Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski announced she is running for first vice-chair of the state Dem Party, saying in a statement to WisPolitics that democracy is at stake with Donald Trump’s return to power and “Democrats need to organize and fight back.”
Godlewski is the only announced candidate for the first vice-chair slot so far.
Chair candidates William Garcia, Devin Remiker and Joe Zepecki aren’t running on a slate with anyone for the post. Former Madison Ald. Arvina Martin had announced plans to run for the job on a ticket with Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy, who was running for state chair. But they both dropped out earlier this week. Kennedy told WisPolitics he didn’t see a path to victory unless he went negative and he didn’t want to go that route.
Godlewski’s campaign said she plans to run for reelection as secretary of state in 2026 and holding the party office wouldn’t interfere with that. Dem Gov. Tony Evers appointed her to the state office in early 2023 after former Secretary of State Doug La Follette abruptly resigned. Godlewski previously served one term as state treasurer before running unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2022.
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Godlewski said in the statement to WisPolitics she’s been traveling the state meeting with people and the message she’s heard is they want “leaders who show up, listen and have their back.”
She added, “As vice chair, I’ll bring that same energy to our party — organizing in every zip code, lifting up the voices of working families, and making sure Wisconsin leads the way in defending our democracy.”
Dems will elect new leaders at the state party convention June 14-15 in the Wisconsin Dells.
