# 2026 Wisconsin gubernatorial election

Elections in Wisconsin :
Federal government
Presidential elections
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U.S. Senate elections
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2026 :
State government
General elections
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Gubernatorial elections
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Lieutenant Gubernatorial elections
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1968
2012 (recall)
Secretary of State elections
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2014
2018
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2026
Attorney General elections
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2018
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Treasurer elections
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2022
Superintendent elections
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State Senate elections
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State Assembly elections
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Supreme Court elections
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2025 :
Ballot measures
2006Referendum 1
2025Question 1 :
Green Bay
Mayoral elections
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Madison
Mayoral elections
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Milwaukee
Mayoral elections
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Kenosha
Mayoral elections
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vte :
The 2026 Wisconsin gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Wisconsin. Incumbent Democratic Governor Tony Evers is eligible to run for re-election to a third term but has not announced if he will do so. This will be one of five Democratic-held governorships up for election in 2026 in a state won by Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election and the state with the closest presidential margin of victory at R+0.9.

## Background

Wisconsin is considered to be a purple state at the federal and state levels with a uniquely competitive track record (presidential races decided by less than a point in 2016, 2020, 2024, Senate races decided by roughly a point in 2022 and 2024, a governor’s race decided by a point in 2018). The past two Wisconsin elections featured split outcomes, with Democrats winning for governor and Republicans for Senate in 2022, and Democrats winning for Senate and Republicans for president in 2024. Wisconsin has voted with the winner of the last five Presidential elections, and in 2024 had the second highest voter turnout levels in the country behind Minnesota and one of the biggest turnout increases in the country.
Both parties have seen success in the state in recent years. Republicans narrowly control both chambers of the Wisconsin Legislature and hold a supermajority in Wisconsin's U.S. House delegation. However, Democrats control most statewide executive offices and have won the last two gubernatorial races.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Publicly expressed interest

* Tony Evers, incumbent governor (2019–present) (decision expected in mid-2025)

#### Potential

* David Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive (2020–present)
* Sarah Godlewski, Wisconsin Secretary of State (2023–present), former Wisconsin State Treasurer (2019–2023), and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2022
* Cavalier Johnson, Mayor of Milwaukee (2021–present)
* Josh Kaul, Attorney General of Wisconsin (2019–present)
* Sara Rodriguez, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin (2023–present)
* Kelda Roys, state senator from the 26th district (2021–present) and candidate for governor in 2018
* Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party (2019–present)

## Republican primary
### Candidates
#### Publicly expressed interest

* Josh Schoemann, Washington County Executive (2020–present)
* Patrick Testin, state senator from the 24th district (2017–present) and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2022
* Tom Tiffany, U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 7th congressional district (2020–present) (decision expected after April 1, 2025)

#### Potential

* Eric Hovde, bank executive, nominee for U.S. Senate in 2024 and candidate in 2012
* Rebecca Kleefisch, former lieutenant governor (2011–2019) and candidate for governor in 2022
* Will Martin, former director of strategic workforce initiatives for the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2022

#### Declined

* Bill Berrien, manufacturing executive
* Bill McCoshen, WTMJ-TV host and owner of the Janesville Jets
* Bryan Steil, U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 1st congressional district (2019–present)

## Green primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Jill Ferguson, retiree

## General election
### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Tossup | January 23, 2025 |
| Inside Elections | Battleground | February 6, 2025 |