WI-GOV: Republican county leader Josh Schoemann enters Wisconsin governor's race
Republican Josh Schoemann, the top elected official in a suburban Milwaukee county, 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 percent 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.
https://www.wpr.org/news/republican-josh-schoemann-wisconsin-governor-race