Voting begins in Wisconsin Democratic governor primary

Early in-person voting began in Wisconsin on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, launching a chaotic and high-stakes Democratic gubernatorial primary that has left the party deeply divided. The contest features a crowded field, with democratic socialist state Representative Francesca Hong emerging as a frontrunner against candidates backed by the party establishment, including Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes. The primary winner will face Republican U.S. Representative Tom Tiffany, who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump, in the November general election.

The primary has been marked by last-minute candidate changes and a legal dispute over absentee ballots. Crowley initially dropped out of the race on July 8, endorsing Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez, only to re-enter on July 17 after Rodriguez suspended her campaign amid a campaign finance scandal. These shifts occurred after more than 100,000 absentee ballots had already been returned by mail. In response, the Wisconsin Democratic Party has filed a lawsuit seeking to allow voters to "spoil," or cancel, their already-submitted absentee ballots and cast new ones. A judge was...