The race for governor in Wisconsin is going to be one of the biggest political stories in the state in 2026. This is the first open contest for the office since 2010, and the ramifications for the results of this election will be enormously consequential for the state of Wisconsin.

Over the last few months, we’ve seen a number of candidates launch campaigns for governor. The Democratic primary, in particular, is seeing a host of candidates jump into the race to make their case to the voters to lead the state. This primary offers a unique opportunity to have a conversation with a number of competing views

On Jan. 21, seven Democratic candidates will take the stage in Milwaukee in a forum hosted by Main Street Action. The Recombobulation Area’s Dan Shafer will be the moderator for this special event.

Here’s the official event description from Main Street Action:

The 2026 Governor’s race in Wisconsin will shape policies that directly affect small businesses across the state—on issues like healthcare, childcare, paid family & medical leave and access to capital. With the U.S. economy showing signs of slowing, proactive state leadership will be critical to support the growth of small businesses and family farmers. Join Main Street Action and partners for a forum with Democratic candidates for Governor, including Rep. Francesca Hong, Sen. Kelda Roys, former WEDC Director Missy Hughes, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Former DOA Secretary Joel Brennan and Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes. Hear directly from the candidates, ask your questions, and engage on the issues that matter most to Main Street. Don’t miss this opportunity—we’ll see you there!

The event is happening on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 6 p.m. at the Cooperage (822 S. Water St., Milwaukee, WI 53204). It is free to attend and you can register online here. There is a 200-person capacity at the venue, so if you want to attend, be sure to register ASAP.

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The Recombobulation Area has worked with Main Street Alliance on a number of occasions over the years, discussing issues like child care and health care for small businesses, and publishing a number of guest columns, like this one from Shawn Phetteplace, now the National Campaigns Director for Main Street Alliance, in June 2021 with the headline, “WMC Doesn’t Speak for All Businesses,” or this one from Phetteplace about a year ago, titled “Why BadgerCare expansion would be good for Wisconsin small businesses.”

We are excited to be working with this organization again for this event, and are looking forward to an important conversation on some of the top issues in this campaign, those that impact Main Street and small businesses across Wisconsin. Find more about the event and see further updates on the event page on Facebook.

Join us for this exciting and timely forum!

Dan Shafer is a journalist from Milwaukee who writes and publishes The Recombobulation Area. In 2024, he became the Political Editor of Civic Media. He’s written for The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Heartland Signal, Belt Magazine, WisPolitics, and Milwaukee Record. He previously worked at Seattle Magazine, Seattle Business Magazine, the Milwaukee Business Journal, Milwaukee Magazine, and BizTimes Milwaukee. He’s won 23 Milwaukee Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards. He’s on Twitter at @DanRShafer.

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Follow Dan Shafer on Twitter at @DanRShafer and at BlueSky at @danshafer.bsky.social.

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