Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers Declines Re-Election Bid for 2026

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, announced on July 24, 2025, that he will not seek a third term in the upcoming 2026 elections. The 73-year-old incumbent made this announcement through a video posted on the social media platform X, citing a desire to spend more time with his family as his primary reason for stepping back from the political arena. Evers stated, "For five decades, my family has sacrificed to give me the gift of service. They’re my world, and I owe it to them to focus on doing all the things we enjoy and love doing together. It’s why, Wisconsin, I’m announcing that I will not be running for a third term." He expressed confidence in his chances of winning had he decided to run again, asserting, "Would I win if I ran? Of course, no question about that. But whether I'd win or not has never been part of my calculus about running again."

Evers' decision is significant as it opens the field for a competitive race to replace him in a state that has become a focal point of political contention. Wisconsin is recognized as one of the most closely divided battleground states in the nation, with recent elections highlighting its pivotal role in national politics. In the 2020 presidential election, for instance, Donald Trump narrowly secured Wisconsin's electoral votes, and the state has seen fluctuating support for both major political parties in recent years.

As Evers concludes his tenure, discussions about potential successors are already underway. Several prominent Democrats, including State Attorney General Josh Kaul and Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez, have either publicly or privately expressed interest in running for the governorship. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson are also potential candidates, reflecting a desire among party insiders to see a diverse field of candidates in the primaries.

On the Republican side, the race is also heating up. Candidates Josh Schoemann, the county executive of Washington County, and Bill Berrien, a manufacturing CEO from Milwaukee, have officially declared their candidacies. Both have positioned themselves as alternatives to the Democratic legacy in Wisconsin, with Berrien accusing Evers of being "too scared to run on the Madison Democrats’ record of failure." Additionally, former U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde and Tim Michels, who lost to Evers in the 2022 election, are contemplating their own bids, alongside U.S. Representative Tom Tiffany, who has not ruled out a run.

Evers' announcement also aligns with a broader trend within the Democratic Party to encourage new and younger leadership, particularly following the experiences of the 2024 election cycle. Polling data from Marquette University Law School in June indicated that 83% of registered Wisconsin Democrats supported Evers seeking re-election, though the state's general electorate remains more divided, with 42% overall favoring his candidacy as opposed to 55% against it.

In response to Evers' decision, Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Devin Remiker described him as "one of the most successful governors in our history," attributing his leadership with significant progress in the state. As the political landscape shifts, both parties will need to navigate the complexities of a competitive electoral environment in 2026, with implications for local policies and national party dynamics. The upcoming months are expected to be filled with strategic maneuvering as candidates emerge and campaign for the governorship, setting the stage for a potentially transformative election cycle in Wisconsin.