By Rich Kremer, WPR

Seven Democrats running to be Wisconsin’s next governor are trying to stand out in the crowded field ahead of the August 2026 primary.

In interviews with Here & Now they all struck common themes, calling inflation a top issue in the election and blaming economic uncertainty on President Donald Trump.

Still, there are nuances among the Democratic candidates on why they say they’re the answer voters are looking for to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

Affordability, affordability, affordability

The field of Democrats comprises Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Madison state Sen. Kelda Roys, Madison state Rep. Francesca Hong, former Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. CEO Missy Hughes, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and Greater Milwaukee Committee President Joel Brennan.

All seven said rising costs and stagnant wages are a top challenge facing Wisconsinites.

Hughes, who was an executive with the Organic Valley dairy cooperative before she ran WEDC, said “it’s all about the economy.” She said her position as a Democrat with business experience who hasn’t held public office sets her apart from her primary opponents.

“As I’m talking to businesses, they are pulling back,” Hughes said. “They’re not rehiring people, they’re stopping investments, and as I’m talking to everyday Wisconsinites, they are struggling to make ends meet. This is all because of Donald Trump’s policies. This is a man-made crisis that we are in right now.”

Madison state Rep. Francesca Hong said she’s running for governor because the state is “in a moment of crisis and chaos” thanks to Trump. She said her progressive platform is what makes her stand out.

“Fully funding public education, universal child care and expanding BadgerCare for all — these are universal policies addressing universal issues for Wisconsinites all across the state, and I think this moment demands visionary, bold action and not incrementalism,” Hong said.

How much will it cost to win Democratic primary?

The Republican candidates vying for governor have estimated it will take upwards of $40 million to win the August 2026 primary. The Democratic candidates were less firm on a number, but Barnes said it will be “an obscene amount of money, which is the worst part about politics.”

“There’s far too much money involved,” Barnes said. “It feels as if everyday people don’t have a voice in politics,” Barnes said.

Roys didn’t say what she thinks it will cost to clear the Democratic primary, but she said she’s not worried about the winner being tapped out when it’s time to face Republicans’ primary winner after the August election.

“I’m very confident that we’re going to have a good pot of money that’s been raised by the Democratic Party and national partners for whomever our nominee is,” Roys said.

Democrats say Trump factor ‘looms large’ over governor race

According to Brennan, who served as Department of Administration secretary under Evers, Trump “looms large over everything that we do right now.” Brennan took a swipe at the presumptive Republican primary frontrunner, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, stating “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

“Yes, Donald Trump is going to play a role in the campaign,” Brennan said. “But ultimately, the campaign can’t be just about Donald Trump. It has to be about Wisconsin families and Wisconsin values.”

Crowley said he’s frustrated with candidates for not having a clear agenda beyond how they feel about Trump.

“I think it’s extremely important that it’s not just about fighting back against many of these dangerous policies that we’re seeing coming out of Washington, D.C.,” Crowley said. “It’s about what vision, what agenda as Democrats, are we going to put on the table?”

How do Democrats say they’ll connect with rural, redder parts of Wisconsin?

Every Democrat running for governor either works in, or has ties to Wisconsin’s largest cities. But they say they’re going to spend the next year working to connect with rural parts of the state, which tend to vote Republican.

Rodriguez said she’s done that already, serving as lieutenant governor alongside Evers. She noted she’s also the only candidate in the Democratic primary who has flipped a state legislative district from “red to blue.”

“I think you can look at the issues for all the different candidates and see if they align with your values, but then we also have to look to the general to see who’s going to be able to get across the finish line in November,” Rodriguez said.

The field is smaller on the Republican side, where the most prominent candidates to announce are U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany of Minocqua and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann. Construction executive Tim Michels, who lost the 2022 race for governor to Evers, is said to be considering the race.