MADISON — Wisconsin has a waiting season, and Tony Evers is in it. Packers fans are used to waiting for big decisions. They have lived through it in the off-seasons with legendary Packers quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.
But this time it's different. It's Governor Evers who is on the clock deciding if he will seek a third term in 2026. An announcement is expected soon — likely before the end of July.
READ ALSO: Gov. Evers still undecided on seeking a third term
No indication Evers is on a riding lawn mower or headed to a darkness retreat to make the big political decisions. Remember Brett Favre's 'Tractor Watch' in 2010 as he contemplated returning for another season, or Rodgers' talking about 'darkness retreats' as one of his unique methods for career decisions?
Many political observers think Evers' decision rests with three people: his wife Kathy, his Chief of Staff Maggie Gau, and Evers himself. That doesn't mean others close to Evers haven't leaned in with advice on what to do.
If he runs, it's off to the races in battleground Wisconsin. It he doesn't run — it's still off to the races for a list of potential candidates jockeying for his party's nomination and a primary one year away. Thus, the waiting season.
Watch: Gov. Evers still undecided on seeking a third term
Approval rating
The Plymouth native has maintained consistent job approval ratings in a deeply divided state. The June Marquette Law School Poll showed Evers with 48% approval among registered voters and a net positive rating of two points. 91% approval among Democrats.
Over his seven years in office, his approval has averaged just above 50.4% across nearly three dozen polls; however, Evers' approval has trended downward after a strong start to his second term.
His job approval hit 57% in June 2023 in the Marquette Poll following the completion of the state budget that year, while his 48% approval last month ties his lowest rating in the second term.
Three-peats are challenging
If Evers decides to run, he would be attempting a rare political feat for a governor in Wisconsin. Republican Tommy Thompson is the only person to win four gubernatorial terms in the state (1986, 1990, 1994, and 1998) since Wisconsin switched from two-year to four-year terms.
Former Gov. Scott Walker won three statewide elections in eight years, including surviving a 2012 recall, but Evers prevented Walker from securing a third term.
READ ALSO: Voting in Wisconsin's governor's race is a year away, but the ads are starting
Evers' electoral record remains strong, having won five statewide elections – three as Superintendent of Public Instruction and two as governor. He defeated Walker in 2018 by nearly 30,000 votes and won by 90,000 votes in 2022 against Trump-backed candidate Tim Michels.
Evers has yet to turn on the fundraising machine. He raised about $760,000 in the first half of this year, lagging the $5 million he raised in the same time period in his run-up to the 2022 campaign.
In the June Marquette Law School poll, 55% of voters indicated they did not want Evers to seek a third term — compared to 61% who said the same about Gov. Walker in 2016 and a possible third term. 83% of Democratic voters want him to run again.
Evers' record
Evers has built a record of legislative accomplishments, signing four state budgets that included tax cuts while increasing K-12 school funding.
This year, he battled with Tom Homa, the Trump administration's border czar over a state issued ICE memo.
He faced a unanimous state Supreme Court decision against his partial veto authority in a battle over funding for a state literacy program, but secured a 4-3 court victory allowing him to ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ youth despite Republican opposition.
One of Evers' most significant achievements was reshaping Wisconsin's legislative maps. In 2023, the liberal-leaning state Supreme Court threw out Republican-drawn maps as unconstitutional, forcing Republicans to approve maps favored by Evers. This change helped Democrats flip four Senate seats and 10 Assembly seats in 2024.
Is age an issue?
Age could factor into Evers' decision. He's currently 73, but would be 75 shortly after the 2026 election and it will likely be a question for some voters. There are no suggestions Evers has a "Biden age issue," meaning no signs of slowing down. But if elected to a third term, it would take him to age 79, the same as President Trump right now.
Currently six governors are older than Evers – including Alabama's Kay Ivey at 80. Others may suggest it might be time for new leadership.
Waiting list
Several younger Democrats could step forward if Evers doesn't run, including Attorney General Josh Kaul, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez and State Rep. Kelda Roys, all in their 40s, and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, all under 40.
Two Republicans have already jumped into the 2026 race, Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and New Berlin business owner Bill Berrien.
This story was reported by Charles Benson and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
