Will he or won’t he? That’s what insiders are asking these days about Gov. Tony Evers’ decision on whether to run for a third four-year term next year.

Devin Remiker, the newly elected chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, says he “absolutely” wants Evers to seek a third term.

‘I pray that he decides to seek reelection,” Remiker told WISN 12’s July 12 edition of “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “But either way, I know the Democratic Party of Wisconsin will be in a great position to ensure he’s either reelected or reelect a Democrat in 2026.

“I’m on pins and needles,” Remiker added, saying he has no insight into Evers’ eventual decision.

Evers has said his decision will come after the budget. That is done now, and many give Evers kudos for several big wins in the compromise two-year spending plan. Will it prove to be a legacy budget or a campaign budget?

The coming decision puts potential Dem candidates on “pins and needles" too, because if the 73-year-old Evers decides to merely serve out his term, they'll have to ramp things up quickly. Some of the possible candidates include: Attorney General Josh Kaul, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee County Exec David Crowley and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson.

Meanwhile, Republicans have two declared candidates out there raising money.

GOP businessman Bill Berrien formally launched his bid for governor this month, accusing “bureaucrats and politicians like Tony Evers” of failing Wisconsin.

Along with his statement, Berrien released a rollout video in which he touted his service as a Navy SEAL. He also called himself an “outsider and a businessman just like Donald Trump,” vowing to “shake up Madison like he’s shaking up DC.”

He also has started running ads along the same lines. His new ad buy totals about $400,000.

In the video, Berrien said Evers and Dems want to raise taxes, are trying to stop Trump from deporting “criminal illegal aliens,” vetoed a bill to keep girls out of boys sports and called Wisconsin moms “inseminated persons.”

‘President Trump is taking back Washington for the American people,” Berrien says in the video. “Now it’s time to take back our state.”

Berrien backed Nikki Haley in the 2024 presidential primary, which has prompted some blowback among Trump supporters in Wisconsin.

Berrien joins Washington County Exec Josh Schoemann as the only announced GOP candidates so far, though others like U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, have been weighing a bid.

Berrien launched the Never Out of the Fight PAC in April to promote conservative causes and GOP candidates -- a move insiders saw as creating a campaign in waiting. The PAC recently announced it had raised $1.2 million between its launch in mid-April and June 30.

Berrien has been the owner and CEO of Pindel Global Precision and Liberty Precision, which manufacture precision-machined components.

Remiker knocked Berrien, saying he’s “rich enough to buy himself some attention and clueless enough to think that’s going to work — just like Elon Musk did this past April only to see his political career end.”

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