Democratic Gov. Tony Evers announced Thursday, he will not seek a third term in the 2026 midterm elections, opening up the race for governor — one of five democratic-controlled governorships in states President Donald Trump won last November.
Evers made the announcement in a love letter addressed to his family and Wisconsin, thanking everyone for their support saying he was “humbled” to be the governor of Wisconsin, calling it the best job he ever had.
“It’s an honor of my life to be able to give back to the state that raised me,” Evers said. “I am damn proud I devoted my entire career — and most of my life — to working for you.”
Evers first ran in 2018 defeating then Gov. Scott Walker by more than one point. Evers went on to win reelection in 2022 defeating Republican nominee Tim Michaels by more than 3 points. This would be Evers’ third term and notably, Tommy Thompson is the only governor to have served three or more terms.
Throughout his terms, Evers worked to invest in education, both K-12 public schools and higher education, recently securing an additional $1.2 billion for K12, child care and the University of Wisconsin System in the 2025-27 state budget.
He also played a crucial role in drawing new legislative maps in the state, making elections more competitive. In 2024, Democrats were able to pick up 14 seats in the legislature — 10 representative districts and four senate seats — chipping away at the Republican supermajority and creating the possibility of flipping control of both chambers in 2026.
“We are not done yet,” Evers said, adding there is always more work to do and that he will continue to work as hard as he has during his term as governor to “keep doing the right thing.”
Evers’ decision opens up the seat for several Democratic candidates who could replace him including Attorney General Josh Kaul, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. Other potential Democratic candidates include Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Former Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler, State Sen. Kelda Roys ,D-Madison and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson.
Clara Strecker is the state news editor for The Daily Cardinal. She previously served as copy chief. Clara has written in-depth on the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court race, the 2024 presidential election and abortion rights. She will spend the summer interning with WisPolitics. Follow her on X at @clara_strecker.
