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MADISON, WI (WSAU) – The field for the Democratic nomination for governor in Wisconsin is narrowing, as one of the first candidates to enter the race has announced the end of her candidacy.
According to a press release from her campaign, Missy Hughes has dropped out of the race to endorse current Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez, saying, “Sara is someone who has chosen difficult missions, as a Peace Corps volunteer, an emergency room nurse, and a CDC intelligence officer. She has repeatedly placed herself in environments which are uncomfortable, unpredictable, and uncertain. In those places, Sara led teams and communities and brought them together. I trust that she will do that as Governor, and that she will do it well.”
“I deeply believe that Sara is the best candidate we can put forward to win in November, and to build an enduring coalition to address our state’s most pressing challenges,” Hughes continued.
This announcement comes after a WisPolitics straw poll from earlier this month found Hughes in last place in the democratic primary polling at just 2%, while Rodriguez came in first place, polling at 27%, and Democratic Socialist Francesca Hong came in second at 23%.
In response to Hughes’ decision, Wisconsin GOP Chairman Brian Schimming stated in a post on X that “The Wisconsin Democrats’ ‘Stop Francesca Hong’ panic is starting to spread. Who’s next to go over the side as Dems feel another @NYMayor Mamdani coming on?”
A Public Sentiment Institute poll conducted May 13-15, 2026, indicated that the contest between Republican Governor candidate Tom Tiffany and Hong is still tight, with Tiffany polling at 39.7% and Hong at 40.5%, both within the survey’s 4.2% margin of error. Meanwhile, Rodriguez has a modest edge over Tiffany in the most recent TIPP Insights (R) poll taken March 13-19, 2026, finding support for Rodriguez at 44% and Tiffany at 41% (margin of error 2.9%).
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