"Money buys ads, but as we've seen far too often in Wisconsin, it can't buy wins," Schoemann adviser Ben Voelkel said. "It takes hard work and authenticity to earn voters' support, not just slick ads."

Bill Berrien, a Republican businessman, is the first candidate to buy campaign ads in this race, spending $400,000 in cable, TV, radio and online ads.

No Democratic candidates have entered the gubernatorial race while Republican primary candidates report first campaign fundraising numbers.

WHITEFISH BAY, WI (WSAU) — With more than 390 days to go before Wisconsin’s 2026 Partisan Primary Election, at least one gubernatorial candidate says it’s time to start the ads.

A “confluence of errors” including unlawful actions by the former clerk in Wisconsin's capital city led to nearly 200 absentee ballots not being counted in the November presidential election, an investigation by the state elections commission released Wednesday concluded.

Her possible opponent, Wisconsin state Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor, raised $585,000 since launching her campaign in May.

Wisconsin justices ruled 4-3 to overturn a near abortion ban, a reflection of the court's liberal majority and an election that attracted millions in campaign donations.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission said Maribeth Witzel-Behl and other top staff ignored their duties after 193 ballots went missing.