Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler said he is not running for a fourth term on Thursday. Wikler speaks at a climate rally outside of Sen. Ron Johnson's Madison office on June 8, 2021. (Henry Redman | Wisconsin Examiner)

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler, who is credited for rebuilding the state party over the last six years, announced Thursday that he will not run for another term in the leadership position, saying it is time for him to “pass the torch” and find a new way to contribute to the “fight.”

The announcement comes a little over a week after a crucial Wisconsin Supreme Court election where the party’s preferred candidate, Justice-elect Susan Crawford, prevailed over Waukesha Judge Brad Schimel, who had the backing of Republicans and billionaire Elon Musk. 

Wikler said that the party is in “extraordinarily strong shape” with a liberal majority on the state Supreme Court for at least the next two years and Democrats in the position to potentially win a both houses of the Legislature and retain the governor’s office in 2026. 

“Now is the right time for me to take a breath, and to find new ways to advance the fight for a country that works for working people, and one that honors every person’s fundamental freedom and dignity,” Wikler wrote in a letter. “When my third term as chair ends this June, I will be passing the torch.” 

Wikler said he would be taking some time to “figure out what’s next” and to spend time with his family. 

The prospect of Wikler stepping down was broached earlier this year as he ran for Democratic National Committee chair. But he lost the race to Ken Martin, who was serving at the time as the Minnesota DFL Party chair. 

Wikler, who grew up in Wisconsin, moved back to the state in 2018 and started volunteering on campaigns. He was elected to be chair in 2019 in a moment where Democrats hadn’t had consistent success in the state for many years, but had just elected Gov. Tony Evers, putting a Democrat in the governor’s mansion for the first time in eight years.

Under his leadership, Democrats reelected Evers in 2022 by a bigger margin of votes than his first term, clawed back seats in the state Legislature under new legislative maps and flipped control of the state Supreme Court. 

In his letter, Wikler noted that the statewide races the Democrats have lost have been “agonizingly close.” This includes former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes’ loss by one percentage point to U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson in 2022 and former Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss in Wisconsin by less than 30,000 votes  to President Donald Trump last year.

Wikler also helped grow the state party’s fundraising efforts during his time at the helm, including raising more than $63 million during the 2024 election cycle — the most of any state party across the country. 

“This is a wrenching time for our country,” Wikler wrote in his announcement. “But in Wisconsin’s path over the last 15 years, we can see what we need to do to fight through it. It’s on all of us to find ways to contain the damage, look out for one another, and build the strength to end the destruction — and then rebuild. I’ll be looking for new ways to contribute to that vital work. As I do, I know the labor of building a great Democratic Party — the last line of defense of our battered but immeasurably valuable democracy — will continue. We will not let our country fall, and we will continue to write the story of Wisconsin’s resurrection as a bastion of progress.” 

Wisconsin Democrats acknowledged Wikler’s impact on the party after his announcement. 

Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein said in a statement that “nobody could have dreamed about the lasting, meaningful infrastructure he would go on to build at WisDems.” 

“Through innovation, grit, and a ton of hard work, he transformed our State Party into a national powerhouse – with the results to show for it,” Hesselbein said. 

During Wikler’s time in office, Wisconsin implemented new legislative maps that have given Democrats a chance to control the Senate and Assembly for the first time in 15 years. “While he won’t be at the helm in 2026 when we flip the Legislature, it will be because of Ben’s efforts that we are able to do so,” Hesselbein said.

New chair will be elected in June 

The next chair will be chosen at the state party’s convention in June in Wisconsin Dells and will lead the party through a number of crucial elections, including the 2026 gubernatorial election, another round of state legislative elections and another state Supreme Court race. Some Democrats are already throwing their hat into the ring or announcing that they’re considering a run. 

Devin Remiker, the former executive director of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, quickly announced his campaign for the top position, saying that “now isn’t the time to hit pause or rebuild, it’s time to fight tooth and nail.” Remiker said in a statement that he is grateful for Wikler’s leadership and that he has learned from him and hopes to build on his legacy. 

“I will be ready on Day One to double down on our successes and make needed changes,” Remiker said. “I have the experience working with local party leaders and grassroots activists to provide the partnership they desperately need on the frontlines of this fight.”  

Remiker, a Two Rivers native, has worked for the state party since 2018, including as executive director and currently as a senior advisor. He previously managed western Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Ron Kind’s reelection campaign in 2016.

Democratic strategist Joe Zepecki, a Milwaukee native, said in a statement that in conversations about the party’s future he has heard that “Democrats have got to do better when it comes to how we communicate our message.” 

“We need more effective communicators, period. I’ve given long, serious thought to how we do that and up our game,” Zepecki said. He said he will spend the next week speaking with party members and leaders “about that vision to see if they’re ready to shake things up.” 

Zepecki founded his own company, Zepecki Communications, in 2016, and has worked on three presidential campaigns as well as statewide campaigns for governor and U.S. Senate.