Wisconsin governor race: Democratic primary candidates in 2026
MILWAUKEE - Four Democrats are vying to succeed Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers in the state's partisan primaries on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Here's what we know about the candidates.
READ MORE: Who's running for Wisconsin governor? These are the Republican candidates
Who is Joel Brennan?
What they're saying:
Joel Brennan, a Milwaukee native, previously ran Discovery World and led the Greater Milwaukee Committee. In 2018, Gov. Tony Evers tabbed Brennan to serve as Department of Administration secretary.
DIG DEEPER: Joel Brennan's campaign website
On cost of living…
Brennan's affordability plan includes a three-point "Build Roots, Build Wisconsin" plan to address housing affordability, creating a new school funding formula to ease property tax burdens and expanding certain tax credits.
On immigration enforcement…
Brennan is critical of local law enforcement helping with federal immigration enforcement and said "masked federal agents" in the streets don't make Wisconsin safer. He said he'd establish a commission to look into "ICE enforcement abuses" in the state to make sure anyone who acts lawlessly is held accountable.
Joel Brennan
On health care…
Brennan wants to expand Medicaid eligibility and create a state public health care option that lets small businesses and residents buy into a state employee health plan. He also wants to guarantee coverage for every child, invest in rural health partnerships and expand mental health services.
On data centers…
Brennan described the data center business in Wisconsin as the "wild west" at a July town hall. He said data centers should have environmental and construction guardrails, such as ensuring who covers the costs. He added there should "never" be non-disclosure agreements that keep communities out of the loop until projects are "fully baked."
On abortion law…
Brennan is critical of Wisconsin's 1849 abortion ban and would fight to repeal it, his campaign said.
Who is David Crowley?
What they're saying:
David Crowley was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 2016, his first role as a public elected official. The Milwaukee native was then elected Milwaukee County Executive in 2020, the youngest and first Black person in the role, and is now in his second term. He has Gov. Tony Evers' endorsement.
DIG DEEPER: David Crowley's campaign website
On cost of living…
Crowley supports an across-the-board property tax decrease and said, if he were governor, he would have signed the failed tax relief deal Gov. Tony Evers and Republicans negotiated. He has also called for people who make $1 million or more to be taxed more.
On immigration enforcement…
David Crowley
On health care…
Crowley wants to expand mobile health care outreach and addiction treatment access. His campaign also notes safe housing and modern transit as components that can modernize public health.
On data centers…
Crowley said a short-term moratorium does not address long-term concerns, and holding data centers accountable for energy use and grid upgrades are among his priorities. He also wants to ensure any data center construction projects use union labor.
On abortion…
In 2017, Crowley co-sponsored a Wisconsin Assembly resolution that declared abortion is health care.
Who is Francesca Hong?
What they're saying:
Francesca Hong is the daughter of Korean American immigrants and a former restaurant owner. The Democratic Socialist currently represents the Madison area in the Wisconsin Assembly. She became the first Asian American member of the Wisconsin Legislature when elected in 2020.
DIG DEEPER: Francesca Hong's campaign website
On cost of living…
Cost of living is a core issue of Hong's campaign. She introduced a bill this past legislative session that would raise the income tax on the state's highest earners and corporations, then use that revenue to fund public schools. She also supports universal childcare, publicly-owned grocery stores and universal paid leave.
On immigration enforcement…
Hong introduced a series of bills last year aimed at protecting Wisconsin's undocumented population and preventing municipalities from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The bills would, among other things, provide grant money to nonprofits that provide immigration legal services and make it illegal for local law enforcement agencies to sign cooperation agreements with ICE.
Francesca Hong
On health care…
Hong said she would expand BadgerCare, the state's program to provide qualified residents with full Medicaid coverage, as Wisconsin is one of 10 states that have not fully expanded the federal program. She also proposes the creation of hospital districts – comparing them to school districts – to help rural communities afford and keep hospitals and clinics.
On data centers…
Hong has a data center plan called "Contorl-Alt-Delete." She is the only Democratic candidate to propose a moratorium on artificial intelligence data center construction to allow time for research into the facilities' environmental and energy impacts. She co-sponsored a bill this legislative session that also prevents energy utilities from passing costs to accommodate data centers on to residential customers.
On abortion law…
Hong said she would work to preserve access to abortion in Wisconsin through the state constitution.
Who is Kelda Roys?
What they're saying:
Kelda Roys was born in Marshfield and currently represents the Wisconsin Senate's 26th District, serving the Madison area. She was elected to one term in the Wisconsin Assembly in 2008 and was first elected to the Wisconsin Senate in 2020.
DIG DEEPER: Kelda Roys' campaign website
On cost of living…
Roys wants to prioritize a wage increase and authored a bill to bring the state's minimum wage up to $15 per hour. Her economic plan notes developing affordable housing, stabilizing housing costs and investing in universal paid family and medical leave. She would also restore collective bargaining rights and establish "economic fairness" for small businesses.
On immigration enforcement…
Roys described U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations as "undermining" state industries, such as agriculture and construction, that heavily rely on immigrant workers. She called President Donald Trump's ICE "incompatible with a free society" and has authored legislation to hold ICE agents accountable for rights violations, among other things.
Kelda Roys
On health care…
Roys calls health care access a "critical priority." Her plan includes creating a "true" public health insurance option, investing in public health and prevention, reducing prescription drug costs and expanding mental and behavioral health care. Her campaign also points to a health care worker shortage and rural health care as priorities.
On data centers…
Roys said the technology has the power to improve lives, but the government's power and the public's health should not be risked to subsidize wealthy corporations. "They need to benefit us and not the other way around," she said during a town hall.
On abortion law…
Roys wants to secure abortion rights and repeal "archaic abortion bans and restrictions" that "put politicians in charge of your life" and put doctors in legal jeopardy for providing care.
Barnes, Hughes & Rodriguez
The backstory:
Three candidates submitted the requisite signatures to appear on the ballot but suspended their campaigns ahead of the primary.
Missy Hughes, the former head of Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, suspended her campaign on June 22. She endorsed Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez.
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Rodriguez herself dropped out of the race less than a month later on July 17. The suspension of her campaign came days after she fired her campaign manager due to inflated finance report numbers that made it look like her campaign had more money than it actually did.
Mandela Barnes, who served as lieutenant governor before Rodriguez and lost a bid for U.S. Senate in 2024, suspended his campaign on July 30.
Crowley had suspended his campaign and backed Rodriguez in July, but reentered the race with the endorsement of Gov. Tony Evers after Rodriguez pulled out.
What about Tony Evers?
The backstory:
Last summer, Gov. Tony Evers announced he would not seek a third term as Wisconsin governor. It created the first open race for governor in more than a decade. His current term ends in January 2027.
Evers, a Democrat, first won the governorship when he beat incumbent Scott Walker, a Republican, in 2018. Evers then beat Republican challenger Tim Michels in 2022.
When is the general election?
What's next:
The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
The Source: Information in this story is from the Brennan, Crowley, Hong and Roys campaigns and prior coverage of the race for governor, including polling, debates and forums. The Associated Press contributed.