About Sara

Putting People First. Fighting for Wisconsin.

Sara Rodriguez is a lifelong problem-solver and a trusted statewide leader who’s never been afraid to step up when it matters most. As Lieutenant Governor, she’s traveled to all 72 counties, working shoulder-to-shoulder with Governor Evers to deliver results and stand up for the people of Wisconsin.

Now, she’s running for Governor to build a Wisconsin where every family has a fair shot, no matter their ZIP code, background, or bank account.

Sara isn’t a career politician. She’s a nurse, a small business owner, a working mom, and someone who came to public service the hard way: by living the challenges so many Wisconsinites face and deciding to do something about it. From emergency rooms to boardrooms to the state Capitol, she’s shown up, listened, and solved problems. And she’s ready to do it again as Governor.

A Wisconsin Story

Sara is a proud daughter of Wisconsin. Born in Milwaukee and raised in Brookfield, she comes from a working-class union family that knew how to stretch a dollar. Her mom was a teaching assistant for kids with special needs and a proud WEAC member. Her dad, a Vietnam veteran, came home and worked at Wisconsin Bell fixing phones. Her grandparents were dairy farmers in Richland County.

Before starting their family, Sara’s parents lived in a trailer and saved every penny to move to a better school district. They didn’t have much, but they raised their kids with values that still guide Sara today: work hard, show up for your neighbors, never back down when something is worth fighting for.

Leading Through Crisis. Fighting for Solutions.

Sara didn’t set out to run for office, but she’s stepped up every time her community needed her. As a registered nurse, she worked night shifts in the ER during the height of the opioid and gun violence crises. As a public health expert with the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, she led outbreak investigations around the world. And in Wisconsin, she served in senior leadership at one of the state’s largest health systems and as a vice president at a Fortune 100 company.

But when she saw politicians ignoring the real struggles of Wisconsin families, she didn’t wait for permission. She ran for State Assembly in 2020 and flipped a Republican-held seat, defeating a four-term incumbent. Two years later, she ran and won statewide, becoming the second-highest ranking elected official in Wisconsin and a key partner to Governor Evers. 

As Lieutenant Governor, Sara has been at the forefront of efforts to lower healthcare costs, defend reproductive rights, strengthen public education, support small businesses, and invest in rural communities. Whether in a hospital, a boardroom, or the state Capitol, Sara brings a no-nonsense, people-first approach that turns real-world problems into common-sense solutions.

Meeting the Moment

Wisconsin families are doing everything right, and still getting squeezed. By rising costs, by political division, and by a government that too often puts partisanship ahead of people. Sara understands what’s at stake because she’s lived it—and she’s ready to meet this moment with the steady, principled leadership Wisconsin deserves.

From kitchen tables to factory floors, Sara has heard the same thing across all 72 counties: families are working harder than ever and still falling behind. She’s heard from dairy farmers worried about staying afloat, veterans fighting for the benefits they earned, parents navigating unaffordable child care, and small business owners sidelined by culture war politics.

They’re ready for a governor who sees them, hears them, and fights like hell for them. Sara was shaped by Wisconsin values: hard work, fairness, community, and grit. Now, she’s ready to lead with them.

Because she believes in a Wisconsin where no family has to choose between paying the rent and buying groceries. Where healthcare is a right, where teachers are respected and paid what they deserve and where women have control over their own bodies. Where water is clean, no matter your ZIP code, where small businesses can thrive, and where every family has a shot at a good life.

That’s what she’s fighting for. And that’s why she’s running for governor.

Sara was born in Milwaukee and raised in Brookfield. She and her husband, a first-generation immigrant from Mexico, live in Waukesha County with their two kids—one in high school, the other a soon-to-be freshman at UW. Sara holds degrees from Illinois Wesleyan University and Johns Hopkins University. She’s a Girl Scout troop leader, a returned Peace Corps volunteer, and someone who still believes that government can, and should, work for the people.