Republican businessman Bill Berrien, shown in this photo taken in 2018, launched his bid for governor on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (Bill Berrien via AP)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A suburban Milwaukee businessman, former Navy SEAL and political newcomer entered Wisconsin's race for governor Wednesday, likening himself to President Donald Trump and promising a “Wisconsin First” agenda.

Bill Berrien, 56, becomes the second Republican to announce for the 2026 contest. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, 73, has not yet said whether he will seek a third term, but indicated this week he will announce his decision this month.

But that didn't stop Berrien from taking aim at Evers in his campaign launch video, calling the two-term governor a failure who has encouraged illegal immigration and “welcomed boys into our daughters’ sports and locker rooms.”

Berrien joins Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann as the only announced candidates for the race. This is Berrien's first race for office and it's the first statewide campaign for both he and Schoemann.

In his campaign launch video, Berrien walks in front of a tank and footage of Trump is shown after he was shot as Berrien talks about having a “fighting spirit.”

“I'm an outsider and businessman just like President Trump and I'll shake up Madison like he's shaking up D.C.,” Berrien said.

Berrien promised to cut taxes as he accused Evers and Democrats of wanting to raise taxes. But just last week, Evers signed a state budget that cuts taxes by $1.5 billion.

Berrien also faulted Evers for opposing mass deportations and vetoing a bill that would have barred transgender people from playing on girls and women sports teams. Berrien pledged to sign that ban. He also promised to increase wages, support police and make Wisconsin “a manufacturing powerhouse."

Berrien also faulted Evers for proposing to change state law related to the legal rights of children of same-sex couples who are born through in vitro fertilization, sperm donors or surrogates. Evers wanted to replace the words “woman,” “mother” and “wife” with variations or “person who is inseminated” or “inseminated person.”

Republicans removed the wording changes before passing the budget Evers signed into law.

A spokesperson for Evers declined to comment on Berrien's campaign launch.

Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Devin Remiker said Democrats will be ready to defeat “whoever Trump handpicks to do his bidding in the primary and emerges as the nominee.”

Remiker said Democrats were building on their playbook that resulted in wins for a hotly contested state Supreme Court seat in April, the U.S. Senate race last year and the governor’s race in 2022.

Berrien served nine years as a Navy SEAL and has been owner and CEO of Pindel Global Precision and Liberty Precision, manufacturers of precision-machined components in New Berlin, for the past 13 years. He is married and has two children.

Berrien formed a political action committee earlier this year that has raised $1.2 million since April.

Numerous other Republicans are considering a run for governor next year, including U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who represents northern Wisconsin, state Senate President Mary Felzowski and two-time losing U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde, a Madison businessman.

News from © The Associated Press, 2025