Polling Average
25%20%15%10%5%0%
10.2%
19.4%
14.8%
7.5%
6.0%
Wisconsin Democratic Governor nominee?
$2.2M
AUG 12, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleLieutenant Governor
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyMainstream Democrat
Age51 years old (Jul 25, 1975)
GenderFemale
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LocationWisconsin
BackgroundPolitician
EducationIllinois Wesleyan University — B.A., Neuroscience
Notable personal detailsSara Rodriguez is a Democratic politician and registered nurse who has served as the 46th lieutenant governor of Wisconsin since January 2023. She previously represented Wisconsin State Assembly District 13 from 2021 to 2023 and has worked in public health and healthcare leadership roles, including with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In July 2026, she ended her campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor of Wisconsin.
SourcesShowHide
evers.wi.govapnews.comsaraforwi.comonyourballot.vote411.orgen.wikipedia.orgsara4wisconsin.compbswisconsin.orgcontent.govdelivery.comjustfacts.votesmart.orgwisconsinexaminer.commultistate.usamericanpolitics.fandom.comtransparencyusa.orgisthmus.comwinnebagocountywi.govco.winnebago.wi.usco.portage.wi.govreddit.comelections.saccounty.govwomenscouncil.wi.govweau.comwha.orgupi.comwispolitics.comwisn.comwashingtonpost.comgrassrootsnorthshore.commilwaukeecourieronline.comdemlgs.orgjsonline.comwpr.orgfacebook.comurbanmilwaukee.comnbcnews.comshepherdexpress.comnytimes.comfox11online.commprnews.orgpolitico.comcaptimes.comballotpedia.orgballotready.orghistory.house.govncsl.orgnga.orgcongress.govdocuments.ncsl.orggovinfo.govcommons.wikimedia.orgcreativecommons.orgupload.wikimedia.orgdocquery.fec.govcha.house.govfec.govsenate.gov
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
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.
Healthcare
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.
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Immigration & Border
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.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
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.
Climate & Energy
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.
Public Safety & Guns
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.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedJul 18, 2026
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.
evers.wi.gov+54
Articles
TGThe Gateway Pundit9 days ago
DEMOCRAT DISASTER IN WISCONSIN: Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez DROPS OUT of Governor Race After “Serious Mismanagement and Inaccuracies” in Campaign Finance Reports Force Her Exit * The Gateway Pundit * by J
Negative
GBGreen Bay Press-Gazette9 days ago
How Wisconsin governor Democratic primary looks with Rodriguez out
Neutral
NNewsBreak10 days ago
Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez quits Democratic governor’s race over campaign finance problems
Negative
SSFGATE10 days ago
Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez quits Democratic governor's race over campaign finance problems
Negative
Polls
Wisconsin Democratic Governor nominee?
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Endorsements
Wisconsin Democratic Governor nominee?
Endorsers of Sara Rodriguez for Wisconsin Democratic Governor nominee?
David Crowley
Elected official
David Crowley endorsed Sara Rodriguez for Wisconsin governor after ending his own campaign.
Martin Schreiber
Public figure
Former Wisconsin Gov. Martin Schreiber endorsed Sara Rodriguez.
Missy Hughes
Elected official
Missy Hughes endorsed Sara Rodriguez for governor in Wisconsin's Democratic primary.
Wisconsin statewide union
Labor organization
A statewide union endorsed Sara Rodriguez in Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Wisconsin Democratic leaders across all 72 counties
Elected official
Local Democratic leaders across all 72 Wisconsin counties endorsed Sara Rodriguez for governor.
Community leaders across Wisconsin
Elected official
Community leaders across Wisconsin endorsed Sara Rodriguez for governor.
Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association
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.
- Fundraising