July 25, 2025
By Lane Kimble
The 2025-27 state budget, which provided about $200 million in new transportation revenue and kept some hugely significant construction projects on schedule, will be Gov. Tony Evers’ final one.
The two-term governor announced Thursday he will not seek re-election in 2026.
“It’s the honor of my life to be able to give back to the state that raised me,” Evers said in a video message. “I promised you that when I ran for this office that I’d always work to do the right thing, that I’d always give it to you straight, and that I’d always try to be a governor for all of Wisconsin.”
From a civil construction standpoint, Evers has certainly lived up to that promise. He worked with Republican-led legislatures to find a rare common ground on the bi-partisan issue of transportation funding.
Notably, Evers restarted the Transportation Projects Commission upon taking office in 2019. The TPC recommends major projects for study and votes to give lawmakers the ability to include them in future budgets.
Over the past four budgets, Evers and Republicans ultimately approved freeway reconstructions on I-41, I-43, and I-39/90/94, authorized funding to begin the I-94 East-West corridor expansion, harnessed fees from electricity used to charge EVs, and created Wisconsin’s Design-Build pilot program.
“Governor Evers has been a consistent supporter of transportation in Wisconsin,” WTBA Executive Director Steve Baas said. “During his tenure, Evers has worked cooperatively with the GOP legislature to increase investment in Wisconsin highways, roads and bridges by over a billion dollars.
“We are grateful for the governor’s leadership and look forward to working with him for the remainder of his term to continue to make progress toward his often-stated goal of ‘fixing the darn roads!’”
Evers was raised in Plymouth and spent years as a science teacher and superintendent in Oakfield and Verona before becoming Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2009.
Evers says he’s leaving office at the end of his term in 2026 to spend more time with his wife, children, and grandchildren, adding “whether I’d win or not has never been part of my calculus.”
Republican businessman Bill Berrien and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann have announced bids to run next year, while Congressman Tom Tiffany ponders a possible run.
Democrats were waiting to see what Evers’ decision was before announcing, but some likely candidates include Attorney General Josh Kaul, Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, and a host of state legislators.
