Sara Rodriguez launches 2026 Wisconsin governor bid, slams Trump and vows to defend abortion rights
TOI World Desk | TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Jul 25, 2025, 22:32 IST
( Image credit : AP )
Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez has announced her 2026 gubernatorial bid, sharply criticizing Donald Trump and advocating for progressive policies focused on public health, education, and reproductive rights. With Gov. Tony Evers stepping down, the race is wide open, attracting other Democratic contenders like Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. The election is poised to be a crucial battleground.
Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez officially entered the 2026 governor’s race on Friday, launching her campaign with a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump and a promise to carry forward a progressive vision rooted in public health, education, and reproductive rights.
“We’ve got a maniac in the White House,” Rodriguez declared in her announcement video, citing the damaging effects of Trump’s tariffs on Wisconsin’s agricultural industry and his broader policies on children and families. Her entry marks the beginning of what is expected to be a highly competitive and closely watched Democratic primary in one of the nation’s most pivotal swing states.
Rodriguez, a former emergency room nurse and health care executive, would become the first woman to serve as Wisconsin governor if elected. Her candidacy also follows the decision by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to not seek a third term, creating the state’s first open gubernatorial race since 2010.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, another rising Democrat, announced that he is taking steps toward a run as well. If successful, Crowley would become Wisconsin’s first Black governor.
Rodriguez, who won her Assembly seat in a longtime Republican district in 2020, rose to statewide office as lieutenant governor in 2023. She has consistently focused her political efforts on reproductive health access, public education investment, and economic revitalization—priorities she reiterated during her launch.
In her campaign rollout, which coincided with her 50th birthday, Rodriguez emphasized that the state’s political landscape is shifting. With Democrats gaining ground in the Legislature, she argued that a Democratic governor could finally break Republican gridlock and deliver long-delayed policies like Medicaid expansion.
“We’re on the cusp of real change,” Rodriguez said. “But we need bold leadership to get there.”
Rodriguez’s credentials extend beyond state politics. She previously served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and holds a master’s degree in public health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she said, the Republican-led response motivated her to enter politics.
Rodriguez was a featured speaker during the opening night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where she centered her remarks on health care and reproductive rights—issues expected to be central to the 2026 race.
Several other Democrats are rumored to be weighing bids, including Attorney General Josh Kaul, state Sen. Kelda Roys, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who narrowly lost a Senate race to Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in 2022.
On the Republican side, the declared candidates so far include Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and businessman Bill Berrien. Other potential contenders include U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and state Senate President Mary Felzkowski.
With both parties preparing for a fiercely contested election, the outcome in Wisconsin could once again play a critical role in shaping the national political map heading into the 2026 midterms.
“We’ve got a maniac in the White House,” Rodriguez declared in her announcement video, citing the damaging effects of Trump’s tariffs on Wisconsin’s agricultural industry and his broader policies on children and families. Her entry marks the beginning of what is expected to be a highly competitive and closely watched Democratic primary in one of the nation’s most pivotal swing states.
Rodriguez, a former emergency room nurse and health care executive, would become the first woman to serve as Wisconsin governor if elected. Her candidacy also follows the decision by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to not seek a third term, creating the state’s first open gubernatorial race since 2010.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, another rising Democrat, announced that he is taking steps toward a run as well. If successful, Crowley would become Wisconsin’s first Black governor.
Rodriguez, who won her Assembly seat in a longtime Republican district in 2020, rose to statewide office as lieutenant governor in 2023. She has consistently focused her political efforts on reproductive health access, public education investment, and economic revitalization—priorities she reiterated during her launch.
In her campaign rollout, which coincided with her 50th birthday, Rodriguez emphasized that the state’s political landscape is shifting. With Democrats gaining ground in the Legislature, she argued that a Democratic governor could finally break Republican gridlock and deliver long-delayed policies like Medicaid expansion.
“We’re on the cusp of real change,” Rodriguez said. “But we need bold leadership to get there.”
Rodriguez’s credentials extend beyond state politics. She previously served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and holds a master’s degree in public health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she said, the Republican-led response motivated her to enter politics.
Rodriguez was a featured speaker during the opening night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where she centered her remarks on health care and reproductive rights—issues expected to be central to the 2026 race.
Several other Democrats are rumored to be weighing bids, including Attorney General Josh Kaul, state Sen. Kelda Roys, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who narrowly lost a Senate race to Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in 2022.
On the Republican side, the declared candidates so far include Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and businessman Bill Berrien. Other potential contenders include U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and state Senate President Mary Felzkowski.
With both parties preparing for a fiercely contested election, the outcome in Wisconsin could once again play a critical role in shaping the national political map heading into the 2026 midterms.