Missy Hughes, the former chief executive officer of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, dropped out of the governor’s race on Monday, suspending her effort to convince voters that someone with a record of private and public sector business growth would be the strongest candidate to keep the governor’s office in Democratic hands. Hughes endorsed Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez for the Aug. 11 primary to see who will face Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany.
“I will always look for ways to serve, but it won’t be as Governor,” Hughes said in a released statement. “Today, I am suspending my campaign.”
Hughes ran on her record of attracting businesses to the state and taking care of problems like the Foxconn mega-deal, championed by then-Gov. Scott Walker and President Donald Trump, that threatened to put state taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars to support an underperforming development. Hughes also helped Organic Valley grow to become a major dairy cooperative, tripling the number of farm participants. She also stressed the success of pandemic relief efforts to keep small businesses from shutting down when she launched her gubernatorial campaign last September. The field eventually grew to seven Democratic candidates.
“I repeatedly heard from Wisconsinites struggling to choose who to support in the Democratic primary with such a wealth of gubernatorial candidates,” Hughes said. “And indeed, it is a wealth. Each of the candidates seeks to serve the state, and the nobility of that willingness is without comparison.”
Ultimately, Hughes chose to endorse Rodriguez and took aim at the enthusiasm that surrounds candidates like Rep. Francesca Hong — a classic intraparty disagreement over whether to “go big” or embrace incremental policy moves that might be more likely to succeed.
“This job is about running the state, and getting things done. As you consider what is important to you, I urge you to look beyond the talking points, social media posts, and gilded promises and consider what you think is essential to do the job. Stop asking, ‘Who will win?’ and start asking who you trust to make big decisions that impact our families and the wellbeing of our loved ones, neighbors and communities.”
Hughes and Rodriguez held a Madison news conference where the lieutenant governor thanked her former opponent for making an endorsement when she “could have walked away and let this race play out.”
“But instead, she made a choice. It’s a hard one. Because she believes leadership involves making choices,” Rodriguez said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Hughes’ name will still appear on the primary ballot.
