(The Center Square) – Democrat Joel Brennan, a former Wisconsin Department of Administration Secretary, announced Thursday he is running for governor.
Brennan joins a crowded Democratic primary field including former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, current Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, State Rep. Francesca Hong, state Sen. Kelda Roys, former Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. CEO Missy Hughes and former state Rep. Brett Hulsey.
“Thanks to Donald Trump’s chaos and incompetence, the numbers just aren’t adding up for Wisconsin families,” Brennan said in a statement. “Costs, like everything, are out of control, and coming from a family who had to make every dollar count, I know what that feels like.”
Brennan has been executive director of Discovery World, a Milwaukee science museum, and was president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee.
“I’ll be a Governor who will stand up to Trump’s dysfunction and be laser focused on improving the lives of people across our state. With fair maps and a Democratic governor, we can stay true to our values and deliver real and lasting change,” Brennan said.
Republicans in the race for governor include U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann.