Photos courtesy Tony Evers and Josh Kaul
Images of a house with a line graph going up, a cellphone being crossed out, Josh Kaul, Tony Evers and $114 billion in cash.
Although Washington, D.C., events tended to dominate the headlines this year, Wisconsin held its own when it came to political news. Here are some of the state’s top stories for 2025.
#1: Gov. Tony Evers won’t seek re-election.
The two-term Democrat announced his retirement on July 24, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. The decision by the 74-year-old cancer survivor will end 50 years of public service that included science teacher, school district administrator, and 10 years as state superintendent of public instruction.
Evers won a second term in 2022 with 51% of the vote.
#2: A busload of Democrats run for governor.
The first no-incumbent election for governor in 16 years attracted nine Democrats, including three from Milwaukee County and three from Dane County, who will face off in the August primary.
Eight of those Democrats have held elective or other public office: Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, former state Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan, former Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. CEO Missy Hughes, State Sen. Kelda Roys, State Rep. Francesca Hong, and former State Rep. Brett Hulsey. And Zachary Roper, a 22-year-old political science major at Carthage College, is also running for governor after an unsuccessful bid for Assembly in 2024.
Three Republicans are running: 7th District Congressman Tom Tiffany; Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and Andrew Manske, a Milwaukee-based 26-year-old medical service technician.
#3: Milwaukee Circuit Court judge convicted of felony in ICE case.
A federal court jury convicted Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan of illegally trying to help someone appearing before her escape federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, prompting calls for her to resign or face impeachment by the Legislature.
“The last time a Wisconsin judge was impeached was in 1853,” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Majority Leader Tyler August said in a statement. “If Judge Dugan does not resign from her office immediately, the Assembly will begin impeachment proceedings.”
#4: State Supreme Court jumpstarted efforts to redraw eight U.S. House districts.
The state Supreme Court created two three-judge panels to hear suits challenging the eight U.S. House districts Republicans drew after the 2020 census.
Although Republicans feared Democrats wanted to draw new districts before the November elections, lawyers for those who filed the suits say their goal is new districts by 2028.
#5: Evers, Republican legislators agreed on a record $114 billion two-year budget.
Facing a deadline to capture more federal health-care dollars, the governor and Republicans enacted a two-year budget that will spend 15% more than the last one.
#6: School cellphones banned next year.
Concerns over the academic and mental health effects of social media led to a new law that will require all school districts to adopt policies banning cellphones during school hours for the 2026-2027 school year.
#7: AI data center proposals heat up.
Proposed billion-dollar AI data centers statewide offer cash-strapped local governments higher property values. But concerns over their huge demands for electricity and water made them a major new local and state political issue in 2025.
#8: Property tax hikes stunned homeowners.
Many Wisconsin homeowners opened December property tax bills that shocked them, due largely to what the Wisconsin Policy Forum said was a 7.8% increase in levies by school districts. Property taxes joined the national debate over “affordability” issues. The 7.8% jump “was the largest increase in more than three decades,” according to the Forum. “Political parties right now are scrambling to make the best possible case to voters on that issue of ‘affordability,’” UW-LaCrosse political science professor Anthony Chergosky noted in a Wisconsin Public Radio interview.
#9: Attorney General Josh Kaul sued the Trump Administration 40 times.
The Democratic attorney general, seeking a third term in November, will have to explain to voters why he and other Democratic attorneys general filed 40 lawsuits this year against the president and his policies. Trump won Wisconsin in 2024.
#10: Wisconsin sued for voters’ information.
After the Wisconsin Election Commission said state law prevents the sharing of confidential data on Wisconsin voters, the federal government sued to obtain partial Social Security numbers, drivers’ license numbers and dates of birth.
Honorable mentions:
*The Washington deadlock over Affordable Care Act premiums means they will soar in 2026.
*Food-stamp benefits used by one in nine Wisconsin residents were suspended during the federal government shutdown, and then restored.
*Former state Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler finished second in his bid to be elected national party chair.
*New law will let candidates who end campaigns have their names removed from the ballot.
*WisconsinEye funding crisis halted 18 years of live Capitol coverage by the nonpartisan network.
Happy New Year!
Steven Walters started covering the Capitol in 1988. Contact him at stevenscotwalters@gmail.com.
