Eau Claire City Councilman Larry Mboga, the first local politician to endorse Rodriguez, joined her at the event and spoke in a later conversation on why he is confident in her as a candidate.

“I don’t think the other democrats are bad candidates,” Mboga said. “But Sara is one heartbeat from the governor. She’s been tested in state elections and won.”

Mboga said the main issues he is concerned about are the city’s finances and the financial struggles of working class citizens in Eau Claire. He said he hopes to see some of the state-wide shared revenue re-allocated to fund benefits for citizens in Eau Claire.

He also said he agrees with Rodriguez about the need to address climate issues like the presence of PFAS, or forever chemicals, which are contaminating Eau Claire drinking water. 

Rodriguez mentioned the other state elections coming up for Wisconsin.

“We have an opportunity to flip the state Senate,” Rodriguez said. “Flip the state assembly. Keep the governor seat. That’s a trifecta we have not had in many, many years. We can do the things that Wisconsin wants us to do — things that allow families not just to survive, but thrive.”

Wisconsin’s partisan primary election will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. The next governor of the state will be elected on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.

Wojahn can be reached at [email protected].