Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Oct. 7 that he will not be running for Wisconsin governor in the 2026 election, but instead seeking a third term as attorney general, according to a press release from the Kaul campaign. Kaul would have been the de facto front-runner in the Democratic primary, which already consists of more than half a dozen candidates, according to AP News.
As attorney general, Kaul is considered the Chief Legal Officer and primary legal adviser to the government, according to the National Association of Attorney Generals. In Wisconsin, the attorney general is chosen via popular election, which will be held Nov. 3, 2026.
Kaul said that he considered running for governor, following current governor Tony Evers’ announcement that he would not seek reelection in July, but Kaul decided against it in order to avoid the job pushing him away from his family, according to AP News. He said in the press release that he will continue making progress in Wisconsin and working to protect public safety.
“In Wisconsin, we’ve made meaningful progress, and we need to build on that progress. As my track record shows, I’m committed to working to protect public safety and to looking out for the interests of Wisconsinites,” Kaul said in the press release.
Kaul has been a critic of the Trump administration, as attorney general. He has joined several lawsuits against the administration and said he would work to prevent the president from sending National Guard troops to Wisconsin, according to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He is also an advocate for more gun regulation and if elected for a third term, he would seek more funding for crime victim services, according to MJS.
Over the summer, Kaul was successful in a Supreme Court ruling that struck down legislation passed by Republicans that would have weakened Kaul’s power as attorney general, according to AP News. The law would have required the GOP-controlled finance committee to approve any court settlements Kaul’s office brokered, but the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional, according to AP News.
As Kaul will not be running for governor, the most notable democratic candidates include Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, state Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, and state Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, according to AP News. The most notable republican candidates are U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann, according to AP News.
