Polling Average
25%20%15%10%5%0%
7.5%
18.5%
7%
6.5%
Wisconsin Democratic Governor nominee?
$2.2M
AUG 12, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleAttorney General
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyLiberal Democrat
GenderMale
LocationWisconsin
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BackgroundAttorney
EducationYale University — B.A. (history and economics)
Notable personal detailsJoshua Lautenschlager Kaul is an American lawyer who has served as Wisconsin’s 45th Attorney General since January 7, 2019. Raised in Oshkosh and Fond du Lac, he attended Yale University and Stanford Law School, and later served as a federal prosecutor in Baltimore and worked in private practice. He is married to Lindsey Kaul and they have two sons.
SourcesShowHide
joshkaul.orgen.wikipedia.orgbsky.appcommons.wikimedia.orgasset.library.wisc.edujosh-hutcherson.comwilenet.widoj.govclarkwi.republicanadvocates.compbswisconsin.orgballotready.orgacefiling.wicourts.govwichiefs.orgmultistate.uswisdoj.govwikidata.orgliunawisconsin.orgdems.aggoodparty.orgbehindthename.comwispolitics.comweau.comwisconsinexaminer.comcontent.govdelivery.comcbs58.comurbanmilwaukee.comwisn.comevers.wi.govwpr.orgwisbusiness.comlaw.justia.comwislawjournal.comwrn.comwmtv.comwxpr.orgpro.stateaffairs.comjsonline.commaciverinstitute.comupnorthnewswi.comcbsnews.comdailyreporter.comgmtoday.comlawcommentary.comupolitics.comballotpedia.orgfacebook.comnysna.orginstagram.comdeveloper.ballotpedia.orgcongress.govdata.ballotpedia.orgnga.orggovinfo.govfec.govgillibrand.senate.govcreativecommons.orgupload.wikimedia.orgjustfacts.votesmart.orgnass.org
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports using state resources to fund public services rather than cutting taxes and has taken actions to protect low-income taxpayers; has urged expanding BadgerCare and opposed using federal COVID relief funds to finance tax cuts. Advocates restoring or increasing state funding for victim services when federal dollars decline.
Healthcare
Supports expanding access to coverage through Medicaid/BadgerCare expansion and strengthening the Affordable Care Act, and has taken legal actions to defend Medicaid funding and access to reproductive and gender-affirming care. Has sued or joined multistate actions opposing federal rules and actions that would reduce ACA protections or limit Medicaid-related services. Prior statements and press releases emphasize expanding coverage to more Wisconsinites and protecting patient access to care.
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Immigration & Border
Josh Kaul supports protections for immigrants and policies that keep families together, including defending DACA and federal programs that allow undocumented family members to seek permanent residence. He has joined multistate legal actions opposing efforts to end birthright citizenship, divert funds to build a border wall, and to block immigration enforcement actions in sensitive places like schools and churches. Kaul emphasizes prioritizing public safety while resisting policies that broadly expand aggressive federal immigration enforcement in Wisconsin.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate supports preserving and protecting abortion access in Wisconsin, has declined to use state DOJ resources to investigate or prosecute abortions under pre‑Roe statutes, and has sought judicial rulings and constitutional clarification to preserve reproductive freedom in state law.
Climate & Energy
Josh Kaul has taken official actions supporting stronger climate and clean-energy protections, including joining multistate coalitions to defend EPA vehicle emissions standards and federal climate- and environmental-rulemakings, and has supported directing Inflation Reduction Act funds toward environmental justice and clean-energy programs. His record shows defense of regulatory climate disclosures and legal challenges to federal rollbacks of environmental protections, but does not prominently endorse Green New Deal–style wholesale fossil-fuel phaseouts in the sourced materials.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports expanded background checks, so-called red flag (extreme risk) orders, and other measures to restrict firearm access for high-risk individuals (including proposals to keep guns from domestic abusers and regulate ghost guns) while also stating support for law‑abiding gun owners’ rights. Has proposed and backed legislation and administrative actions aimed at reducing gun violence and improving public safety in Wisconsin.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedJul 24, 2026
Josh Kaul is in the news because Wisconsin election rules are being challenged in court, with a lawsuit that could change how absentee ballots are counted in the November governor’s race. A separate Democratic primary dispute could also affect how absentee voters handle ballots after candidates dropped out and re-entered the race. More broadly, these fights show that voting rules are becoming a major issue in Wisconsin’s 2026 governor contest.
joshkaul.org+57
Articles
WWEAU5 months ago
How Wisconsin’s legislative maps could impact the general election
Neutral
PPOLITICO4 months ago
Trump’s voter crackdown reaches college campuses
Negative
TAThe Associated Press3 days ago
Wisconsin voters sue to allow for vote to count if absentee ballot is late
Neutral
NNewsweek2 months ago
DNC's 2024 Autopsy Report Released-Here's What it Means for the 2028 Presidential Election
Neutral
Polls
Wisconsin Democratic Governor nominee?
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Endorsements
Wisconsin Democratic Governor nominee?
Endorsers of Josh Kaul for Wisconsin Democratic Governor nominee?
Fair Wisconsin PAC
Elected official
Fair Wisconsin PAC endorsed Josh Kaul for reelection as Wisconsin attorney general.
End Citizens United
Elected official
End Citizens United endorsed Josh Kaul for reelection as Wisconsin attorney general.
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Fundraising