Gov. Evers Won’t Run Again: Live Civic Media Panel Discussion

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced he will not seek a third term in office, and it marks the end of an era in state politics. His decision not to run again also opens up a highly competitive race for the state’s top office in 2026. And as reaction quickly rolls in, Civic Media News Director Chali Pittman, Political Editor Dan Shafer, and longtime Republican strategist Bill McCoshen join Todd Allbaugh for a live discussion during The Todd Allbaugh Show

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Watch the entire discussion here:

The Governor addressed the people of the state in a video message shared just after noon on Thursday:

“Hey Wisconsin, Governor Tony Evers here. I was a scrawny kid with glasses who grew up scraping mold off cheese. I never dreamed I’d end up governor of Wisconsin. But here I am.”

The 73-year-old Democrat, who has won five straight statewide elections—including two terms as governor and three as state superintendent—said the decision not to run again was not about electability.

“Would I win if I ran a sixth time? Of course. No question about that,” Evers says with a characteristic mix of humility and humor.

“But whether I’d win or not has never been part of my calculus,” he adds. “The only thing I love more than being your governor is being a husband, a dad, and a grandpa.”

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Watch the Governor’s message here:

Pittman points out his unofficial title of “the education governor.” Evers began his career as a teacher and later served as a principal, district administrator, and ultimately as state superintendent of public instruction. His lifelong focus on public education became central to his governorship. And most notably when he used a partial veto to lock in school funding increases for the next 400 years.

“He has very much centered education in his policies,” Pittman says, noting Evers declared it “the year of the kid.” 

She also emphasized the governor’s role in stabilizing Wisconsin politics after the divisive Scott Walker years.

“It has felt like a different period,” Pittman explains. “He toned down the tenor in Madison and wielded the most powerful veto pen in the country with purpose.”

Shafer highlights bipartisan wins during Evers’ tenure. It includes the shared revenue reform bill and the creation of new, fairer legislative maps.

“Evers delivered important wins for the state despite a hard-right, obstructionist Republican-controlled legislature,” he says. “He brought stability and sanity to the state at a time of genuine crisis in 2020.”

Evers still has nearly 17 months left in office, and made it clear in his message, he intends to continue working hard through the end of his term.

The political ripple effects of Evers’ decision are already unfolding. As Pittman notes, this will be the first open race for governor in battleground Wisconsin since 2010. It’s sure to draw crowded primaries on both sides.

Potential Democratic candidates include Attorney General Josh Kaul, State Senator Kelda Roys, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Lieutenant Governor Sarah Rodriguez, and former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes.

Meanwhile, on the Republican side, Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and businessman Bill Berrien are already declared candidates. But there are now other names like Congressman Tom Tiffany, State Senator Mary Felzkowski, and even former Governor Scott Walker are all rumored to be considering a run.

Veteran GOP strategist Bill McCoshen sums it all up.

“This is the second open gubernatorial race in my 60 years on this planet,” he says. “It’s a big opportunity.”

Now, Wisconsin prepares for a new chapter in its political story. And Evers’ legacy will remain rooted in public service, family, and a commitment to the values that shaped him—from a small-town cheese factory to the governor’s mansion.

“It’s been the honor of my life to give back to the state that raised me,” he says.

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Governor Evers Won’t Seek Third Term