On a crisp September evening in Wausau, Wisconsin, the barn was packed—some folks standing, others squeezed onto folding chairs—all there to witness U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany’s first campaign event since announcing his bid for governor. It’s a pivotal moment for Wisconsin politics: for the first time in over 15 years, the governor’s seat will be open, as Democratic incumbent Tony Evers retires at the end of his second term. The stakes? Nothing short of the future direction of the Badger State.
According to Wisconsin Examiner, Tiffany became the third Republican to throw his hat into the ring on September 23, 2025, joining Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and Whitefish Bay manufacturer Bill Berrien. The Democratic field is swelling, too—at least six candidates are already vying for their party’s nomination. The primaries are set for August 2026, but the race is well underway.
Tiffany, a native of Elmwood and one of eight children raised on a dairy farm, wasted no time weaving his personal story into a broader vision for Wisconsin. “Growing up on the farm, we learned to work hard. We learned how to work hard, and we learned to live on a budget, and there are no excuses on the farm, you pick up the shovel, you pick up the pitchfork and you go to work,” Tiffany told the crowd, as reported by Wisconsin Examiner. “That’s the way it is. There’s no excuses when those chores start to pile up, and it’s kind of the Wisconsin way.”
The crowd, sporting “Make America Great Again” hats and Turning Point USA shirts, responded with enthusiastic cheers. For many, like Wausau retiree Linda Michalski, Tiffany’s rural roots and work ethic are a winning combination. “Dairy farmers work hard. You can’t just let things slide. You can’t just go on vacation if you’re a dairy farmer, in a dairy farmer family. Things have to get done,” she reflected. “If more people had a strong work ethic, they wouldn’t be faced with financial difficulties.”
Tiffany’s campaign message is clear: he wants to lead Wisconsin to prosperity, drawing comparisons to states like Texas and Florida, which he calls models of economic growth. “Now we need a governor that’s going to lead Wisconsin to prosperity. Are we going to be one of those states that chooses prosperity like Texas and Florida and Tennessee and Ohio or are we going to be one of the laggards like New York or California?” he challenged the crowd.
But Tiffany’s campaign launch wasn’t met with universal applause. Within 24 hours, Wisconsin Democrats launched attack ads branding him “Tariff Tom,” targeting his vocal support for President Donald Trump’s tariffs. As WBAY reported, the state Democratic Party accused Tiffany of “jacking up prices on Wisconsin families with his blind support for a trade war.” Party chair Devin Remiker argued that tariffs have hit farmers hard, especially soybean producers, and “devastated their livelihoods.”
Tiffany didn’t shy away from the criticism. “Well, you can tell who the leader is by who they attack, and they’re coming after me full-bore,” he told WBAY. In a separate interview with WEAU, Tiffany doubled down: “I have not heard a democrat yet that has said anything about the tariffs that other countries have on us. The president is trying to defend America, in the meantime, they’re defending Canada and Brazil and other countries like that.” He questioned why Democrats support tariffs from countries like Brazil and Canada that can reach up to 300% on Wisconsin products, a point he believes resonates with manufacturers.
Still, Remiker countered that farmers aren’t concerned with foreign tariffs—they’re worried about their own bottom lines. “I don’t think farmers who are sitting around the table figuring out how they’re going to get out of this situation and potentially have to sell the operation care that much about the tariffs other countries have when this policy clearly took food off their table and has devastated their livelihoods,” Remiker told WBAY. The Democratic Party plans to air their attack ad during the upcoming Green Bay Packers game against the Dallas Cowboys, hoping to reach a broad swath of Wisconsin voters.
On policy, Tiffany’s pitch is ambitious. He’s promising to freeze property taxes and end the annual $325 school revenue limit increase—a measure that currently allows school districts to raise extra funds, often through property tax hikes. “That would be dead on day one,” Tiffany pledged. When pressed by reporters for details on how he’d manage a property tax freeze without gutting local budgets, Tiffany replied, “There’s plenty of money in Madison that I think we can help out those local municipalities to do the property tax freeze taxes at the local level. Where are the schools and the local municipalities going to get their money, right? I think the state can help out, especially after the spending blowout with this budget.”
His stance drew praise from some homeowners, like Michalski, who said, “A freeze in property taxes would be a ‘welcome relief.’” She blamed recent tax hikes on local officials and the current governor, saying, “Our current government is — it’s awful. It’s just awful, what Gov. Evers is doing. He’s pushing away businesses, he’s adding taxes upon taxes, and… he’s imposing a tax on property owners for 400 years.”
Tiffany’s campaign is also closely tied to former President Trump, whose endorsement could prove pivotal in the Republican primary. Tiffany told Wisconsin Examiner that his last conversation with Trump was in August and mostly focused on his congressional district. “We will see how he responds. If he chooses to endorse me, I will certainly welcome that endorsement,” he said.
On other hot-button issues, Tiffany left little doubt about his conservative credentials. He railed against sanctuary cities, calling them unacceptable for Wisconsin, and labeled diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives “unconstitutional and un-American.” He also promised that “dollars for education are going to students, teachers, and communities, not the system.”
His supporters see him as a candidate who speaks to their frustrations, especially on immigration and the economy. Kevin Lund, a nurse from Kronenwetter, said, “He’s paralleling a lot of the conservative type of sentiments that have been kind of nationwide. He’s winning on the 80-20 issues, and as long as he can continue to convey that message throughout the state, I think, he’ll find a lot of success.”
Tiffany’s experience runs deep: before his election to Congress in 2020, he spent about three years in the Wisconsin Assembly and nearly eight in the Senate, serving on the influential Joint Finance Committee. He says that background is crucial, especially with a budget deficit looming. “The next governor is going to have a budget deficit. It’s already been shown that there’s a structural deficit that they’re going to face. The same thing happened in 2010 when I came into the state legislature. I helped fix it by writing three of those budgets sitting on the joint finance committee. I know how to go about balancing that budget while making sure that we fund the priorities of Wisconsinites,” Tiffany told WEAU.
He estimates his gubernatorial campaign will require raising $30 to $40 million, but says he’s off to a strong start. Tiffany plans to finish his term in Congress, which will open up his seat in Wisconsin’s 7th District for a competitive race next November.
As the barn lights dimmed and the crowd filtered out into the autumn night, Tiffany’s message was clear: he’s betting on hard work, rural values, and a tough stance on taxes and immigration to carry him to the governor’s mansion. Whether Wisconsin voters will buy in remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain—the 2026 governor’s race is shaping up to be one for the ages.
