Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann appears to be the first major candidate out of the gate for Wisconsin’s 2026 campaign season. While others have talked, or have been talked about, Josh Schoemann has acted! This is some early activity as nomination papers won’t be circulated until next May.

Schoemann, 43, officially announced his candidacy for Governor on May 4 th , just days after filing the necessary paperwork in Madison. Within the week, he has campaigned in La Crosse, Eau Claire, and Florence (northeast corner of the state) Counties validating his plan to actively campaign in all parts of the state. Schoemann had visited Monroe County earlier this year as a surrogate for the Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel.

As the son of a Lutheran Pastor, Schoemann has lived in many small towns in Wisconsin but now calls Washington County home where he lives on an 80 acre farm. Washington County is just northwest of Milwaukee County and, according to the 2020 Census, has a population of 136,761. West Bend is the biggest city (31,752) with only three other municipalities with over 10,000 citizens. Schoemann was elected to be Washington County’s first County Executive in 2020 and has been re-elected since. For the six years prior to that he was the County Administrator and then the County Manager.

Schoemann is running on his record of conservative reforms, accountability, and real results making local governments smaller and more efficient. He is a “people person” that willingly works with and for the citizens he serves.

Schoemann is an Army Veteran having served in Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003) and was discharged from the Army National Guard in 2008. He has a bachelor degree from UW-Whitewater and a Master of Public Administration from Northern Illinois University.

Being the “chief executive” of a county and running for Governor is not new. Former Governor Scott Walker was the Milwaukee County Executive when he ran for Governor in 2010. Being a government’s chief executive (Remember President Truman’s famous “The Buck Stops Here”) has to be quite different from being a legislator or having no public service leadership at all.

Other known candidates for Governor include Republican Bill Berrier of Whitefish Bay who is a businessman and a former Navy SEAL. Berrier has established a PAC but no other known activities have taken place. Alexander Kent from La Crosse is an Independent candidate. Kent is a political theorist and author. The incumbent, Democrat Tony Evers, sometimes called “Governor Veto”, is considering re-election but will not formally announce his decision until after the State Budget is finalized later this summer. If the Governor does not run for re-election, there may be many Democrat candidates for the August Primary.

There are three other unannounced but possible Republican candidates with ties to the Coulee Region that have been mentioned as possible candidates for Governor. Congressman Tom Tiffany (R-7 th ), a former State Senator, has been mentioned. The 7 th District reaches into parts of Jackson and Monroe Counties. State Senator Pat Testin (R-24 th ), a former LT Governor candidate, has been mentioned. His Senate district also reaches into Monroe and Jackson Counties. State Senator Julian Bradley (R-28 th ), also a possibility, is a former Vice Chairman of the 3 rd District Republican Party and 2014 Secretary of State candidate. He lived in the La Crosse area prior to moving out of state before relocating to suburbs of Milwaukee. There may be others.

The other active major political race in the Coulee Region is for 3 rd District Congress. Congressman Derrick Van Orden is expected to be a candidate for re-election and already has three Democrat opponents. His opponent from 2024, Rebecca Cooke, has already announced that she will run again (for the third time) and the other two announced candidates are Emily Berge and Laura Benjamin.

Election Day 2026 may be 18 months from now, and collecting signatures for nomination papers may be a year from now, but serious candidates are beginning to become active candidates! And, there will be more! Elections will be held for Governor, LT Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, 17 State Senators, and all 99 Assemblymen. Get prepared, get informed, and get involved. Remember, the successful candidates will be working for “We the people”! Choose wisely.