Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced Thursday he won’t run for re-election next year, a move that will set off a wide-open race to replace him in one of the nation’s most closely divided battleground states.
In a video posted to X, Evers, 73, a Democrat, said he would not seek a third term so he could spend more time with his family, while also predicting he would have won had he run.
"For five decades, my family has sacrificed to give me the gift of service. They’re my world, and I owe it to them to focus on doing all the things we enjoy and love doing together. It’s why, Wisconsin, I’m announcing that I will not be running for a third term," he said. "I'm humbled to be your governor. This is the best job I ever had."
"Would I win if I ran?" Evers added. "Of course, no question about that. But whether I'd win or not has never been part of my calculus about running again."
Evers had said he would announce whether he’d seek a third term after he reached a budget deal with Republicans in the state Legislature, which occurred earlier this month.
His decision to forgo another bid is expected to result in competitive primaries for both parties. Wisconsin is one of five states President Donald Trump won last year where a Democratic-controlled governorship is on the ballot in 2026.
Several Democrats have publicly or privately expressed interest in running to succeed Evers. They include state Attorney General Josh Kaul, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson.
Former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes told NBC News he is considering a bid for governor.
“I am going to take my time and make the right decision for the state and for myself,” said Barnes, who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate in 2022.
Ahead of Evers’ decision, some Wisconsin Democrats had expressed concern that an expensive and divisive primary could occur if he declined to run again.
“It would be a big field if he doesn’t run. That could get messy,” a Democratic operative familiar with Evers’ thinking told NBC News earlier this month.
On the Republican side, two candidates have so far entered the race, and more could follow.
Josh Schoemann, the county executive of Washington County, an exurban area northwest of Milwaukee, and Bill Berrien, a Milwaukee manufacturing CEO, have both launched campaigns.
In a statement put out by his campaign, Berrien accused Evers of being “too scared to run on the Madison Democrats’ record of failure” and vowed to “spend the next 15 months making sure whoever the Madison liberals pick from their bench of radical career politicians learns the same lesson.”
Businessman Eric Hovde, who narrowly lost a 2024 U.S. Senate race to Democrat Tammy Baldwin, and Tim Michels, who lost to Evers in 2022, are also weighing bids. And U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany hasn’t ruled out a run.
Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker also appeared to tease a potential comeback bid, posting an image of a red "Make Wisconsin Great Again" hat on X.
Evers’ decision also comes amid a broader movement within the Democratic Party to clear the way for new and younger voices, particularly following their experience with then-President Joe Biden in the 2024 campaign.
Recent polling showed that Wisconsin Democrats had widely supported Evers running again, even as the general electorate in the swing state remained more split.
A Marquette University Law School poll of registered Wisconsin voters released in June found that 83% of Democrats said they supported Evers seeking a third term. That poll also found that 42% of all registered voters said they wanted Evers to run again, compared to 55% who said they did not.
In a statement, Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Devin Remiker praised Evers as "one of the most successful governors in our history," whose "steady leadership has been instrumental in transforming our state and moving us forward."
"While Republican candidates rush to embrace the most extreme elements of their party and face another divisive and bitter primary battle, we will be prepared to hold them accountable and ensure Wisconsin elects a Democratic governor in 2026," Remiker added.
