Sara Rodriguez withdraws from Wisconsin governor’s race following the discovery of significant financial mismanagement and reporting inaccuracies.
Sara Rodriguez withdrew from the Wisconsin governor’s race on Friday after her campaign revealed serious mismanagement and inaccuracies in its financial reporting. The discovery of duplicated contributions and a fundraising shortfall of hundreds of thousands of dollars led to the firing of campaign manager Kara Spencer. Rodriguez noted that the campaign was left with only $200,000 in cash, a development that prompted several Democratic opponents to call her exit "disqualifying." The withdrawal creates a shift in the Democratic primary, which will determine who faces Republican Representative Tom Tiffany in the general election. Following the news, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is considering reentering the race, with Governor Tony Evers strongly considering an endorsement for him. Other remaining candidates include state Representative Francesca Hong, former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, State Senator Kelda Roys, and Joel Brennan. While some Democrats fear Hong may be too far to the left to win the swing state, others are looking to unite the party to secure a victory against the Republican frontrunner.