MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Less than 24 hours removed from Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ decision not to seek a third term in office, one high-ranking state Democrat has officially entered the race, while another appears poised to enter as well.
Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez announced her candidacy for the office Friday morning in a video posted on X:
Rodriguez has served as lieutenant governor since 2023 after a prior tenure in the state Assembly.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley appears to be planning his own bid for Governor.
“In the weeks ahead, I will be taking steps toward entering the race for Governor. The stakes are simply too high to sit on the sidelines,” Crowley said in an email following Governor Evers’ decision not to run again. “Governor Evers has laid a strong foundation. I believe it’s our responsibility to build on that progress—and I look forward to engaging in that conversation with the people of Wisconsin.”
Other names that pundits have listed as probable candidates include Attorney General Josh Kaul, former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, and state Senator Kelda Roys. None of those three have formally announced whether they are running or not.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Governor Evers will not seek reelection
On the Republican side, the list of candidates remains at two: Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and New Berlin businessman Bill Berrien.
READ MORE: Wisconsin Republican compares himself to Trump as he launches his bid for governor
Former Milwaukee mayoral candidate Dr. David King first announced July 14th he would run for Governor as an independent candidate, and re-affirmed plans to run on his social media pages Thursday.
“Now is the time to break away from the old party lines and begin a new path forward,” said King. “Wisconsin needs leadership that is not beholden to a party agenda but devoted to people over politics. I’m running for Governor to bring unity, rebuild trust, and help restore the strength and values that made Wisconsin great.”
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