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In this update:
- Election Updates
- Federal Updates
- Administration Updates
- Committee Schedule
- Upcoming Events
| | Evers announces he will not seek reelection | | |
Governor Tony Evers will not seek a third term in 2026, opening the door to Wisconsin’s first wide-open gubernatorial race in over a decade.
Read the news alert from Michael Best Strategies here.
| | Rodriguez launches gubernatorial campaign | | Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez, a former state representative from Brookfield, became the first Democratic candidate to officially launch their campaign following Governor Evers’ announcement yesterday that he would need seek a third term. Lt. Gov. Rodriguez announced her campaign with a short video highlighting her experience as an ER nurse, small business owner, and health care executive, while outlining her reasons for entering the race to succeed Governor Evers. | | Crowley commends Evers, signals future plans | | |
In a recently-released statement, David Crowley, a former Democratic State Representative and the current Milwaukee County Executive, hinted he is considering a run for governor and praised Governor Evers’ leadership, saying, “Governor Tony Evers has served the people of Wisconsin with dignity, integrity, and compassion. During his 50 years as a teacher, superintendent, and public servant, Governor Evers has worked tirelessly to foster bright futures for our kinds, create prosperity for working families, and deliver investments that are moving our community forward.” Mr. Crowley won two terms in the Assembly before he was elected Milwaukee County Executive in 2020.
| | Tiffany signals interest in 2026 Governor Bid | | |
U.S. Congressman Tom Tiffany (R) has been signaling interest in a potential 2026 gubernatorial run in Wisconsin, though he has not made a formal announcement. He has hinted at a campaign by registering the domain “tomtiffanyforgovernor.com”, which currently redirects to his congressional campaign website, and through social media activity, including a recent post of him holding a crappie - an apparent nod to a conservative media outlet’s call for gubernatorial hopefuls to demonstrate their fish-holding skills. Rep. Tiffany told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he plans to make a decision “after July,” adding, “I’m steadily, methodically going through the process.”
See full article here.
| | Larson, fellow Dems push petition urging Guv candidates to back key policies | | |
Last week, Sen. Chris Larson of Milwaukee voiced opposition to another re-election bid by Gov. Evers, citing concerns with the Governor’s record. This week, Sen. Larson shared a petition on X calling on Democratic candidates for governor to back certain policy priorities, noting “the stakes of the election in Wisconsin have never been more important.” Several other Democratic state lawmakers have signed on to the petition, including Reps. Ryan Clancy (Milwaukee), Darrin Madison (Milwaukee), Francesca Hong (Madison), Christian Phelps (Eau Claire), Angelina Cruz (Racine), Angelito Tenorio (West Allis), Supreme Moore Omokunde (Milwaukee), and Vincent Miresse (Stevens Point).
Read the full story.
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Wisconsin businessman and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Berrien believes he has “a great chance” of earning President Donald Trump’s endorsement, despite having previously expressed concerns about Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a 2020 interview with Fox Business, Mr. Berrien voiced uncertainty about supporting Trump, citing what he described as an “anti-science approach” to the pandemic. He later clarified his position, stating, “To sort of set the record straight, since 2016, my wife and I have supported Donald Trump in every election — 2016, 2020, 2024. Voted for him and financially supported.”
As part of his campaign platform, Mr. Berrien is highlighting Wisconsin’s potential to lead a national manufacturing revival. In an interview with UpFront, he shared his belief that the state is uniquely positioned to become the center of American reindustrialization, stating, “I have the vision for making Wisconsin literally ground zero for the reindustrialization that he’s trying to lead in the country,” Mr. Berrien, CEO of manufacturing and machining firm Pindel Global Precision, said on WISN 12’s UpFront, “I mean, nowhere else in the country is it more likely. We’ve got a 125-year-old manufacturing ecosystem. We have a highly trained, highly trainable workforce. You have the tariffs that are incentivizing businesses to consider investing in the country. And now you have the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act that, it’s like a Black Friday sale, a factory expansion, no coupons required, between all the business incentives in manufacturing.”
Watch the interview here.
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DPW reports higher federal fundraising than state GOP in June | | |
In June, the Wisconsin Democratic Party raised over $136,000 more than the state Republican Party through its federal account.
Democratic Party:
Raised: $374,369
Spent: $915,053
Cash on hand: $3,043,564
Republican Party:
Raised: $237,906
Spent: $168,171
Cash on hand: $450,718
| | MMAC: Tariffs impact business operations and pricing consistency | | |
Tariffs implemented during President Donald Trump’s administration have introduced challenges for some Wisconsin businesses, particularly in forecasting the cost of raw materials and maintaining long-standing trade relationships. Additional tariffs are scheduled to take effect next month.
Dale Kooyenga, president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC), noted that a significant number of businesses in the Milwaukee area have expressed concerns about the impact of tariffs. He stated that companies supportive of the tariffs appear to be in the minority.
Read full story here.
| | Stroebel named HUD Midwest Regional Administrator | | |
Former Wisconsin State Senator Duey Stroebel has been appointed Midwest Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, overseeing HUD operations across six states including Wisconsin.
“I am honored to serve under the leadership of Secretary Turner as HUD’s Regional Administrator for the Midwest,” said Regional Administrator Duey Stroebel. “It is an exciting time for HUD, and I look forward to working with Secretary Turner to increase homeownership, support community development, and improve access to affordable housing in Region Five.”
Read the full story.
| | Evers announces additional funding to child care providers | |
On July 23rd, Governor Tony Evers announced the launch of the Child Care Bridge Payment Program, which will distribute $110 million in monthly direct payments to Wisconsin child care providers through June 2026. The program is part of a broader $360 million investment included in the recently signed bipartisan biennial budget. The initiative aims to support the stability of the child care sector and help reduce costs for working families. According to the administration, the timely implementation by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families will help prevent funding gaps as the Child Care Counts Program phases out.
Read the full press release here.
| | As of 12:00 pm Friday, there have been no committee meetings scheduled for next week. Committee and Agency meeting notices are frequently updated and can be found here (for the Legislature) and here (for the Administration). | | |
Monday, August 25th at 11:30am - Meet the Cabinet with Department of Children and Families Secretary-Designee Jeff Pertl
Register for the event here.
Tuesday, September 16th at 11:30am - Meet the Cabinet with Department of Natural Resources Secretary-Designee Karen Hyun
Invite coming soon!
We are briefly pausing “Capitol Chats” through the summer, and the series will resume in September.
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If you would like any additional information about the above topic, or if you would like to find time to discuss the above matter in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact your Michael Best Strategies contact.
Have a great day,
Wisconsin GR Team
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One South Pickney Street, Suite 700
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 608-257-3501
Fax: 608-283-2275
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