Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom, which shares its content with members of the Wisconsin NewsMedia Association (WNA), formerly known as the Wisconsin Newspaper Association.
The Wisconsin Watch 2026 Voter Guide is an interactive tool for voters to find direct, comparable information on candidates for state office in their jurisdiction. To access the Voter Guide, go to www.wisconsinwatch.org.
Elected Experience: Wisconsin State Assembly (2013-2017); lieutenant governor of Wisconsin (2019-2023)
Why should voters elect you the next governor of Wisconsin?
Nobody in this race has the experience I have, and no one is more ready to do the job of governor and stand up to Trump’s chaos. We are going to reject the Washington Way of corruption and high costs and fix the rigged system holding back our families. I will get things done the Wisconsin Way as governor and that starts by taxing the rich, freezing the rates, passing universal childcare, and keeping Wisconsin safe.
What is the top issue facing Wisconsinites and how would you address it?
Wisconsinites are living in a rigged system. While the rich get richer and richer — while Elon Musk becomes the world’s first trillionaire — Wisconsin families are left to pick up the crumbs. The deck is stacked against working families because billionaires and greedy corporations keep buying politicians to maintain that status quo.
When I’m governor, we will end that broken system by taxing the rich. We will close the loopholes that allow billionaires and out-of-state corporations to get away without paying their fair share so we can cut taxes for middle class families, pass universal childcare, and a public option to lower healthcare costs.
What is the top policy goal you would like to accomplish in your first 100 days in office?
On day one as governor, I will call a special session to expand BadgerCare and pass a public option, and I won’t stop until we get this done. Wisconsin is one of just 10 states that has yet to expand Medicaid under President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. Even Republican states have done it, but not Wisconsin.
That ends when I become governor. I will veto any state budget that does not include BadgerCare expansion. BadgerCare expansion is a critical first step to providing coverage to thousands of uninsured Wisconsinites, but we also need a public option for folks to buy-in to BadgerCare. This will give families an affordable alternative that pushes insurance companies to lower costs.
What kind of relationship should Wisconsin’s governor have with the federal government?
Right now, we have a president who is doing nothing but making life more expensive for Wisconsin. Donald Trump is the most corrupt president in American history. He’s a wannabe dictator who has used a rogue militia to assault and kill American citizens in our streets. As governor, my job will be to protect this state from the dangers Donald Trump poses to our state and do everything in my power to make life more affordable. At the same time — it’s not enough to just be anti-Trump. Democrats must have a real plan to take this state forward. My Wisconsin Way agenda will deliver real relief for working families who are being crushed by Donald Trump and Tom Tiffany’s massive price hikes.
How would you approach working with the Legislature if there are Republicans in power in one or both chambers?
We are working overtime in this campaign to not just win the governor’s race, but also a Democratic trifecta so we can deliver generational change for this state. No matter the makeup of the legislature, there will be a new governor, speaker, and Senate majority leader. Lowering utility costs, keeping this state safe, bringing down the cost of healthcare—my Wisconsin Way agenda is built on solutions every single legislator should be able to come together to solve no matter their party. I’ve worked across the aisle before and will continue to do so as governor.
How would you approach working with the Legislature if there are Democrats in power in one or both chambers?
With a Democratic trifecta, we will have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take Wisconsin forward. We cannot let it go to waste. I will work with state legislators to pass every single piece of my Wisconsin Way agenda. This includes taxing the rich, cutting taxes for middle-class families, passing universal childcare, repealing Act 10, and fully funding our schools. Wisconsinites have been failed by Republicans in the state legislature for far too long, and that ends in January when we finally get things done the Wisconsin Way.
What is your favorite fun Wisconsin history fact?
At the bottom of Lake Michigan near Manitowoc, there is a fully intact schooner shipwreck. That ship, Home, was part of the Underground Railroad and helped fugitive slaves reach freedom. It ran into another boat on a foggy morning and sank to the bottom of the lake. It’s one of my favorite pieces of Wisconsin lore because it ties to who we’ve always been as a state. Wisconsin was the only state to declare the Fugitive Slave Act unconstitutional. While we’ve fallen off track at times, this state has always led the way in pushing the country forward when it matters most.
