Schools superintendent Tony Evers to make run for Wisconsin governor official Wednesday​

MADISON - State schools superintendent Tony Evers will formally announce his gubernatorial run Wednesday, making him the third Democrat to commit to a bid and the first statewide office holder to challenge GOP Gov Scott Walker.

Evers, who heads the state Department of Public Instruction, will announce his run at a suburban Madison park for children, according to an email sent to supporters Sunday and obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The venue at McKee Farms Park in Fitchburg will highlight Evers' main credential for voters – his years working on behalf of children as a local school leader and state education official.

“On Wednesday, Tony will officially announce his run for governor because we need a real change here in Wisconsin. That change starts with putting our kids first, investing in our schools, and rebuilding Wisconsin's middle class,” according to an email sent from the personal account of Jeff Pertl, a top aide to Evers in the superintendent’s office.

The Evers campaign had no comment except to note that Pertl is a volunteer.

Evers has won three statewide elections as schools superintendent since 2009, beating challenger Lowell Holtz in April with 70% of the vote.

But denying Walker a third term is an entirely different challenge, one in which Evers will have to raise tens of millions of dollars and compete against one of the state's most successful politicians in a generation.

State GOP spokesman Alec Zimmerman said Evers can't deliver Walker's record of holding down taxes and spending.

"While Governor Walker has fought for hard-working Wisconsin families and delivered results, Tony Evers won’t take a stand," Zimmerman said.

Before taking on Walker, however, Evers will have to win an increasingly crowded primary.

Two other Democratic candidates for governor already have campaigns up and running: Milwaukee businessman Andy Gronik and state Rep. Dana Wachs of Eau Claire.

A spokesman for Gronik declined to comment but Wachs' campaign manager, Jake Hajdu, welcomed Evers to the race by praising his “long career of running for and holding office.” 

“Dana is the only Democrat in the race that brings strong progressive credentials, a track record of fighting for the middle class and has the background to win a general election against Scott Walker,” Hajdu said.

The other potential Democratic challengers to Walker include Sheboygan businessman Kurt Kober; Madison Mayor Paul Soglin; Milwaukee attorney and former state party chairman Matt Flynn; Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma); Jefferson County District Attorney Susan Happ; and campaign finance and ethics activist Mike McCabe.

In this campaign, Evers could face criticism from conservatives in a way that he hasn’t in his runs for the lower-profile office of schools superintendent. Walker himself, for instance, often sought in the past to cast himself as working with Evers as a way to cultivate a reputation for bipartisanship.

Evers is fluently versed in education – the state’s single biggest expense and a top priority for voters. But he’ll have to convince voters he can command a number of issues, from taxes and roads to health care and public safety.

Evers was first elected state schools chief in 2009 after serving eight years as deputy state superintendent. That has led to attacks from Republicans calling him just another Madison politician or bureaucrat.

Evers, in turn, has pointed out that he’s a Plymouth native who has lived in communities around the state, including Tomah, Verona and Oakfield.

Some Republicans have criticized him for adopting the Common Core State Standards. The DPI’s rocky roll-out of a new computer-based test to measure yearly achievement has also been criticized.