Wisconsin has a number of hotly contested races coming up in the next few years, but one race stands above the rest.

2018 promises an intriguing race for Governor of Wisconsin. Gov. Scott Walker will attempt to bounce back from a recent slide in popularity and regain the form that won him three elections in four years. But if recent polling data is any indication state Democrats should be doing cartwheels. 

Former Sen. Russ Feingold leads Sen. Ron Johnson by a fairly wide margin, Republican legislation seems to be flopping statewide and the Republican presidential race is weirder and more chaotic than ever before. Most of all, Walker suddenly looks beatable — or so it may seem.

In the past year, we have seen what some would consider the decline and possible demise of Walker’s political career. His inability to answer questions plagued his presidential campaign. In a bizarre strategy that would leave most political strategists scratching their heads, Walker often deflected (even announcing he was doing so in one instance) any question that might define him as a candidate. Meanwhile, many within the state perceived that he ignored Wisconsin. To put it mildly, Walker had a rough 2015.

As much as Walker’s struggles please me personally (read: anything else I’ve written), I do not think it is the end of the road for Walker. In fact, he may be able to bounce back stronger than ever. He now has two-and-a-half years to set his sights on re-election, with gaining the trust of Wisconsin voters back as his first priority. As the incumbent and with a GOP-held state legislature, Walker has an opportunity to re-establish himself as the “Harley-riding, deer-hunting, Packers fanatic” he likes to portray to the public.

First and foremost, Democrats’ morale in Wisconsin might be the lowest in recent history after the recall election and 2014 losses. Despite Walker’s recent low approval ratings, Democrats in the state still have reason to feel dejected. Numerous conservative reforms, Walker’s seemingly unending reign and voting districts’ gerrymandering have left the state’s Democratic party in the unenviable position of figuring out how to regain their footing.

Regaining momentum will take time for Democrats, but it may take longer than the 2018 election. That said, even if Democrats are able to adequately excite their base, they still need to find the right person to take on Walker.

In 2014, the Democratic Party struggled to find the right person. In Mary Burke, the party presented a family name with strong Wisconsin ties and the money to make an impact. Unfortunately, all the funding in the world could not make a politician out of Burke. While she was clearly incredibly intelligent and business savvy, she struggled to achieve the charisma and “average joe” personality often needed to win elections in the Midwest. Frankly, she came off as cold. The Democrats cannot have anything similar in 2018 if they want to win.

But finding a realistic candidate will again be a struggle. A clear statewide leader of the Democratic Party is nowhere to be seen. Finding someone with the name recognition, Wisconsin attitude, charisma and political wherewithal to take on Walker will be tough.

Walker’s dismal 2015 could very well lead to an easy victory for the Democrats, but only if the stars align. In all likelihood, Walker’s approval numbers will rise again. On top of that, the state Democrats may struggle to excite an exhausted and frustrated base, especially without the right candidate.

Nothing is certain, but it definitely looks as though 2018 is shaping up to be quite the governor’s race.

Connor Touhey ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in political science and history.