WI-GOV 2022: Can Sen. Ron Johnson beat Evers?

[Suburbia]

Sen. Ron Johnson will probably stand by his term-limit pledge to two Senate terms and probably run for Wisconsin governor in 2022 if Chris Kapenga or Scott Walker doesn't run.

Can Johnson win in this ultimate swing state?

[Frenchrepublican]

If Trump loses in 2020, yeah of course, otherwise very unlikely

[S019]

He could, if Trump loses, but why wouldn't he run for re-election? He is much likelier to break his promise and run for a third term in the Senate than run for Governor

[OSR stands with Israel]

He could, if Trump loses, but why wouldn't he run for re-election? He is much likelier to break his promise and run for a third term in the Senate than run for Governor

Governor could set him up better for a Presidential Run in 2028 if the Democrat is a two term President

[Meatball Ron]

He could, if Trump loses, but why wouldn't he run for re-election? He is much likelier to break his promise and run for a third term in the Senate than run for Governor

Governor could set him up better for a Presidential Run in 2028 if the Democrat is a two term President

Does Ron Johnson's age, demeanor, or display of ambition really scream '2028 presidential candidate' to you? Not everything is about setting up for a presidential run // not everyone wants to or should run for President.

[TrendsareUsuallyReal]

He could, if Trump loses, but why wouldn't he run for re-election? He is much likelier to break his promise and run for a third term in the Senate than run for Governor

That would be a bad look in a swing state, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he did it if a Democrat wins in 2020.

Other than Mike Gallagher, Ron Johnson is pretty much all the Wisconsin GOP has for a statewide bench

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

No, Ron Kind, Joe Sestak and Tim Ryan are looking to run for Senate in 2022

[President Johnson]

Possible in a Democratic midterm if the president is unpopular and the economy not going well. Evers is definitely one of the most endangered Democratic governors in 2022, far more vulnerable than Gretchen Whitmer is. I guess even Laura Kelly isn't in a weaker position than Tony Evers.

[ElectionsGuy]

He could, but I don't see him running.

[redjohn]

Governor is a step down from Senator. Why would he run for Governor? Someone else will run against Evers and it will be close no matter who wins. If Trump's re-elected, I'd rate this race as tilt D. If a Dem wins, it's a tossup/tilt R.

But then again, there's a chance Republicans nominate a horrible candidate like Vukmir for Senate last year. We can only hope. Evers is going to have to campaign hard to hang on.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

WI is a Dem state after 2020

[Xing]

If it's a Democratic midterm he could, but I doubt he'd run. If he's not going to retire, he's probably going to run for re-election (though I doubt he would in a Trump midterm.)

[Gracile]

Johnson is very likely to retire in 2022, and he doesn't seem like the type that would drop down from Senator to Governor.

[MasterJedi]

Gold digger RoJo doesn't have the temperament or the base to really do anything else. Vos will be the one to go for Evers, and Vos is an evil man.

[Flyersfan232]

He could, if Trump loses, but why wouldn't he run for re-election? He is much likelier to break his promise and run for a third term in the Senate than run for Governor

Because you can do the right thing and not have to be bored in retirement

[Flyersfan232]

Governor is a step down from Senator. Why would he run for Governor? Someone else will run against Evers and it will be close no matter who wins. If Trump's re-elected, I'd rate this race as tilt D. If a Dem wins, it's a tossup/tilt R.

But then again, there's a chance Republicans nominate a horrible candidate like Vukmir for Senate last year. We can only hope. Evers is going to have to campaign hard to hang on.

how about the former lt gov?

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

After 2020, unless Evers has a Doyle scandal, Pritzker, Whitmer and Evers will be reelected

[President Johnson]

Governor is a step down from Senator. Why would he run for Governor? Someone else will run against Evers and it will be close no matter who wins. If Trump's re-elected, I'd rate this race as tilt D. If a Dem wins, it's a tossup/tilt R.

But then again, there's a chance Republicans nominate a horrible candidate like Vukmir for Senate last year. We can only hope. Evers is going to have to campaign hard to hang on.

That solely depends on the state, its size and how much power the governor actually has. It's certainly a step down in a small rural state such as Idaho, but certainly not in larger states like California, New York, Florida or Texas (though the Texas governorship isn't that powerful). A number senators in larger states became governor after their senate tenure; Pete Wilson or Lawton Chiles for example. In 1958, William Knowland (unsuccessfully) sought the California governorship instead of running for senate again because he thought it was a better preparation for the presidency. I tend to agree being a governor is a better training ground for presidents.

[Continential]

Imagine if Russ won in 2022.

[ElectionsGuy]

Imagine if Russ won in 2022.

Russ is done. I don't think he wants to get humiliated a 3rd time.

[Sir Mohamed]

Imagine if Russ won in 2022.

Russ is done. I don't think he wants to get humiliated a 3rd time.

Yup. The dude blew a winnable race and we have a sitting Dem gov.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Probably not.  His two (2) elections were a bit flukish.  He'd have lost in 2016 had Trump not carried the state, and had he been running against a fresh candidate and not a retread like Feingold.

[💥💥 brandon bro (he/him/his)]

Probably not.  His two (2) elections were a bit flukish.  He'd have lost in 2016 had Trump not carried the state, and had he been running against a fresh candidate and not a retread like Feingold.

I agree with this (except for calling Feingold a retread - there weren't any more credible options than him). Johnson isn't a juggernaut. He won in what were effectively two wave years for midwestern Republicans. His win in 2016 had more to do with Feingold having the Clinton albatross around his neck than it did Feingold himself.

[free my dawg]

I think so, especially if Trump loses. He's skilled enough to win.

[ElectionsGuy]

Probably not.  His two (2) elections were a bit flukish.  He'd have lost in 2016 had Trump not carried the state, and had he been running against a fresh candidate and not a retread like Feingold.

I agree with this (except for calling Feingold a retread - there weren't any more credible options than him). Johnson isn't a juggernaut. He won in what were effectively two wave years for midwestern Republicans. His win in 2016 had more to do with Feingold having the Clinton albatross around his neck than it did Feingold himself.

Dude performed 3 points worse than Clinton, that's not getting dragged down by Clinton, if anything he pulled Clinton down! And 2016 was not a Republican wave