Committee
Mandela for Wisconsin
Education
Alabama A&M University
I got my start as a community organizer working in the heart of Milwaukee. I was elected at the age of 25 to serve Wisconsin as a state legislator, and in 2018, I helped Tony Evers kick Scott Walker out of office to become the state’s first Black Lt. Governor.
I’m running for Governor because Wisconsinites are in a bind. Costs are skyrocketing, gas prices are through the roof, tariffs are killing small businesses and family farms—and Donald Trump is doing nothing but making life harder.
Wisconsinites are being failed by Trump’s Washington Way—as Governor, I’m going to get things done the Wisconsin Way. That means ending the corporate greed that is running rampant across the state and making life more affordable for every Wisconsin family.
There’s nothing more important to our democracy than ensuring every American has the ability to vote and make their voices heard in the halls of power. As Governor, I will do everything in my power to protect the security and freedom of our democracy and the rights of every Wisconsinite to cast a ballot. As Governor, I would fight to implement automatic voter registration across Wisconsin. As Trump and MAGA Republicans look at every single tool possible to disenfranchise voters, I will fight to make voting as free and fair as possible by ensuring every Wisconsinite is automatically registered when of legal age and residence so they can cast their ballot without obstruction.
Across Wisconsin, school districts have been starved of the resources they need because the state has failed to meet its constitutional obligation to provide its two-thirds funding share. When I am Governor, we will fully fund our schools to ensure that every child in every zip code has access to a high quality education. Right now, the state reimburses special education for voucher schools at 90 percent, while that rate for public schools is less than 30 percent. As Governor, I will fully reimburse those special education expenses. I will pass community schools legislation—which I authored as a state legislator—to strengthen the role of schools as a hub for community services, including after-school programs and wrap-around services.
I grew up in the heart of the 53206 zip code—the state’s poorest and the nation’s most incarcerated zip code—as the son of a proud union household. I got my start as a community organizer in Milwaukee, going door-to-door to fight for paid family leave and issues that would make a difference for families like mine.
I know firsthand how Wisconsinites are living in a rigged and broken system where the rich get richer and richer while our families fall behind. Nowhere is that more clear than diverse communities across the state where far too many don’t have access to opportunity to get ahead. I am running to get things done the Wisconsin Way by taxing the rich, passing universal childcare, freezing utility rates and keeping Wisconsin safe.
Wisconsinites have been held back from progress for far too long. The election is critical and we can’t afford to let that opportunity go to waste, and as Governor I will get right to work on day one passing my Wisconsin Way agenda to lower costs. We will fight to end the paycheck-to-paycheck economy and usher in a new era of opportunity, starting on day one by calling a special session to expand BadgerCare and provide a public option. When I’m Governor, we will finally get this done to bring down healthcare costs, but the fight does not stop there. We will raise our minimum wage, tax the rich so we can cut taxes for middle class families, and repeal Act 10 to strengthen workers’ rights across the state.
Campaign Phone
414-460-5147
Education
Bachelor of arts degree in English literature and political science, Marquette University; and master’s degree in public policy, University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.
Personal Pronouns
He/Him/His
I grew up one of eleven kids in Wisconsin, worked five jobs to get through college, and raised my family here with my wife, Audra. For 25 years, I've solved problems in government, business, and the nonprofit sector. In 2018, Governor Evers asked me to lead the Department of Administration. We rebuilt what Walker spent eight years gutting, growing the rainy-day fund to $1.7 billion and creating a surplus of nearly $4 billion. We delivered COVID aid to small businesses, farmers, and families.
As governor, my priorities are lowering costs on health care, housing, and child care, protecting voting and reproductive rights, and proving competent government can solve real problems. I know how our budgets work because I helped build them.
Wisconsin voters decide Wisconsin elections — not Washington. As governor, I'd protect election workers from threats, enhance penalties as necessary, defend early and absentee voting, and allow clerks to process mail-in ballots before Election Day so that counting is faster and more transparent. I'd push back publicly on election misinformation. And I'd use state law enforcement — the National Guard if needed — to ensure elections run smoothly and insulate polling places and election infrastructure from federal interference. I’ve done this already: at the Greater Milwaukee Committee, I convened business and civic leaders to publicly back the integrity of elections, and I look forward to what I can do with the full authority of the office.
The funding system is broken. 60 districts went to voters this spring just to keep their schools running, and the current system continues to pit taxpayers against students through all the referendums. I'd scrap the current formula and build one around the kid: every student starts with a base value, with added resources for English language learners, kids with IEPs, kids in rural or urban poverty. You fund the kid, not the zip code, which means students with disabilities actually get accounted for instead of falling through a formula written decades ago. I also support public school choice, including public charter schools. But private voucher schools drawing from the public school budget without accountability is a problem we must fix.
Wisconsin has some of the worst racial disparities in the country, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. These gaps didn't happen by accident, and they won't close without intentional focus and action. As governor, I'd direct every state agency to look at who their decisions actually help and who gets left behind. That means a maternal health system that addresses why black infants in Wisconsin die at far higher rates than white infants. It means funding schools based on what kids need, not their zip code. It means investing in violence prevention and diversion instead of just incarceration. This took decades to build. It's going to take real, sustained work to undo.
The Executive Branch has real tools, and I'll use them to deliver for Wisconsin families. I'll work with the legislature where I can, especially on health care, housing, and child care costs — and I am confident that we can make gains that allow for important issues to be addressed. Where the legislature won't act, or acts against working families, I'll use the partial veto and executive authority to protect people's pocketbooks. Families are getting squeezed by health care, housing, and child care costs, and they don't have time to wait on Madison. I've spent 25 years getting things done in government, business, and the nonprofit sector. I know how to find common ground when it's there, and how to roll up my sleeves and act when it's not.
Committee
David Crowley for Wisconsin
Campaign Phone
414-253-8036
Education
Bachelors Degree from UW-Milwaukee
Personal Pronouns
He/His
My focus will be on making Wisconsin more affordable, strengthening public education, expanding access to health care, and creating economic opportunity in every corner of the state. That means tackling the housing shortage, lowering costs for working families, investing in our public schools, expanding apprenticeships and workforce training, and improving access to mental health care. I have spent my career delivering results, not just talking about them. As Milwaukee County Executive, I led major investments in housing, mental health, economic development, and public safety while building partnerships across political lines. I helped secure Act 12, one of the most significant local government funding reforms in decades.
As Governor, I will defend Wisconsin's constitutional authority over elections, protect every eligible citizen's right to vote, and safeguard the public servants who make our democracy work. That means using the courts, executive authority, and the veto pen to push back against federal overreach, political interference, or any effort to undermine free and fair elections. I will oppose attempts to make it harder for voters to cast a ballot or intimidate the poll workers who carry out this essential work. I support early voting, absentee voting, strong cybersecurity protections, and fair, nonpartisan maps. Democracy is strongest when every eligible voter can participate fully, every lawful vote is counted, and poll workers can do their jobs.
Every student deserves access to a high-quality public education regardless of their ZIP code, family income, or ability. I will work to restore Wisconsin's commitment to funding two-thirds of K-12 education costs, increase per-pupil aid, and modernize the school funding formula so resources reflect student needs. Communities should not have to go to referendum every few years just to keep the lights on or maintain basic educational services.
I will make increasing special education reimbursement a top priority so schools are no longer forced to divert classroom dollars to meet federally mandated services. I support expanding access to school counselors, mental health services, career and technical education, and high quality childcare.
Wisconsin cannot reach its full potential while racial disparities continue to affect outcomes in education, health care, housing, economic opportunity, and the justice system. I will focus on addressing root causes by expanding access to quality education, affordable housing, health care, workforce development, and good-paying jobs.As Milwaukee County Executive, I treat racism as a public health crisis and led the county's first strategic plan in more than 20 years, focused on reducing disparities and improving outcomes. I will bring that same approach to state government, using data to identify disparities, targeting investments where they can make the greatest difference, and ensuring every Wisconsinite has opportunity to succeed.
I believe government should be a partner in helping people build stable, healthy and successful lives. As Governor, I will use every tool available from the state budget, executive agencies, and executive action to expand access to affordable health care, strengthen public education, increase housing opportunities, support working families, and protect fundamental rights. Success requires both leadership and collaboration. I will work with legislators, local governments, businesses, labor, educators, and community organizations to find common-sense solutions to Wisconsin's biggest challenges. My approach will be guided by outcomes: healthier families, stronger communities, greater economic opportunity, and a government that delivers results
Committee
Friends of Francesca Hong
Personal Pronouns
she/her
My name is Francesca Hong. I’m a chef, a state representative, a single mom, a renter, and a proud daughter of Korean immigrants. My campaign focuses on permanent affordability, with ambitious policies that offer immediate impact: universal childcare; paid leave for all; fairer, cheaper healthcare; and public schools fully funded by making the super-rich and large corporations pay their fair share instead of tying school funding to property taxes. I am the only candidate in this race who supports a moratorium on data centers and the only candidate with a plan to protect Wisconsinites’ civil and labor rights in the face of an AI economy. I’m fighting for the working class because I *am* working class — and have been my entire life.
My “What Democracy Looks Like” package, made in consultation with election experts, is the only comprehensive election safety and voter protection package in this race. I call for the following:
• 30-day early voting period with baseline but flexible accessibility requirements
• Expanded qualifying materials for voter ID, on par with what’s needed to get a library card
• Automatic voter registration at the DMV with opt-out permanent vote by mail
• 24/7 legal support hotline for election workers, legal indemnity for poll workers complying with state instructions, collaboration with local law enforcement to secure and stress-test voting locations, and public observation areas for vote processing.
Public schools have been made to provide an ever-expanding set of services while enduring funding cuts and the siphoning of dollars to an unaccountable voucher program. Limitations on municipal revenue means Wisconsinites face an endless series of property tax referenda. I wrote a bill separating school funding from property taxes, instead fully funding public schools through a progressive income tax, including a new tax bracket on the millionth dollar of household income or corporate profit. Additionally—if schools serve as health centers, dental clinics, and family support programs, then we should fund them as such and allocate extracurricular funds to maintenance of essential services instead of asking schools to do more with less.
There is no characteristic inherent to one’s race which determines whether someone dies young or is bounced around the carceral system. Rather, this is a question of racism, both explicit and structural, which compounds issues like income and power inequality. Racism manifests in the redlining which shaped local investment and housing security, the inadequate response to the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women, and the labor abuses of undocumented farm workers. Investment alone cannot counteract this, but is an essential component: we must treat as partners the leaders who understand the issues their community faces and their potential solutions and allocate our state and municipal aid accordingly.
My campaign aims for a trifecta: we have turned out thousands of volunteers, many of them folks who campaigns don’t normally reach, inspired by a clear populist message — we believe our infrastructure can deliver both legislative chambers. Regardless, there is tremendous value in this governorship. After 15 years, our administrative capacity is emaciated and needs reconstruction — not imposed upon it but built as a partnership with internal expertise. Our most important oversight boards, like the PSC and the DNR Board of Directors, need ambitious, uncompromised advocates in leadership. As Governor, I won’t settle for half measures in negotiating a budget — my legislative career has shown that I can win even when working with Republicans.
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Committee
Friends of Kelda Roys
Campaign Phone
3019063144
Education
B.A. magna cum laude in Politics, Drama, and Cultural Studies from NYU; JD magna cum laude from UW Law School
Personal Pronouns
she/her
I am running for governor to deliver higher wages, lower costs, better public schools, and more freedom for Wisconsinites. Our country is in a moment of crisis. We need a fighter who knows how to deliver. For 25 years, I have taken on powerful interests and passed progressive legislation in the toughest political environments as an attorney, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, small business owner, and experienced State Senator and Assembly leader. With a more than two decade track record of turning good ideas into law, I know how to use political power to make the transformative changes we need, and I have detailed plans for how to enact these policies into law. This is a once-in-a-generation chance -- we mustn't waste it.
We must increase voter participation and civic engagement at a time of dangerous federal overreach. I support independent redistricting, a constitutional amendment prohibiting gerrymandering, and citizen-led initiative and referendums. I'll expand early and mail voting, end voter suppression, and enable ballot access innovations like instant runoff, ranked choice, and fusion voting. As one of the first candidates in the US to reject corporate PAC funding, I'll end Citizens United using corporate laws, require independent spending to follow campaign finance limits and disclosure laws, and pass public financing. As a legal observer, I know our elections are safe, and I'll oppose all interference, disinformation, and intimidation attempts.
As the mom/stepmom of 5, making our public schools the best in the nation is my top priority. WEAC, our teacher’s union, has endorsed me as the best candidate for public education. We need to meet the state’s two-thirds funding commitment to public education and reimburse special education at 90%, while fixing the state’s broken funding formula so that every child in every district gets the funds needed to educate them, rather than an arbitrary, decades-old amount. This will take the burden off property taxpayers and end the divisive referendums dividing communities. Finally, I'm the only candidate with a plan to finally phase out and end the private voucher scheme taking resources from our schools. Public dollars belong in public schools.
Wisconsin is the worst place to raise a Black child, and that’s unacceptable. My policies are universal but will help reduce and eliminate racial disparities, starting with paid family leave, Baby Bonds, and universal affordable early childhood education. Equitable K12 funding and reinvesting in public higher ed to allow two years of free college, will open doors of opportunity for all Wisconsinites. Raising the minimum wage, restoring collective bargaining rights, and expanding access to capital will help increase economic security, as does opening up the state health insurance and pension plans to let anyone buy in. As a longtime champion for criminal justice reform, using evidence-based policies will make us safer while saving tax money.
The most transformational governors in my lifetime were Walker and Thompson – long-term legislators, and unfortunately both Republicans. To move from playing goalie to governing, Dems need our most experienced, effective leader, and one who has the courage of her convictions. My substantive policy knowledge, procedural know-how, bipartisan track record, and relationships across our state will make me highly effective no matter who's in control, and very electable. This moment demands moral clarity, political courage, and the willingness to use power to actually deliver. Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton says "Kelda is the only candidate who ticks every box – able to beat Tom Tiffany, ready to govern on day one, and fearless in her leadership.”
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