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In this update:
- Michael Best Updates
- Election Updates
- Administration Updates
- Committee Schedule
- Upcoming Events
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Michael Best Strategies was honored to welcome Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary-designee Karen Hyun to our Madison office on Tuesday as part of our ongoing ‘Meet the Cabinet’ series.
Secretary-designee Hyun joined Michael Best clients and colleagues for a thoughtful discussion on the Department’s key priorities — including the importance of continued partnerships and challenges they still face.
Read our full memo here.
| | Roys launches bid for Governor | | |
In her launch video, State Senator Kelda Roys (D-Madison) calls the race a battle “for our democracy and our kids’ future.” Senator Roys emphasized the need for leadership focused on protecting democratic institutions and addressing everyday challenges facing Wisconsin families. Her campaign platform highlights public education, affordable health care, child care access, and economic opportunity. Sen. Roys has long advocated for reproductive rights and government transparency.
Senator Roys currently represents Wisconsin’s 26th Senate District and serves on the Joint Finance Committee. She previously served in the State Assembly from 2009 to 2013 and ran for governor in 2018, finishing third in the Democratic primary. Her career includes work as an attorney, executive director of NARAL Pro- Choice Wisconsin, and founder of a real estate tech company.
Sen. Roys joins Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, and State Rep. Francesca Hong in the Democratic primary to succeed Gov. Tony Evers, who is not seeking a third term. The Primary is set for August 2026.
| | Hong launches bid for Governor | | |
State Representative Francesca Hong (D- Madison) has officially entered the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor. She is the fifth candidate to join the race following Governor Tony Evers’ decision not to seek re-election. In her campaign launch, Rep. Hong emphasized her commitment to challenging a system she described as “rigged",‘ and pledged to center her campaign on working-class issues and progressive values.
First elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2020, Rep. Hong says she brings a unique background to the race as a former executive chef, restaurant owner, and current service industry worker. She also is a community organizer and single mother, and stated that her lived experiences are central to her political vision. Rep. Hong is the first Asian American to serve in the Wisconsin Legislature and is a member of the Assembly’s Socialist Caucus.
In her campaign launch video, Rep. Hong said she seeks to “change the conversation” in Wisconsin politics by embracing creativity, risk-tolerance, and grassroots organizing. She has voiced strong support for policies such as paid family leave, universal child care, and expanded access to reproductive healthcare, positioning herself as a champion for transformative change.
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Hughes expected to make a gubernatorial run | | |
Missy Hughes announced last week that she will step down as Secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, a role she’s held since 2019. Her departure comes ahead of a likely bid in the Democratic primary for governor.
"Every day, Wisconsin is solving problems for the world, and we’ve made sure the world has us on its mind. I’m incredibly grateful to have been a part of this work and the Evers Administration," Ms. Hughes said in a statement.
During her tenure, Ms. Hughes renegotiated the Foxconn deal, led pandemic recovery efforts for businesses, and helped secure over $8 billion in planned investments, supporting more than 45,000 jobs statewide.
| | Tiffany likely to enter race for Governor | | |
US Congressman Tom Tiffany from Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District is reportedly poised to announce his bid to become the next governor. According to a post on X by the Wisconsin College Republicans, Congressman Tiffany will be “holding a very special event in Wausau on September 24th.” Should Congressman Tiffany enter the GOP primary for governor he would be the third Republican candidate, joining Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and businessman Bill Berrien.
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Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann joined WISN’s UpFront last weekend. Schoemann, a Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor in 2026, positioned himself as a grassroots “builder” with two decades of local government experience. He criticized past GOP strategies of nominating millionaires and congressman, arguing that these approaches have consistently failed to win statewide races. Mr. Schoemann emphasized that no congressman has won a governorship in Wisconsin since 1930 and dismissed wealthy candidates as ineffective. He also said to win the GOP primary, the successful candidate will ultimately need President Trump’s endorsement. Mr. Schoemann framed the race as “builders versus bureaucrats,” asserting that his hands-on experience at the county level makes him uniquely qualified to lead the state.
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Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley joined WISN’s UpFront to discuss his entry into the 2026 Democratic primary for governor. He outlined his campaign priorities, including addressing affordability, expanding access to housing and child care, and strengthening public education. Highlights include:
Mr. Crowley emphasized his commitment to addressing Wisconsin’s affordability challenges, including housing, child care, and education, while pledging to reduce barriers to development. He underscored the importance of bipartisan collaboration and tailoring solutions to local needs. Drawing on his experience managing Milwaukee County’s $1.4 billion budget and leading bipartisan reforms such as Act 12, Crowley positioned himself as a pragmatic Democrat focused on results. He expressed support for a Democratic trifecta in state government and plans to engage voters across the state to shape his platform through community input.
Watch the full interview here.
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Republican candidate for governor Bill Berrien released a new digital ad this week promising to “stand with President Trump and bring his winning agenda to Wisconsin.” Mr. Berrien also touted his experience as a Navy Seal and successful businessman. The ad is the fourth released by Mr. Berrien and is part of a $400,00 buy initially announced in mid-July.
Watch the ad here.
| Jung announces his campaign for 21st SD seat | | |
Trevor Jung, Racine’s transit and mobility director and a former city alderman, has launched a campaign for the 21st Senate District, a key target for Democrats in their bid to flip the Wisconsin Senate. Mr. Jung framed his candidacy around affordability, education, and restoring state investment in local communities. He was critical of declining state aid and rising costs for families, arguing that Racine and similar communities are being shortchanged.
Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine), who has held the seat for most of the past 15 years, said he will decide by year’s end whether to seek reelection. In a statement to WisPolitics, he said “While Trevor is a nice, friendly, soft spoken young man, he uses that to hide his crazy liberal ideas that are more at home in San Francisco than in Milwaukee and Racine counties.”
The district, significantly redrawn under new legislative maps, now stretches north from Racine into Milwaukee suburbs like Franklin. It has become more competitive: Vice President Kamala Harris and Senator Tammy Baldwin both carried the district in 2024 by narrow margins.
Mr. Jung is the third Democrat backed by Senate leadership to announce their candidacy in a Democrat-targeted district, joining Rep. Jenna Jacobson (D-Oregon), who is running for the 17th Senate District currently held by Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green), and Rep. Robyn Vining (D-Wauwatosa), who is running for the 5th Senate District currently held by Senator Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield).
| | Hendrickson announces run in 17th SD | | |
In an interview with WisPolitics, Corrine Hendrickson, a longtime child care provider from New Glarus, announced her candidacy for Wisconsin’s 17th Senate District after closing her family business due to insufficient state support for rural child care. She cited affordability, education funding, health care access, and rising property taxes as key issues driving her campaign, emphasizing the need for policies that reflect the realities of working families in southwest Wisconsin.
Ms. Hendrickson joins a growing Democratic field in the district, which includes State Rep. Jenna Jacobson (D-Oregon) and small business owner Lisa White. Ms. Jacobson has received early support from Senate Democratic leaders, a move Ms. Hendrickson questioned, expressing concern that such endorsements ahead of a primary could discourage boarder participation. She emphasized that a competitive primary can be constructive, provided candidates remain focused on the shared goal of defeating incumbent Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green).
| | Martinez-Rutherford announces run for 76th AD | | |
Madison Alder Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford announced she will run in the Democratic Primary to replace outgoing Rep. Francesca Hong in the heavily Democratic 76th Assembly District, which encompasses Madison’s downtown and eastside. Alder Martinez-Rutherford said she will “tackle the affordability crisis head-on and put the working class at the heart of Wisconsin’s future.” In 2024, Rep. Hong ran unopposed and took 99% of the total vote in the district.
View her campaign page here.
| | Evers signs executive order on vaccine access | | |
Governor Tony Evers recently signed an executive order directing Wisconsin health and insurance agencies to maintain coverage and access to COVID-19 vaccines, following changes in federal guidance that narrowed eligibility. The order instructs the Department of Health Services (DHS), the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance, and relevant boards to ensure continued vaccine availability to the fullest extent allowed by law and funding.
Previously, federal recommendations supported widespread vaccination across age groups, reflecting longstanding public health consensus. Recent changes, however, have limited eligibility to older adults and high-risk individuals. These shifts have occurred under new leadership at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, prompting concern among state officials about the impact on public health access.
Governor Evers’ order also directed DHS to issue public guidance in response to federal policy changes that may cause confusion, reaffirming the safety and availability of COVID-19 vaccines in Wisconsin.
In accordance with Executive Order #275 issued by Governor Tony Evers, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance is releasing this bulletin to clarify COVID-19 vaccine coverage requirements for health insurers and governmental self-funded health plans.
The Department of Health Services also reviewed the scientific evidence on COVID-19 vaccinations and issued a statewide standing medical order. This order enables most Wisconsinites to receive the vaccine at pharmacies without a prescription.
| | Evers announces release of 2025 Clean Energy Plan Progress Report | | |
Governor Tony Evers and the Department of Administration announced the release of the 2025 Clean Energy Plan Progress Report. The report details Wisconsin’s advances in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as investing in a clean energy economy and technology innovation. According to the Governor’s press release, key progress and accomplishments identified in the report for 2025 include:
- Wisconsin utilities on track to achieve a projected 72% decrease in emissions by 2030.
- Establishing the state’s first green bank to finance clean energy projects.
- Improving the reliability and resilience of the electric grid, including improving service in rural areas.
- Approving the state’s largest solar project.
Read the full report here.
| Underly delivers State of Education Address | |
During her fifth State of Education address at the Wisconsin Capitol, State Superintendent Jill Underly said the federal government is the “the biggest schoolyard bully” facing public schools today. In her 25-minute speech, Superintendent Underly emphasized the need for greater investment in education and addressed key issues including inclusion, mental health, and the persistent achievement gap between black and white students.
Superintendent Underly claimed the U.S. Department of Education is using critical funding as a bargaining chip, threatening resources essential to serving vulnerable students, and pushing politically motivated agendas that undermine public education. She reaffirmed her commitment to creating inclusive, well-supported schools and called for urgent action to ensure equitable opportunities for all Wisconsin students.
Superintendent Underly noted that Wisconsin schools are facing major federal funding cuts under the Trump administration, including the loss of two key grants supporting students with disabilities. The Department of Public Instruction announced the termination of funding for the Wisconsin Deafblind Technical Assistance Program and a special education personnel development grant. She also warned of a growing mental health crisis, and was critical of lawmakers for advancing policies that harm transgender youth and inclusive school environments.
In response, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu issued a press release that said: “The state of education in Wisconsin can be summed up in one word: unaccountable. DPI Superintendent Underly’s changing standards make it impossible for parents to track their student’s and school’s performance year-over-year. Parents, students and taxpayers deserve better.”
Meanwhile, Speaker Robin Vos said Assembly Republicans played a key role in delivering the largest investment in special education in state history “yet Democrats continue to put their hand out for more.” “While the governor has used his veto pen to burden property tax payers for the next 400 years to increase school funding, literacy rates are rapidly declining in Wisconsin,” Speaker Vos said. “Instead of addressing that issue, Dr. Underly is more concerned with changing the standardized test scoring so it’s nearly impossible to compare student achievement over time, hiding each student’s true proficiency level from their parents.”
Watch the full address here.
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The following meetings have been noticed as of 1:00 pm Friday. Committee and Agency meeting notices are frequently updated and can be found here (for the Legislature) and here (for the Administration).
Monday, September 22
No meetings currently scheduled.
Tuesday, September 23
Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government
Public Hearing at 10:30 AM
Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage
Executive Session at 11:00 AM
Wednesday, September 24
Assembly Committee on Education
Informational Hearing at 10:00 AM
Senate Committee on Education
Informational Hearing at 10:00 AM
Thursday, September 25
Assembly Committee on Environment
Public Hearing at 10:00 AM
Friday, September 26
No meetings currently scheduled.
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Wednesday, October 8th at 11:30am - Meet the State Leader with Wisconsin Technical College System President, Layla Merrifield
Friday, October 3rd at 8:30am - Capitol Chats with Rep. Hurd (virtual)
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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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