$1.6M
AUG 12, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Current roleLieutenant Governor
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyMainstream Democrat
Age50 years old (Jul 25, 1975)
GenderFemale
LocationWisconsin
BackgroundPolitician
EducationJohns Hopkins University (MSN; MPH)
Notable personal detailsSara Russell Rodriguez is an American politician and registered nurse who has served as Wisconsin’s 46th lieutenant governor since 2023. She previously served one term in the Wisconsin State Assembly (District 13, parts of Waukesha and Milwaukee counties) and has worked in public health and health care leadership roles, including as a CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service officer. She is a Democratic candidate in Wisconsin’s 2026 gubernatorial race.
Supports investments in workforce development, small businesses, and public services while opposing cuts to Medicaid/Medicare and policies that deliver tax breaks to the wealthy. Emphasizes lowering costs for families (notably health care) through public investments and using local revenue from development to reduce tax burdens on residents. No clear advocacy for major tax increases on high earners or explicit tax-rate proposals found in cited materials.
Supports expanding access to affordable health coverage, including expanding BadgerCare/Medicaid and proposals to lower health care prices, strengthen the health care workforce, and guarantee affordable coverage for Wisconsin residents. Emphasizes public-health approaches and protections for reproductive health as part of healthcare policy. Prior actions include leading efforts in the Assembly to expand BadgerCare and chairing a statewide task force on the health care workforce.
Supports limiting federal civil immigration enforcement in sensitive locations (courthouses, hospitals, schools, day cares, domestic violence shelters, and places of worship) with narrow exceptions for judicial warrants or immediate public-safety threats, and calls for ICE agents to be clearly identified and to wear body cameras. Opposes encouraging residents to obstruct federal agents and instead urges peaceful protest and documentation to hold agents accountable.
Supports protecting and restoring broad reproductive rights including access to abortion; opposes the 1849 Wisconsin law criminalizing abortion and has co-authored legislation to repeal it. Pledges to defend the right to choose, describe abortion as healthcare, and join interstate efforts to protect reproductive freedom and access to reproductive care.
Supports investing in clean energy and green job training, expanding electric vehicle infrastructure, and protecting Wisconsin’s natural resources and water infrastructure while preparing the workforce for electrification and 21st-century infrastructure needs.
Sara Rodriguez frames gun violence as a public-health and community-safety issue and supports expanded background checks and implementation of red flag (extreme risk) laws to keep firearms from people who pose a risk. Her campaign materials highlight treating gun violence through a public-health lens while outreach and event coverage record her advocating specific measures like background checks on all sales and red flag laws.
Rodriguez’s withdrawal after the campaign-finance fiasco confirms the market has moved from a candidate-specific scare to a live field reshuffle, with her contract collapsing to 0.3% and rivals now repricing around the vacancy.
Sara Rodriguez has dropped out of the Wisconsin Democratic governor race after campaign finance reporting problems and a cash shortfall drew scrutiny. She said the issue would be a distraction heading into the August 11 primary, and her exit narrows the Democratic field. Earlier, her campaign said it had discovered far less cash on hand than previously reported, leading her to fire her campaign manager and notify state ethics officials.
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Endorsers of Sara Rodriguez for Wisconsin Democratic Governor nominee?
Elected official
David Crowley endorsed Sara Rodriguez for Wisconsin governor after ending his own campaign.
Public figure
Former Wisconsin Gov. Martin Schreiber endorsed Sara Rodriguez.
Elected official
Missy Hughes endorsed Sara Rodriguez for governor in Wisconsin's Democratic primary.
Labor organization
A statewide union endorsed Sara Rodriguez in Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Elected official
Local Democratic leaders across all 72 Wisconsin counties endorsed Sara Rodriguez for governor.
Elected official
Community leaders across Wisconsin endorsed Sara Rodriguez for governor.
Elected official
The Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association endorsed Sara Rodriguez for governor.
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
