2026 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
The 2026 Wisconsin gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Wisconsin. The primary election will take place on August 11, 2026. Incumbent Democratic Governor Tony Evers declined to seek a third term. This will be one of five Democratic-held governorships up for election in 2026 in a state won by President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election and the state with the closest presidential margin of victory, just under one percentage point.
This is the first Wisconsin gubernatorial election since 2010 in which the incumbent was not seeking re-election.
Background
Wisconsin is considered to be a purple state at the federal and state levels with a uniquely competitive track record. 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.Incumbent Democratic governor Tony Evers, was first elected in 2018 when he narrowly defeated incumbent Republican Scott Walker. He was re-elected by a slightly larger margin in 2022, defeating Republican businessman Tim Michels. In July 2025, Evers announced he would not seek re-election to a third term. The race is widely seen as a tossup due to Evers' retirement and the state's even partisan lean.
Democratic primary
Governor
Candidates
Declared
- Mandela Barnes, former lieutenant governor and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2022
- Joel Brennan, former secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Administration
- David Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive
- Francesca Hong, state representative from the 76th district
- Missy Hughes, former CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
- Brett Hulsey, former state representative from the 78th district and candidate for governor in 2014
- Sara Rodriguez, incumbent lieutenant governor
- Zachary Roper, college student and nominee for Wisconsin's 84th Assembly district in 2024
- Kelda Roys, state senator from the 26th district, candidate for in 2012, and candidate for governor in 2018
Filed paperwork
- Tim Jacobson
Withdrawn
- Ryan Strnad, stadium vendor ''''
Declined
- Tony Evers, incumbent governor
- Sarah Godlewski, Wisconsin Secretary of State and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2022 '
- Cavalier Johnson, Mayor of Milwaukee '
- Josh Kaul, Attorney General of Wisconsin
- Tip McGuire, state representative from the 64th district
- Ben Wikler, former chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party and candidate for Democratic National Committee chair in 2025
Lieutenant governor
Candidates
Declared
- Sarah Godlewski, Wisconsin Secretary of State and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2022
Publicly expressed interest
- Brad Pfaff, state senator from the 32nd district and nominee for in 2022
Declined
- Sara Rodriguez, incumbent lieutenant governor ''''
Republican primary
Governor
Candidates
Declared
- Andy Manske, medical service technician
- Tom Tiffany, U.S. representative for
Publicly expressed interest
- Tommy Thompson, former governor, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2012
Withdrawn
- Bill Berrien, manufacturing executive
- Josh Schoemann, Washington County Executive
Declined
- Eric Hovde, bank executive, nominee for U.S. Senate in 2024 and candidate in 2012
- Ron Johnson, U.S. senator
- Mary Felzkowski, president of the Wisconsin Senate from the 12th district
- Bill McCoshen, WTMJ-TV host and owner of the Janesville Jets
- Tim Michels, co-owner of the Michels Corporation, nominee for governor in 2022 and U.S. Senate in 2004
- Matt Neumann, business owner
- Bryan Steil, U.S. representative for
- Scott Walker, former governor
Polling
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Eric Hovde | Josh Schoemann | Mary Felzkowski | Tim Michels | Tom Tiffany | Other | Undecided |
| TIPP Insights | November 17-21, 2025 | 586 | – | 25% | 5% | – | 12% | 17% | 2% | 37% |
| Platform Communications | September 28–30, 2025 | – | – | 14% | 4% | 1% | 9% | 30% | 9% | 33% |
Lieutenant governor
Candidates
Declared
- Will Martin, former director of strategic workforce initiatives for the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2022
- Nick Polce, business owner and candidate for in 2018
- Cyril Sablich, college student
- John Totz, Oakfield school board member
- David Varnam, former mayor of Lancaster and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2022
Potential
- Cindy Werner, businesswoman and perennial candidate
Minor parties and independents
Green Party
Declared
- Jill Ferguson, retiree
Independents
Declared
- David King, pastor and perennial candidate
- Carlos Dixon, musician
Filed paperwork
- Oliver Carranza, college student
- Alexander Kent, electoral reform activist
- Mike Kohn
- Zachariah David Russell
- Korey Streich
General election
Polling
Mandela Barnes vs. Tom Tiffany| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Mandela Barnes | Tom Tiffany | Undecided |
| Impact Research | October 2–8, 2025 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 50% | 44% | 7% |
Mandela Barnes vs. Tim Michels
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Mandela Barnes | Tim Michels | Undecided |
| Impact Research | October 2–8, 2025 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 51% | 44% | 5% |
Generic Democrat vs. generic Republican
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Generic Democrat | Generic Republican | Undecided |
| Platform Communications | September 28–30, 2025 | 500 | – | 40% | 43% | 17% |