Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said late Sunday that he won’t run to get his old job back in next year’s open gubernatorial race.
“I’m not going to be a candidate for governor in 2026,” Walker, a Republican, said video posted to X on Sunday night. Walker said he’d instead continue working as president of his Young America’s Foundation, a conservative group that focuses on youth outreach.
“As I mentioned, I’m not going to be a candidate, at least not next year. Doesn’t mean I’ll never run again,” Walker said in the video.
Walker, who served as Wisconsin’s governor from 2011 through 2018, had sparked speculation over whether he’d run to replace retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers after making numerous cryptic posts on social media in recent days that appeared to tease a possible campaign, with pictures of a “Make Wisconsin Great Again” hat.
Evers, who defeated Walker in the 2018 gubernatorial race, announced last week he wouldn’t run for a third term, a decision that will create competitive primary for both major parties.
On the Democratic side, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez announced her candidacy last week, while others have publicly or privately expressed interest in running. They include state Attorney General Josh Kaul, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes.
On the Republican side, two candidates have so far entered the race; Josh Schoemann, the county executive of Washington County, an exurban area northwest of Milwaukee, and Bill Berrien, a Milwaukee manufacturing CEO.
More could follow. Businessman Eric Hovde, who narrowly lost a 2024 U.S. Senate race to Democrat Tammy Baldwin, and Tim Michels, who lost to Evers in 2022, are also weighing bids. And Rep. Tom Tiffany hasn’t ruled out a run.