'Wisconsin, I'm in': In announcing his re-election bid, Gov. Tony Evers says he's stopping Republicans' agenda

MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers jumped into his re-election bid Saturday by calling himself the state’s "real education governor" and focusing on repairing roads, helping small businesses and making health care more affordable.

"Wisconsin, I'm in. I’m running for re-election. We've accomplished a lot in the last few years, but we're just getting started," Evers said at the state Democratic Party’s virtual convention.

The first-term governor reminded his backers he’s using his powers to block Republicans who control the Legislature from restricting access to abortion, limiting opportunities to vote, and drawing congressional and legislative districts that favor their party in elections.

"There’s a veto pen to protect and we’ve got bags to pack for (U.S. Sen.) Ron Johnson. So, holy mackerel, we’re going to need your help to get it done again in 2022," Evers said.

Evers launched his campaign just days after signaling he would run again by announcing his campaign team. 

His campaign next year may be different from his 2018 run because Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes is likely to run for U.S. Senate.

Barnes, who gave his own prime-time speech at the convention, is expected to announce soon whether he is sticking with Evers or joining the jam-packed primary race for the Senate seat belonging to Johnson. The two-term senator hasn't said whether he will seek a third term.

As he has in the past, Evers put his attention on infrastructure and health care. He emphasized the need to improve roads, expand broadband and make more people eligible for the BadgerCare Plus health program. The health care change would net the state an additional $1.6 billion over two years because of additional federal aid that would become available.

Evers served for nearly a decade as the state schools superintendent before defeating then-Gov. Scott Walker in 2018. In Saturday’s speech he made a passing reference to Walker, who drew rebukes in 2018 from Democrats for calling himself "the education governor."

"You remember the last guy who tried to tell you he was the education governor? Please. As the real education governor, let me tell you, we believe in fully funding our public schools," Evers said. "We believe every kid deserves access to a public education from early childhood to our universities and technical colleges."

His comments came as he finds himself in a budget fight with lawmakers over education funding. The Legislature’s budget committee agreed a week and a half ago to increase school funding by $128 million, which is less than one-tenth of what Evers sought.

The U.S. Department of Education has warned lawmakers it may take back $1.5 billion in coronavirus aid for Wisconsin schools if they don’t put more state funds toward education.

Republican lawmakers plan to finalize their version of the budget this month and Evers has threatened to veto their plan if it endangers the federal aid.

Republicans, Evers block each other

The standoff is the latest example of Republicans stymying Evers’ agenda. The governor noted he has similarly blocked Republicans' priorities while acknowledging they have kept him from doing much of what he wants.

"Republicans will do everything in their power to stop our success, to keep us from getting things done, to keep Wisconsin headed in the right direction," he said.

"They've taken me to court, they've jeopardized federal relief, they've gutted our budgets, they've tried to override my vetoes — and failed every time, by the way — and they're going to continue playing politics with our recovery and doing what's best for our state."

While Republicans have kept many of his plans at bay, Evers can advance some of them using billions of dollars in federal aid the state is receiving because of the pandemic. Republicans don’t have an easy way to control how those funds are spent, and Evers is using much of it to help small businesses and expand access to broadband in rural parts of Wisconsin.

On the Republican side, former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, lobbyist Bill McCoshen and former Marine Kevin Nicholson are considering runs for governor. Political newcomer Jonathan Wichmann is the only Republican who has formally entered the race so far.

GOP slams 'absent leadership'

Andrew Hitt, the chairman of the state Republican Party, criticized Evers for months-long delays in getting some Wisconsinites unemployment benefits and said he had done too little to reopen schools and address a labor shortage.

"Evers has nothing to run on except a record of abysmal failure and absent leadership," Hitt said in a statement.

"Republican National Committee spokeswoman Preya Samsundar in a statement said Democrats should have met in person instead of virtually.

"Democrats should focus on listening to the science, reopen the state and actually make an appearance in Wisconsin," she said.

Biden thanks voters for Wisconsin win

For his part, Barnes promised both to get Evers re-elected and make sure Johnson doesn’t return to Washington.

"I remain 100 percent committed to working with all my energy to make sure Tony Evers is re-elected, to continue the hard work that we have already started, and I’ll also do everything in my power to make sure Democratic voters turn out to finally retire Ron Johnson," he said.

In a pre-recorded video, President Joe Biden thanked Wisconsin Democrats for delivering the state’s electoral votes for him.

"You showed the world what America’s really made of — standing up against the politics of division and the politics of hate," he said.

In a series of short speeches throughout the night, Wisconsin’s top Democrats urged their supporters to make sure they re-elect Evers and flip Johnson’s Senate seat to their column.

"We need to send Ron Johnson back to whatever planet he came from," said U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan of rural Dane County.

The speakers also praised Evers for his ability to veto maps of legislative and congressional districts that could give Republicans the upper hand in elections for the next decade.

"When they send that map to the governor’s desk, Tony’s going to be waiting there, y’all, with an ink pen, dripping with blood ink," U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore of Milwaukee said.

Democrats also pushed back against Republican efforts to tighten voting rules and false claims that Donald Trump was cheated out of last year’s election.

"We’re up against a Republican Party that poses an existential threat to the survival of our democracy. They’re operating under a philosophy that if they can't beat us, then they're going to cheat us," said U.S. Rep. Ron Kind of La Crosse.

Contact Patrick Marley at patrick.marley@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @patrickdmarley.