FIRST ON FOX: Bill Berrien, a Wisconsin manufacturing executive, former Navy SEAL and self-described political outsider, announced his Republican campaign for governor of Wisconsin on Wednesday.
In the Republican's first national exclusive interview since announcing his gubernatorial bid, Berrien told Fox News Digital, "We [have] to get away from the six years of Tony Evers, where we're going in the entirely opposite direction. This race is extremely winnable. I can win it. I can be the conservative governor that is going to make this the Wisconsin century."
Berrien said Democrat Gov. Tony Evers' tenure has felt like the "gears in reverse" of any gains made by former GOP Gov. Scott Walker. The Republican hopeful called Evers a "tax and spend" Democrat who isn't moving the state forward.
"I'm an outsider. I'm a businessman, just like President Trump," Berrien said. "He's taking back Washington. We need to take back Madison for Wisconsinites."
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Berrien is the CEO of manufacturing companies Pindel Global Precision and Liberty Precision and served as a Navy SEAL for nine years. According to his campaign website, his top priorities in the race are revitalizing Wisconsin manufacturing, restoring law and order and strengthening Wisconsin families.
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"Wisconsin is the best of the country," Berrien said. "We make things, we build things, we work with our hands. My vision is we can be the manufacturing powerhouse of the world again. We can be ground zero for the success of the Trump-driven re-industrialization."
President Donald Trump campaigned on unleashing American manufacturing as president and, through his often controversial trade and tariff policies, seeks to return business to the United States.
Trump's win in battleground Wisconsin landed him the White House in 2024. Berrien called his win "historic" and said it reflected a "shift across the board" among the Wisconsin electorate.
"It is the Republican workers' party - that's due to his leadership. I think we're gonna be building on that through this campaign," Berrien said.
While Trump secured Wisconsin in 2024, a liberal Democrat-backed Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate, Susan Crawford, won a contentious multimillion-dollar election over conservative Brad Schimel earlier this year.
When Elon Musk was still in Trump's good graces, he invested millions to support Schimel, but Democrats from across the country threw their political weight behind Crawford, and she was ultimately elected to the open seat.
"It means all the more that we need to have a Republican in the governor's mansion," Berrien said before asking, "How do we apply a military leadership-type mindset across all 72 counties, winning up and down the ticket?"
And when asked about Democrats' early 2026 midterm messaging about the One Big Beautiful Bill Act's Medicaid cuts, Berrien said he supports Medicaid work requirements and called Trump's megabill "wind in our sails for creating the Wisconsin century, making Wisconsin the manufacturing powerhouse to the world again."
"When you look at the business incentives for factory construction, investing in technology, investing in people, it's like a Black Friday sale or factory expansion, no coupons required."
Berrien announced his candidacy in a campaign video released Wednesday morning. Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann announced his own Republican gubernatorial campaign in May.
Evers has yet to announce whether he will seek re-election in 2026. He did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
"When we think about the last 10 years, there has only been two candidates that have been successful on a statewide basis, [Sen.] Ron Johnson and Donald Trump. We have on my team, leaders who've been part of both of those races, and we have the team to win this. We have resources, and we have a clear lane and opportunity. Let's make this the Wisconsin century," Berrien said.
