Wisconsin’s crowded governor’s race remains crowded after filing deadline

Wisconsin candidates for governor are one step closer to getting on the ballot — and the crowded Democratic primary field remains robust.

Ahead of Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline, candidates from across the state submitted nomination papers to run for races that will appear on the primary ballot in August and the general election ballot in November.

In addition to governor, offices on the ballot include lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, the entire state Assembly, half of the state Senate and all eight U.S. House seats.

Despite overtures from nearly two dozen people over the last year suggesting they’d run for governor, the field officially has 10 candidates: one Republican, eight Democrats and one independent.

U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who has been endorsed by both President Donald Trump and the state Republican Party, was the only GOP candidate to submit signatures to run for governor, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

The eight Democrats running are former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Madison state Rep. Francesca Hong, former Greater Milwaukee Committee President Joel Brennan, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Madison state Sen. Kelda Roys, former Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Secretary Missy Hughes and Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad.

David D. King, a Milwaukee pastor, is running for governor as an independent.

The Democratic field is not quite as large as it was in 2018, when the eventual Gov. Tony Evers emerged from a ballot of 10, but the sizeable field means the candidates will have their work cut out for them as they seek to build name recognition and war chests ahead of the August primary.

The signatures are not yet final. They’ll go through a review by staff at the elections commission. Candidates’ submissions may also be challenged by members of the public through June 4. Candidates for governor need at least 2,000 valid signatures.

Pending challenges and responses, the full commission will meet to certify the final list of candidates on June 9, which will appear on the Aug. 11 primary ballot.

Across all offices, a total of 399 candidates submitted paperwork to run for state races that will appear on the primary ballot.

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