Tony Evers will not seek another term as Wisconsin governor

Madison — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced Thursday, July 24, that he won’t seek a third term in office, setting off a scramble to replace the two-term Democrat in the battleground state’s first open race for governor in 16 years.

It will be Wisconsin’s highest profile race next year, as Democrats also angle to take control of the Legislature, thanks to redrawn election maps that are friendlier to the party. They also are targeting two congressional districts, as Democrats nationwide try to retake the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Legislature has been under Republican control since 2011, and some Democrats had hoped that Evers, 73, would run for a third term to give him a chance to potentially work with a Democratic-controlled Statehouse.

In a video announcing his decision, Evers said he was “damn proud” of working for 50 years in public service. But he said it was time to focus on his family.

“For five decades, my family has sacrificed to give me the gift of service,” Evers said. “They’re my world and I owe it to them to focus on doing all the things we enjoy and love doing together.”

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Possible candidates

The open race is sure to attract several Democratic and Republican candidates.

Potential Democratic candidates include Attorney General Josh Kaul, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, state Sen. Kelda Roys, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.

Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and suburban Milwaukee businessman Bill Berrien are running as Republicans. Others, including U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and state Senate President Mary Felzkowski, are considering it.

In a statement reacting to Evers’ decision, Berrien said the governor is “too scared to run” on a “record of failure.”

But on a Zoom call with reporters, he said Evers’ decision not to run didn’t change how he would approach his campaign “at all.”

Story by Scott Bauer / Associated Press