Wisconsin lieutenant governor Sara Rodriguez drops out of governor race

Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez has dropped out of the governor's race after her campaign was found to be in financial disarray, including a shortfall of over $1 million and duplicated contributions. Her exit reshuffles the Democratic primary, with Gov. Tony Evers now considering backing an effort to get former candidate David Crowley to re-enter the race. The primary winner will face Republican Tom Tiffany.

Rodriguez campaign suspension

• ▪Rodriguez stated her withdrawal was to prevent her campaign's financial issues from becoming an "ongoing distraction."
• ▪Rodriguez's withdrawal came shortly after she received endorsements from former candidates David Crowley and Missy Hughes.
• ▪Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez ended her gubernatorial campaign on July 17, 2026.

Campaign finance discrepancies

• ▪As of July 15, 2026, the Rodriguez campaign reported a cash balance of $34,991 against $152,276 in outstanding debts.
• ▪On July 13, 2026, Rodriguez told reporters that campaign expenses had not been properly documented.
• ▪A January campaign finance report for the Rodriguez campaign included over $100,000 in duplicate contributions, where single donations were recorded twice.
• ▪The Rodriguez campaign's financial reporting issues date back to at least January 2026.
• ▪On July 12, 2026, Rodriguez fired her campaign manager after discovering her account was over $1 million short of what she believed it had.

Democratic primary reshuffling

• ▪Gov. Tony Evers' decision not to seek a third term opened up the Democratic primary for governor.
• ▪Prior polling showed most decided Democratic voters favored former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, state Rep. Francesca Hong, or Sara Rodriguez.
• ▪The winner of the August 11 Democratic primary will face Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in the general election.
• ▪Candidates State Sen. Kelda Roys and former Secretary Joel Brennan reported renewed interest in their campaigns following Rodriguez's issues.

Crowley potential re-entry

• ▪A source close to David Crowley confirmed he is considering returning to the gubernatorial race.
• ▪Gov. Tony Evers is "very seriously considering" supporting an effort to get Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley back into the primary race.
• ▪Former candidate Missy Hughes publicly urged David Crowley on X to "get back in this race."
• ▪Democratic strategists are actively working to persuade David Crowley to re-enter the race.

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