2026 Governor's Races: Wisconsin, Iowa and Vermont Primary Developments

Wisconsin, Iowa and Vermont are each holding 2026 gubernatorial elections, with primaries in Wisconsin and Vermont scheduled for August 11 and Iowa's primary having already concluded. In Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, is retiring; as of mid-to-late July, five Democrats including Mandela Barnes and Joel Brennan were seeking their party's nomination, while Republican Tom Tiffany was reported as the sole or leading GOP candidate. The state's bipartisan Elections Commission approved the primary ballot on June 9. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley re-entered the Wisconsin governor's race after Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez withdrew amid campaign financial difficulties, roughly a week after Crowley had dropped out and endorsed her. In Iowa, Democrat Rob Sand and Republican Zach Lahn won their parties' June primaries to advance to the November general election; Lahn's primary win over Trump-endorsed Rep. Randy Feenstra was described as a narrow upset. Campaign finance reports covering May 27 to July 14 showed Sand raised nearly $9.4 million and Lahn nearly $6.4 million, both aided by national governors' associations; Sand ended the period with about $18 million cash on hand versus roughly $1 million for Lahn. In Iowa's concurrent Senate race, Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek will face Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson. In Vermont, incumbent Republican Gov. Phil Scott reported $48,000 in contributions in a July 1 filing, trailing Democratic challengers Aly Richards and Amanda Janoo in fundraising, though Scott retained a $218,000 cash surplus. Wisconsin's Democratic field remained in flux as of the reporting period, with candidate entries and exits continuing close to the August 11 primary; the final ballot composition and outcome had not yet been determined. Barnes, when asked about the state's $2.5 billion surplus, said fully funding public schools under the state constitutional formula would provide taxpayer relief, though this remains a campaign proposal rather than enacted policy. Iowa's general election matchups for governor and Senate are set for November, while Vermont's primary outcome remains undetermined pending the August vote. Details on the full slate of Wisconsin Republican candidates beyond Tiffany, and the ultimate size of the Vermont Democratic field's fundraising totals, were not fully specified across sources.