The 2022 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Wisconsin. Democratic incumbent Tony Evers won a second term, defeating Republican nominee Tim Michels, who had previously lost by more than 10% when he ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin in 2004.
As Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes ran for the U.S. Senate in the concurrent election, a new Democratic running mate, state assemblywoman Sara Rodriguez, was nominated in the partisan primary. Barnes was the second lieutenant governor not to run with the incumbent governor since the state constitution was amended in 1967. The partisan primary was held on August 9, 2022, with businessman Tim Michels defeating former lieutenant governor Rebecca Kleefisch in the Republican primary. State senator Roger Roth received the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor.
This election result was the first since 2006 in which a Democrat in Wisconsin won with an outright majority of the vote, the first since 1990 in which the winner was from the same party as the incumbent president, and the first since 1962 in which Wisconsin voted for a Democratic governor at the same time the party held the presidency. This was also the first gubernatorial election in the state since 1998 in which the winning candidate was of a different party than the winner of the concurrent U.S. Senate election.
Evers's victory was labeled an upset, as he was initially elected back in 2018 by a meager 1.1%, despite 2018 being considered a much more favorable year for Democrats than 2022. In addition, many polls showed Michels in the lead in the weeks leading up to the election. According to Ron Brownstein of CNN in 2023, Evers won independent voters by 6–7 percentage points, which contributed to Michels's defeat.
Evers did substantially better than Mandela Barnes did against incumbent senator Ron Johnson in suburban areas of the state in this election as well as compared to his initial election in 2018, chiefly in the "WOW" counties of Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington that form a ring around the north and west of Milwaukee, performing in line with Biden's 2020 margins. On the flip side, Michels did better in most rural areas than former governor Scott Walker had in 2018, winning the counties of Crawford, Grant, and Richland, three counties that Evers had previously won four years earlier. Michels also flipped the county of Kenosha. One exception to the trend toward Republicans in rural areas was Door County, which flipped to Evers after having voted for Walker in 2018. Notably, Evers carried the 3rd congressional district, which Republican Derrick Van Orden concurrently won after losing in 2020 to then-Representative Ron Kind; Evers also came within 0.2% of carrying the 1st congressional district.
The 2022 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Wisconsin. Democratic incumbent Tony Evers won a second term, defeating Republican nominee Tim Michels, who had previously lost by more than 10% when he ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin in 2004.
As Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes ran for the U.S. Senate in the concurrent election, a new Democratic running mate, state assemblywoman Sara Rodriguez, was nominated in the partisan primary. Barnes was the second lieutenant governor not to run with the incumbent governor since the state constitution was amended in 1967. The partisan primary was held on August 9, 2022, with businessman Tim Michels defeating former lieutenant governor Rebecca Kleefisch in the Republican primary. State senator Roger Roth received the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor.
This election result was the first since 2006 in which a Democrat in Wisconsin won with an outright majority of the vote, the first since 1990 in which the winner was from the same party as the incumbent president, and the first since 1962 in which Wisconsin voted for a Democratic governor at the same time the party held the presidency. This was also the first gubernatorial election in the state since 1998 in which the winning candidate was of a different party than the winner of the concurrent U.S. Senate election.
Evers's victory was labeled an upset, as he was initially elected back in 2018 by a meager 1.1%, despite 2018 being considered a much more favorable year for Democrats than 2022. In addition, many polls showed Michels in the lead in the weeks leading up to the election. According to Ron Brownstein of CNN in 2023, Evers won independent voters by 6–7 percentage points, which contributed to Michels's defeat.
Evers did substantially better than Mandela Barnes did against incumbent senator Ron Johnson in suburban areas of the state in this election as well as compared to his initial election in 2018, chiefly in the "WOW" counties of Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington that form a ring around the north and west of Milwaukee, performing in line with Biden's 2020 margins. On the flip side, Michels did better in most rural areas than former governor Scott Walker had in 2018, winning the counties of Crawford, Grant, and Richland, three counties that Evers had previously won four years earlier. Michels also flipped the county of Kenosha. One exception to the trend toward Republicans in rural areas was Door County, which flipped to Evers after having voted for Walker in 2018. Notably, Evers carried the 3rd congressional district, which Republican Derrick Van Orden concurrently won after losing in 2020 to then-Representative Ron Kind; Evers also came within 0.2% of carrying the 1st congressional district.
Democratic primary
Governor
Nominee
Tony Evers, incumbent governor (2019–present)
Disqualified
Job Edmond Hou-Seye, former alderman of Sheboygan (2015–2017)
Endorsements
Tony Evers
Lieutenant governor
Candidates
Sara Rodriguez, state assemblywoman from the 13th district (2021–2023)
Peng Her, CEO of Hmong Institute
David Bowen, state assemblyman from the 10th district (2015–2023)
Lena Taylor, state senator from the 4th district (2005–2024) and former state assemblywoman from the 18th district (2003–2005) (ran for mayor of Milwaukee)
Mandela Barnes, incumbent lieutenant governor (2019–2023) (ran for U.S. Senate)
Endorsements
Sara Rodriguez
Statewide officials
Barbara Lawton, former lieutenant governor of Wisconsin (2003–2011)
State legislators
Jonathan Brostoff, state representative from the 19th district (2015–2022)
Tim Carpenter, state senator from the 3rd district (2003–present)
Sue Conley, state representative from 44th district (2021–present)
Steve Doyle, state representative from the 94th district (2011–present)
Jodi Emerson, state assemblywoman from the 91st district (2019–present)
Gary Hebl, state representative from the 46th district (2005–2023)
La Tonya Johnson, state senator from the 6th district (2017–present)
Chris Larson, state senator from the 7th district (2011–present)
Nick Milroy, state representative from the 73rd district (2009–2023)
Tod Ohnstad, state representative from the 65th district (2013–2025)
Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, state representative (Wisconsin Assembly, District 8) and Milwaukee County Board supervisor
Daniel Riemer, state representative from the 7th district (2013–2025)
Kelda Roys, state senator from Wisconsin Senate, District 26 (2021–present)
Kristina Shelton, state representative from the 90th district (2021–present)
Christine Sinicki, state representative from the 20th district (1999–present)
Mark Spreitzer, state representative from the 45th district (2015–present)
Lisa Subeck, state representative from the 78th district (2015–present)
Don Vruwink, state assemblyman from the 43rd district (2017–2023)
Robert Wirch, state senator from Wisconsin's 22nd State Senate district (1997–present)
Party officials
Sachin Chheda, former chairman of the Milwaukee County Democratic Party
Matthew Mareno, chairman of the Waukesha County Democratic Party
Khary Penebaker, representative to the Democratic National Committee
Local officials
Mike Hallquist, Rock County supervisor
JoCasta Zamarripa, member of the Milwaukee Common Council
Republican primary
Governor
Nominee
Tim Michels, co-owner of the Michels Corporation and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2004
Adam J. Fischer, former police officer and businessman
Rebecca Kleefisch, former lieutenant governor (2011–2019)
Timothy Ramthun, state representative for the 59th district
James Kellen
Leonard Larson Jr.
Kevin Nicholson, businessman, former member of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2018 (remained on ballot)
Jonathan Wichmann, businessman (ran for lieutenant governor)
Sean Duffy, former U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 7th congressional district (2011–2019)
Paul Farrow, chair of the Republican Party of Wisconsin (2021–2022), Waukesha County executive (2015–present) and former state senator from the 33rd district (2013–2015)
Mike Gallagher, U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district (2017–2024) (ran for re-election)
Eric Hovde, businessman and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012
Ron Johnson, U.S. senator (2011–present) (ran for re-election)
Chris Kapenga, president of the Wisconsin Senate (2021–2025) and state senator from the 33rd district (2015–present) (ran for re-election)
John Macco, state representative for the 88th district (2015–present) (ran for re-election; endorsed Kleefisch)
Bill McCoshen, lobbyist
Reince Priebus, former White House Chief of Staff (2017), former chair of the Republican National Committee (2011–2017) and former chair of the Republican Party of Wisconsin (2007–2011)
Tommy Thompson, former governor (1987–2001), former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2001–2005) and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012 (endorsed Michels)
Robin Vos, speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly (2013–present) and state representative for the 63rd district (2005–present) (ran for re-election)
Scott Walker, former governor (2011–2019) (endorsed Kleefisch)
Endorsements
Rebecca Kleefisch
U.S. executive branch officials
Nikki Haley, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (2017–2018)
K. T. McFarland, former Deputy National Security Advisor (2017)
Mike Pence, 48th vice president of the United States (2017–2021)
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, former White House Press Secretary (2017–2019) and nominee for governor of Arkansas in 2022
Federal officials
Ted Cruz, U.S. senator from Texas (2013–)
Jim Sensenbrenner, former U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 5th congressional district (1979–2021)
Tom Tiffany, U.S. representative from Wisconsin's 7th congressional district (2020–)
State officials
Kim Reynolds, governor of Iowa (2017–)
Scott Walker, former governor of Wisconsin (2011–2019)
State legislators
Scott Allen, state representative from the 97th district (2015–)
David Armstrong, state representative from the 75th district (2021–)
Tyler August, speaker pro tempore of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Joan Ballweg, state senator from the 14th district (2021–2025)
Elijah Behnke, state representative from the 89th district (2021–)
Mark Born, state representative from the 39th district (2013–)
Julian Bradley, state senator from the 28th district (2021–present)
Robert Brooks, state representative from the 60th district (2015–)
Rachael Cabral-Guevara, state representative from the 55th district (2021–2025)
Calvin Callahan, state representative from the 35th district (2021–)
Robert Cowles, state senator from the 2nd district (1987–2025)
Alex Dallman, state representative from the 21st district (2021–)
Alberta Darling, state senator from the 8th district (1993–2023)
Barbara Dittrich, state representative from the 38th district (2019–)
James W. Edming, state representative from the 87th district (2015–2025)
John Jagler, state senator from the 13th district (2021–)
Terry Katsma, state representative from the 26th district (2015–2025)
Joel Kitchens, state representative from the 1st district (2015–)
Dan Knodl, state representative from the 24th district (2009–2023)
Scott Krug, state representative from the 72nd district (2011–)
Tony Kurtz, state representative from the 50th district (2019–)
Devin LeMahieu, majority leader of the Wisconsin Senate
John Macco, state representative from the 88th district (2015–2025)
Gae Magnafici, state representative from the 28th district (2019–2025)
Howard Marklein, state senator from the 17th district (2015–)
Clint Moses, state representative from the 29th district (2021–)
Dave Murphy, state representative from the 56th district (2013–)
Jeffrey Mursau, state representative from the 36th district (2005–)
Stephen Nass, state senator from the 11th district (2015–)
Adam Neylon, state representative from the 98th district (2013–)
Todd Novak, state representative from the 51st district (2015–)
Loren Oldenburg, state representative from the 96th district (2019–2025)
William Penterman, state representative from the 37th district (2021–)
Kevin David Petersen, state representative from the 40th district (2007–)
Jon Plumer, state representative from the 42nd district (2018–2025)
Treig Pronschinske, state representative from the 92nd district (2017–)
Jessie Rodriguez, state representative from the 21st district (2013–)
Donna Rozar, state representative from the 69th district (2021–2025)
Michael Schraa, state representative from the 53rd district (2013–2025)
Ken Skowronski, state representative from the 82nd district (2014–2023)
Patrick Snyder, state representative from the 85th district (2017–)
Shae Sortwell, state representative from the 2nd district (2019–)
John Spiros, state representative from the 86th district (2013–)
Rob Stafsholt, state senator from the 10th district (2021–)
David Steffen, state representative from the 4th district (2015–)
Jim Steineke, majority leader of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Rob Summerfield, state representative from the 67th district (2017–)
Rob Swearingen, state representative from the 34th district (2013–)
Gary Tauchen, state representative from the 6th district (2007–2023)
Jeremy Thiesfeldt, state representative from the 52nd district (2011–2023)
Paul Tittl, state representative from the 25th district (2013–)
Travis Tranel, state representative from the 49th district (2011–)
Ron Tusler, state representative from the 3rd district (2017–)
Robin Vos, speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Van H. Wanggaard, state senator from the 21st district (2011–2012, 2015–)
Chuck Wichgers, state representative from the 83rd district (2017–)
Robert Wittke, state representative from the 62nd district (2019–)
Shannon Zimmerman, state representative from the 30th district (2017–)
Sheriffs
39 county sheriffs
Local officials
101 local officials
Individuals
Grover Norquist, founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform
Ted Nugent, singer and activist
Organizations
American Conservative Union
Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin
Milwaukee Police Association
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America Candidate Fund
Wisconsin Family Action PAC
Wisconsin Fraternal Order of Police
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce
Wisconsin Right to Life
Wisconsin Young Republicans
Kevin Nicholson (withdrew)
Individuals
Dick Uihlein, founder of Uline
Organizations
Wisconsin Family Action PAC
Timothy Ramthun
Declined to endorse
Lieutenant governor
Candidates
Roger Roth, state senator from the 19th district (2015–2023)
David D. King, businessman and perennial candidate
Will Martin, former Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development official
Patrick Testin, state senator from the 24th district (2017–present)
David Varnam, mayor of Lancaster (2016–present)
Cindy Werner, businesswoman and candidate for Wisconsin's 4th congressional district in 2018 and 2020
Jonathan Wichmann, businessman
Kyle Yudes, activist
Ben Voelkel, former aide to U.S. senator Ron Johnson
Endorsements
Will Martin
Local officials
David DeGroot, Mount Pleasant board of trustees president
Jonathan Delegrave, Racine County executive
Patricia Hansen, Racine County district attorney
Don Houston, Waterford board of trustees president
Jean Jacobson, former Racine County executive
Thomas Kramer, Racine County board vice chair
Claude Lois, former Burlington mayor
William McReynolds, former Racine County sheriff
Thomas Roanhouse, Racine County board chair
Christopher Schmaling, Racine County sheriff
Steve Wicklund, Union Grove board of trustees president
Patrick Testin
State senators
Kathy Bernier, state senator from the 23rd district (2019–2023)
Julian Bradley, state senator from the 28th district (2021–)
Alberta Darling, state senator from the 8th district (1993–2023)
Dan Feyen, state senator from the 18th district (2017–)
Sheila Harsdorf, former state senator from the 10th district (2001–2017)
John Jagler, state senator from the 13th district (2021–)
Dan Kapanke, former state senator from the 32nd district (2005–2011)
Stephen Nass, state senator from the 11th district (2015–)
Luther Olsen, former state senator from the 14th district (2005–2021)
Van Wanggaard, state senator from the 21st district (2015–)