The former secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Melissa "Missy" Hughes, is the latest candidate to join a crowded field of Democrats vying to be Wisconsin's next governor.
Missy Hughes, who recently served as Gov. Tony Evers’ secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., announced her candidacy for Wisconsin governor Monday. https://t.co/QsxutaXf36
— TMJ4 News (@tmj4) September 29, 2025
Here's more from TMJ4:
Missy Hughes, who recently served as Gov. Tony Evers’ secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC), announced her candidacy for Wisconsin governor Monday, adding another woman to the growing Democratic primary field.
Hughes is positioning herself as an outsider candidate with business experience.
Hughes joins several other Democrats, including Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who seek to succeed Tony Evers. Evers, who has been governor since 2019, announced in July he will not seek a third term.
Hughes was appointed to WEDC in 2019 by Governor Tony Evers, and was the first woman to hold that post. On September 12, Hughes announced she was stepping down from that role and evers said, "My administration’s focus from the get-go has been building an economy that works for everyone, investing in Wisconsin’s homegrown talent and Main Streets, and supporting and expanding some of our state’s most iconic brands and companies while attracting new industries and opportunities here to Wisconsin. That’s exactly what we’ve done, and Missy’s played an important role in this work."
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In her launch video, Hughes said, "I’m not going to go looking for a fight, but I’ll stand up to anyone, from the White House to Wall Street, who comes after your rights or tries to make your life harder," and added she is "different from the other folks you’ve seen run for governor."
The Democratic primary election is scheduled for August 11, 2026.
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