Zachary Roper, a 22-year-old political science student at Carthage College, announced his candidacy in the Democratic primary for governor making him the youngest candidate in the field so far. Despite his age, Roper said in an interview with The Daily Cardinal he is confident in his ability to represent and unite voters across the state.
“My first idea to run for governor came towards the end of last year when I got sat down by my professors and they told me that I have a real shot of potentially winning the governor’s race,” Roper said. “They told me that I have the right ideas and the right support and the right networking stuff to actually make a change in Wisconsin that we haven’t seen in a while.”
He joins Democratic candidates Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Exec. David Crowley, Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, and Ryan Strnad and Republican candidates Washington County Exec. Josh Schoemann and U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany.
Roper said his campaign primarily focuses on education, infrastructure and bipartisanship, which he views as a “benchmark to get the state going on the track that needs to be going on.”
He also said he plans to pass a bill which would “aim to support teachers and get more teachers in the classroom.”
Roper said his experience as a student gives him firsthand insight into the everyday challenges many young people face.
“Being a college student, I get to see a lot of things that many other politicians don’t get to see,” he said. “I represent a generation living these challenges: student debt, high rent, jobs that don’t pay enough.”
In addition to appealing to younger voters, Roper said he hopes to connect with older, more traditional constituents. He emphasized one of his goals is to listen to people from every generation and understand their priorities.
“From what some older voters have told me… they just want to see younger people get into politics,” Roper said.
Wisconsin law only requires candidates be age 18 or older, U.S. citizens and reside in the election district for at least 28 days. The Wisconsin Constitution states a candidate for governor must be a “qualified elector” of the state at the time of taking office.
“A lot of people mention my age, and I get it, but I see my youth as one of the biggest strengths,” he said. “Being young means I have energy, I have perspective and a focus on a solution instead of old political habits.”
Alongside skepticism about his age, Roper acknowledged that managing both school and his campaign has been challenging.
Despite those challenges, Roper said he remains optimistic about the impact his campaign can make regardless of the election’s outcome. If nothing else, he hopes his run for governor encourages more young people to take an interest in public service and civic engagement.
“At the end of the day, this campaign isn’t about just me. It isn’t about the title or power, it’s about all of us as a state, whether we’re younger or older,” he said. “We all want the same thing. We want affordable living, stronger schools and a Wisconsin that gives everyone a fair shot no matter what zip code they’re in.”
The 2026 Wisconsin gubernatorial primary election will take place on August 11, 2026.
