Wisconsin governor race; Republican Josh Schoemann files for 2026 run
The Brief
Josh Schoemann, a Republican and Washington County Executive, has formed a committee to run for Wisconsin governor in 2026.
He is unlikely to be the only Republican candidate.
Democratic Governor Tony Evers has not yet announced whether he will seek re-election, stating he will decide after the state budget is finalized.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Wis. - Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann, a Republican, this week created a committee to run for governor in 2026, making him the first candidate from either major party to get into the race.
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has not yet said whether he will seek a third term. Evers has repeatedly said he will announce his intentions after the state budget is passed and signed into law, which typically happens around early July. A spokesperson for Evers had no immediate comment.
Schoemann, 43, filed to create a campaign committee on Wednesday. He is the executive of Washington County, one of the deepest red counties in Wisconsin, which President Donald Trump won with 67% of the vote in 2024.
Schoemann has never run a statewide race before and is unlikely to be the only Republican candidate in the election that is 19 months away.
What we know
Bill Berrien, a Whitefish Bay manufacturing businessman, created a political action committee two weeks ago as he also considers a run. Berrien is a Navy SEAL veteran and CEO of Pindel Global Precision and Liberty Precision in New Berlin.
Others mentioned as potential candidates include U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who represents northern Wisconsin, and two-time losing U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde, a Madison businessman.
What's next
Schoemann was elected as county executive in 2020 after previously working six years as county administrator and county manager. He is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and received an honorable discharge in October 2008 from the Army National Guard, according to his biography on the county website.
Schoemann has a "historic summer kickoff cookout" scheduled for Sunday in West Bend where he is expected to formally announce his candidacy.
Ben Voelkel, a Schoemann spokesperson, declined to comment Thursday when asked if Schoemann would be launching his run on Sunday.
To learn more about Josh Schoemann in his county executive role, click here.
The 2026 Wisconsin gubernatorial election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
What they're saying
"The Republican primary for governor is going to be a who's who of far-right extremists tripping over themselves to earn Donald Trump's favor — and all Josh Schoemann has going for him is that he's first off the starting line," said Sarah Abel, executive director of the Wisconsin Democratic Party.
The Source
Information in this post is provided by the Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System website, and the Washington County website. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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