In photos: 2026 Main Street Governor Candidate Forum

The Recombobulation Area's Dan Shafer emcee-d the event, featuring Mandela Barnes, Joel Brennan, David Crowley, Francesca Hong, Missy Hughes, Sara Rodriguez and Kelda Roys.

Jan 23, 2026

The Recombobulation Area is a 19-time Milwaukee Press Club award-winning opinion column and online publication founded by longtime Milwaukee journalist Dan Shafer. The Recombobulation Area is now part of Civic Media.

More than 400 people attended the Main Street Action candidate forum at The Cooperage in Milwaukee on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Photos by Jennie Brand.

On Thursday in Milwaukee, seven Democratic candidates running for governor shared the stage together for the first time.

The event was hosted by Main Street Action at The Cooperage. The Recombobulation Area’s Dan Shafer moderated the forum, and Civic Media brought you the exclusive live-stream.

Candidates included Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, State Rep. Francesca Hong, State Sen. Kelda Roys, former WEDC CEO Missy Hughes, former DOA Secretary Joel Brennan, and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes.

The event began with an introduction by Richard Trent, executive director of Main Street Alliance / Main Street action, who discussed the importance of small business owners and the Main Street economy.

“(Small business owners) are powerful vectors for change,” he said. “With 33 million small businesses across the country, two-thirds of new job creation, small business really is the engine of the economy. But, if I can be real — because my job is to talk to small business owners all day — small business owners are hurting right now…They’re hurting because for the last year, billionaires have essentially been setting economic policy for working families.”

These remarks set the stage for the economic and small business focus of the evening. Six panelists and members of Main Street Action each asked a question to the panel of candidates. Topics for these questions included: health care, child care, paid family and medical leave, capital access, tax policy, and utility costs. We then asked questions submitted by audience members, which addressed education, taxing the wealthy, and the recent ICE operations in Minneapolis.