Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler speaks at a climate rally outside of Sen. Ron Johnson’s Madison office in 2021. (Henry Redman | Wisconsin Examiner)

There is no clear frontrunner in the Democratic primary for governor of Wisconsin. Attorney General Josh Kaul, with his name recognition and two statewide wins under his belt, might have been the favorite, except that he decided not to get in. Now former Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler has announced he won’t be using his star power and prodigious fundraising skills to take a run at the governor’s mansion.

I caught up with Wikler Thursday by phone while he was at home with his kids, working on a book about Wisconsin and national politics and fielding phone calls from reporters about his decision to stay out of the race. Despite his decision, Wikler is still involved in politics behind the scenes, raising money and helping create an infrastructure to support his party’s eventual nominee for governor as well as Democrats who are trying to win seats in the Legislature and in Congress.

Wikler deserves a lot of credit for the recent hopeful direction of politics in Wisconsin — culminating in the election of a liberal state Supreme Court majority that forced an end to gerrymandered voting maps which previously locked in hugely disproportionate Republican legislative majorities in our 50/50 state. His vision for a progressive political revival in Wisconsin and across the nation delighted a lot of grassroots Democrats as well as Jon Stewart of “The Daily Show”, who urged him to run for president after listening to Wikler describe what Democrats need to do to reconnect with working class voters and turn the political tide.

As Wisconsin Republicans coalesce around U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a yes-man for President Donald Trump, the stakes in the Wisconsin governor’s race could not be higher. But Wikler says he’s not worried.

“I think there are multiple candidates who can absolutely win and could do a perfect job on our side,” he said on the phone. “I don’t see the same on the Republican side. I think Tom Tiffany is a real political misfire for the GOP in a moment like this.”  

“I have a real conviction that we have a very clear path to be able to win. Not without a fight — this is Wisconsin — but I would rather be Team Democrats and democracy and an economy that works for working people than Team MAGA and tariffs and authoritarian masked men grabbing people off the street.”

Still, on a recent weekend drive through the Driftless Area, I saw huge Trump banners flying over fields of soybeans farmers can’t sell because of Trump’s trade war with China. It might be hard for some voters, even those who are hurt by Trump administration policies, to switch teams as people’s core sense of identity is so tied to polarized political team loyalties.

“I think it’s true for all of us that it’s hard to come to the conclusion that it’s time to change after you’ve been going one way for a good while,” Wikler said. “But it’s also the case that in Wisconsin things don’t have to change very much to get a dramatically different result.”

Elections in this swing state will continue to be close. “But there’s every possibility of being able to energize and turn out several percentage points more people in a way that could generate a Democratic trifecta and help flip the U.S. House and shift power in local offices across the state,” he added.

In his unsuccessful bid for national Democratic Party chair, Wikler talked about how Democrats had lost working class votes and needed to reclaim their lost status as champions of working people. They needed to “show the receipts” for their work winning better health care, affordable housing, more opportunity and a better quality of life for the people that used to be their natural constituency, he said.

On “The Daily Show” he held up Gov. Tony Evers as an example, saying he ran on the promise to “fix the damn roads” and beat former Gov. Scott Walker. Then he fixed the roads and won a second time.

But a lot of progressives, especially public school advocates, were disappointed with the budget deals Evers struck with Republicans. This week DPI released final numbers showing that 71% of public schools across the state will get less money from the state under the current budget. Where are the receipts Wisconsin Democrats can show to make the case they will make things better?

Evers blocked a lot of bad things, Wikler noted. And in many ways things are better in Wisconsin, even as the national scene gets darker and darker under the current administration, he said. “The things that are going well are the kind of locally driven and state-level things that are not falling apart,” he said. He contrasted that with the Walker years when “there was a sense that core aspects of people’s personal lives were falling apart. People were leaving their careers in education and changing their whole life plans, because it felt like the pillars that supported their vision for how their lives were going to work were falling apart.”

There’s a “profound sense of threat” from Washington today, he added. But he believes that Democrats can stave off disaster in Wisconsin if they win a “trifecta” in state government, which he thinks is possible.

He draws on examples from the state’s history as a progressive leader, from the  famous 1911 legislative session that laid the groundwork for the New Deal to the first law protecting victims of domestic violence in the 1970s.

“There’s these moments when Wisconsin really leaps forward. And we have a chance for the first one in more than half a century in 2027,” he said. “And that’s the  moment where you have to deliver for people really meaningfully.”

He compares the chance of that happening in Wisconsin to the “Minnesota miracle,” when Tim Walz was re-elected governor and Democrats swept state government in our neighboring state. 

Trying to bring about a miraculous transformation in Wisconsin doesn’t mean Wikler is unrealistic. You don’t have to look any farther than Wisconsin’s southern neighbor, Illinois, to see the dystopian possibilities of our current politics. “I don’t think the way [Illinois] Gov. JB Pritzker is talking is alarmist at all,” Wikler says. “If you talk to people who fought for democracy in countries where it disappeared, the early days of the downfall look like what we’re seeing right now.”

To resist, we have to do multiple things, he said — fight in the courts, fight in downballot races, protect election administration “but also keep in mind that ultimately, the people whose votes you have to win are the people who already feel like democracy is not working for them. They think that all politicians are already corrupt, and warnings about the threats to democracy feels like just more partisan blather. And you have to connect with their lived experience and the things that they think about when they’re not thinking about politics. That’s where fixing the roads becomes the only way to get off the road to authoritarianism.”

Sounds like a good plan to me. 

Attorney General Josh Kaul speaks to residents of Marinette during a visit in 2019. (Photo by (Erik Gunn/Wisconsin Examiner)

Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Tuesday he will run for reelection in 2026 — taking his name off the list of potential Democratic contestants in the race for governor.

“This is a pivotal time for our nation,” Kaul said in a written statement. “Some of our most basic rights are under threat. Severe cuts have been made to programs that provide opportunities and have helped communities move forward. It’s critical that we continue to have an AG who will stand up for our freedoms and the rule of law.”

Kaul was first elected to the office in 2018, when Tony Evers won his first term as governor. Both won second terms in 2022, although Kaul by a narrow margin.

After Evers announced in July that he would not seek a third term, turning the 2026 race for governor into a wide-open contest, Kaul was among the Democrats who were widely assumed would seek the nomination to succeed him. In his first press conferences after the Evers announcement, Kaul demurred when asked about his plans.

In the months since Evers said he would step aside, more than a half-dozen Democrats have announced they would campaign to be the state’s chief executive, while Kaul remained on the list of “potential” candidates.

“In Wisconsin, we’ve made meaningful progress, and we need to build on that progress,” Kaul said in his announcement statement. “As my track record shows, I’m committed to working to protect public safety and to looking out for the interests of Wisconsinites.”

“Josh Kaul has been a champion for Wisconsin and a bulwark against the MAGA extremist politicians and the Trump administration who have been trying to subvert our democracy, attacking our personal freedoms, and stealing from everyday working people,” Devin Remiker, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin said in a statement. “Wisconsinites are fortunate to have Josh Kaul as Attorney General, and our state will be lucky to have him serve another four years.”

 So far the Democrats who have announced they will run for the open governor’s seat include Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, former economic development CEO Missy Hughes, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, state Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) and state Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison). Milwaukee factory worker and baseball stadium beer vendor Ryan Strnad and former state Rep. Brett Hulsey.

Rep. Tom Tiffany made his intention to run for governor official Tuesday after teasing his plans for weeks. (Congressional photo)

Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany launched his campaign for governor Tuesday afternoon — becoming the third, and highest profile, candidate in the 2026 Republican primary. 

The 2026 race for governor in Wisconsin will be the first open election in over 15 years as Gov. Tony Evers decided to retire at the end of his second term. Two other Republicans are already in the race: Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and Whitefish Bay manufacturer Bill Berrien. 

“In 2026, Wisconsin will have a choice between opportunity, security, and freedom or following the path of failure seen in Minnesota and Illinois,” Tiffany said in a statement after officially launching his campaign on a conservative talk radio show hosted by Dan O’Donnell. “I will not allow our state to be dragged down that woke and broke road.”

Tiffany, who lives in Minocqua, had been teasing a run for governor for months and is expected to have an official launch event in Wausau on Wednesday evening.

The 67-year-old said in a statement that he would seek to “freeze property taxes, protect our farmland from Communist China, and fight every day for families, for farmers, and for the hardworking people who make this state great.”

In contrast to the short list of Republicans running so far, the Democratic primary field has become increasingly crowded in recent weeks. Official candidates include Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, state Sen. Kelda Roys, state Rep. Francesca Hong and beer vendor Ryan Strnad. Others considering a run include Attorney General Josh Kaul, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation CEO Missy Hughes, who recently announced she would be stepping down from her position in the Evers administration. 

Tiffany was elected to represent Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, a massive area that encompasses the northern part of the state, in the House of Representatives in a special election in 2020. He took over from current U.S. Transportation Secretary and former Republican Rep. Sean Duffy, who had resigned to care for his family.

Before going to Washington, D.C., Tiffany was in the state Legislature, first in the Wisconsin State Assembly for about three years, followed by nearly eight years in the state Senate. During his tenure, he served on the state’s Joint Finance Committee, which is responsible for writing the state budget. Before that, Tiffany was the Town Supervisor of Little Rice and managed petroleum distribution for Zenker Oil Company.

Tiffany said that he could stay in Congress for much longer if he wanted to, but that he thinks he can do more as governor and is in the race to “uphold conservative principles.”

“It really is time for new leadership and I believe I have the vision to be able to lead the state of Wisconsin and make us one of the great states of America once again,” Tiffany said. 

In Congress, Tiffany is a member of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus and has been a consistent ally to President Donald Trump. Tiffany also supported attempts to overturn former President Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 presidential election. So far this year, Tiffany has supported Trump’s tariffs and crack down on immigration, including targeting the H-1B visa program. 

“I support them,” Tiffany said of Trump’s tariffs in his interview with O’Donnell. “At the end of the day if the tariff regime is handled properly, we are going to bring manufacturing back to the United States of America.” 

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Devin Remiker criticized Tiffany in a statement, calling him “Tariff Lover Tom” and saying he “has been jacking up prices on Wisconsin families with his blind support for a trade war that is making everything from beer to beef to school supplies way more expensive — working Wisconsin families can’t afford Tariff Lover Tom being in charge.”

Tiffany said that he would also seek to uphold Wisconsin’s 20-week abortion ban. He has supported federal legislation in the past that would ban abortion at six weeks. 

“I do support that law, and I will uphold it as governor of the state of Wisconsin,” Tiffany said. “I think back to the debate that we had 10 years ago, and you had people on both sides. You had some that were, like, we want unlimited abortions. We had others that said there should be no abortions allowed in the state of Wisconsin, and ultimately, the people of the state said we really want to see something in the middle.”

Tiffany also said he would work to reduce taxes in Wisconsin, including freezing income taxes. He didn’t commit to a flat income tax or eliminating the income tax as some Republicans have proposed.

“I also believe we can reduce income taxes. Can we take it down to zero? I don’t know the answer to that,” Tiffany said.

State Rep. Francesca Hong sits for a photo in her office in the Capitol in 2022. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)

State Rep. Francesca Hong, a Madison Democratic Socialist, chef and bartender, is joining the growing Democratic field for governor — saying she hopes to be a relatable candidate who can bring working class people together to foster a government that works for them. 

Hong launched her campaign with a 90-second ad shot in the kitchen of L’Etoile, a high-end restaurant across from the Capitol in Madison and in the dining area of the adjacent restaurant Graze. Hong points towards the Capitol, which is labeled in the ad “MAGA-controlled Legislature,” and says that “a lot of people in that building don’t get why it’s so hard to get by right now.” 

“Working hard doesn’t mean you can always keep up. One wrong step can lay you out flat. This is by design,” Hong says.

Hong told the Wisconsin Examiner in an interview that she is running because she sees the current moment as ripe for a “movement” for “building working class power,” as “more and more people are realizing that the system is rigged.”

“It’s about politics rooted in care — where we care for ourselves, our children, our small businesses and our workers. The movement requires building coalitions, meeting folks where they are, honoring and receiving all different types of talents and treasures and time that people are willing to give to engage with others. It’s happening, and it needs to happen faster here in Wisconsin.” 

Hong said she feels a sense of urgency because of the direction the Trump administration and Republicans are taking. 

“We have an authoritarian regime that endorses mass suffering, gutting food from children and gutting health care from working people and dismantling public education and programs,” Hong said. “It’s irresponsible to be thinking about incrementalism as a way to make this moment. I think it’s unrealistic to rely on incremental policy, and what working class people are demanding is that they have their needs met… Wisconsinites, they f-ing hustle, and they deserve a governor who is going to be working as hard as they are.”

Four other Democratic candidates are already in the open race, including State Sen. Kelda Roys of Madison, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Mukwonago beer vendor Ryan Strnad.

Two Republican candidates have entered the race on the GOP side so far: Whitefish Bay manufacturer Bill Berrien and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany has said he will make a decision about entering the race by the end of the month. 

Hong was first elected to the state Assembly in 2020, becoming the first Asian American to serve in the body. At 36, she is the youngest candidate to join the race so far.

Gov. Tony Evers’ decision not to seek a third term opened the way for a competitive primary. “I think that this is probably the only time where someone like me can run for governor and win,” Hong said. 

She acknowledged that her campaign will be different in style and substance from more traditional campaigns. “I think there’s going to be some skepticism that’s going to come from the establishment folks in political circles about some of the campaign strategies we may lean on, especially when it comes to creative digital,” she said.

Hong formerly owned Morris Ramen, a restaurant in downtown Madison she opened with Matt Morris and restaurateur Shinji Muramoto in 2016 and closed last year. She currently bartends and picks up shifts at another restaurant every once in a while. She is also a single mother who rents her home in Madison.

“It’s going to sound corny, but I really love this state,” Hong said. “It’s where I have failed and succeeded. When it comes to my culinary career or winning an election and being sent to the Capitol. It’s where George [her son] was born. It’s my parents’ home. They’ve lived here longer than anywhere else, and the state has given me and my family a lot.” 

She says she began considering running for governor after the recent state budget process.

Hong voted against the budget and called on other Democrats to do the same because it made no increases in general state aid to Wisconsin’s public schools. During her time in the Legislature, Hong has also been a champion for providing school breakfasts and lunches to all students free of charge. 

This session Hong joined the Legislative Socialist Caucus. She said she identifies as a Democratic Socialist. 

“That means I’m dedicated to building working class power where everyone has their basic needs met to be able to take care of themselves and the people that they love and their neighbors and somebody that they don’t know,” Hong said. 

Her campaign comes at a moment when other Democratic Socialists are running high-profile campaigns across the country. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders has been traveling the country on a “Fight Oligarchy Tour” that made stops in Wisconsin. In New York City, state Rep. Zohran Mamdani recently won the Democratic nomination for mayor.  

Hong said Mamdani’s message  resonated with her. 

“Mamdani has showed us that meeting voters where they are, building a diverse, multi-generational, multi-faith, multi-racial and multi-ethnic coalition is how you build trust with voters,” Hong said, adding that she appreciates his focus on  “affordability and concrete ways that government can do its job and be a force of good.” 

The policies that she has proposed in the Legislature have been “practical,” Hong said.

Hong was a leading sponsor on a state law that requires schools teach Hmong and Asian American history. Hong, the daughter of Korean immigrants, also helped launch the state’s first Legislative Asian Caucus alongside two of her new colleagues this session and has authored resolutions to proclaim 2025 as the year of the snake and celebrate 50 years of Hmong, Lao, Cambodian and Vietnamese people residing in Wisconsin.

This session, she has also coauthored a resolution to declare that Wisconsin have an Economic Bill of Rights and a bill to prohibit state employees’ cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in public buildings without a warrant. 

“We can make better possible when there are universal policies that support working class people — universal child care, guaranteed paid leave, fully funded public schools, access to capital for small businesses and investing heavily in a care infrastructure where we can take care of our seniors,” Hong said. “Regardless of political identity, these types of social insurance programs are designed to ensure that working class people can not only get by, but be able to take care of themselves and their families in the ways that they see fit.” 

Hong said it is “imperative” that Democrats flip the state Assembly and Senate to make progress towards those policies. New legislative maps adopted in 2024 brought that goal into sight for Democrats for the first time in many years.

Hong said she is going to do everything she can to support candidates running for the Assembly and to help flip districts currently represented by Republicans. The Wisconsin Legislature has been led by Republicans since 2010.

This will be Hong’s first time running for statewide office. Hong said she is anticipating an array of challenges for her campaign. She said she will continue putting in a lot of hours as a state lawmaker, and she may not be able to pick up as many shifts at Gamma Ray, the Madison bar she works at.

Hong said she is also committed to meeting people where they are in a wide variety of places, including bowling alleys and pro wrestling matches and the rodeo. She said those are the places where people might be willing to share their stories. 

Hong recalled stopping at a bar in Chippewa Falls. She said she got her usual Miller High Life, while two men next to her had a Miller Lite light and a regular Miller Lite. She said she made a comment along the lines of “you might as well just be drinking water at that point” and it led to a conversation about concerns one of the men had about hospital access in a part of the state grappling with recent hospitals closings.

“He was worried that his elderly mother, who was almost 90 and still drives herself to the hospital… she’s not going to get the care she needs,” Hong said. “That is real. Health care is very real for folks, health insurance is too expensive. We have policies that are going to help make health insurance cheaper, both for small businesses and for workers. 

Hong hopes she can give people the sense that “there’s somebody in their corner,” and show them that she “can be a strong messenger for helping people realize that together we can make better possible.”