Joel Brennan

Joel Brennan

Running for Governor

D

Policy Positions

Positions as of June 30, 2026, extracted from source websites.

Climate(4)

Supports holding polluters accountable for PFAS contamination cleanup and ensuring cleanup funds reach affected communities.

"Joel will make sure that money reaches the communities that need it, hold polluters accountable, and ensure Wisconsin never again sits on cleanup funds while families drink contaminated water."

Supports pushing Wisconsin toward clean energy and following through on clean energy commitments, creating good-paying jobs in the process.

"He will invest in climate resilience to protect Wisconsin communities from flooding, drought, and extreme weather, and push Wisconsin toward clean energy, creating good-paying jobs in the process. As DOA Secretary, Joel helped stand up Governor Evers' Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy. As governor, he'll make sure Wisconsin actually follows through on its clean energy commitments."

Supports pushing Wisconsin toward clean energy and following through on the state's clean energy commitments.

"push Wisconsin toward clean energy, creating good-paying jobs in the process. As DOA Secretary, Joel helped stand up Governor Evers' Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy. As governor, he'll make sure Wisconsin actually follows through on its clean energy commitments."

Supports investing in climate resilience to protect Wisconsin communities from flooding, drought, and extreme weather.

"He will invest in climate resilience to protect Wisconsin communities from flooding, drought, and extreme weather, and push Wisconsin toward clean energy, creating good-paying jobs in the process."

Criminal Justice(2)

Supports legalizing recreational cannabis in Wisconsin and using tax revenue for education, mental health, and public safety.

"Joel will legalize recreational cannabis in Wisconsin and use the tax revenue to fund priorities like education, mental health, and public safety. It's time Wisconsin kept that money home."

Supports investing in violence reduction and prevention, and ensuring local departments have resources to keep communities safe.

"invest in violence reduction, and prevention, and make sure local departments have what they need to keep their communities safe."

Economy(18)

Supports repealing Act 10, ending Right-to-Work laws, requiring project labor agreements for public construction, and protecting workers from wage theft.

"Joel will repeal Act 10, end Right-to-Work, require project labor agreements for public construction, protect workers from wage theft, eliminate the income tax on tips and overtime, expand apprenticeship programs, and remove the four-year degree requirements that lock qualified people out of good state government jobs."

Supports eliminating income tax on tips and overtime, expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, and eliminating regressive taxes like the tax on diapers.

"Joel will eliminate regressive taxes like the tax on diapers, expand Wisconsin's dependent care tax credit so families can use more pre-tax dollars on childcare and elder care, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit so working families keep more of what they earn, create a Family Caregiver Tax Credit, and make sure data centers pay their own way"

Supports closing corporate tax loopholes and requiring data centers to enter binding community benefit agreements.

"Joel will close corporate tax loopholes and require data centers to enter into binding community benefits agreements — local hiring, broadband commitments, school contributions — so Wisconsin communities get something back for what they give."

Supports eliminating income tax on tips and overtime, expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, and creating a Family Caregiver Tax Credit.

"Joel will eliminate regressive taxes like the tax on diapers, expand Wisconsin's dependent care tax credit so families can use more pre-tax dollars on childcare and elder care, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit so working families keep more of what they earn, create a Family Caregiver Tax Credit"

Supports closing corporate tax loopholes so wealthy corporations pay their fair share.

"Joel will close corporate tax loopholes and require data centers to enter into binding community benefit agreements — local hiring, broadband commitments, school contributions — so Wisconsin communities get something back for what they give."

Supports responsible budgeting and protecting Wisconsin's rainy-day fund, which he helped grow from $200 million to $1.7 billion.

"Joel helped build Wisconsin's rainy-day fund from $200 million to $1.7 billion. He's not going to raid it. Responsible budgeting means making hard choices, being honest about what things cost, and not making promises we can't keep."

Opposes Trump's tariffs, which he argues land hardest on Wisconsin farmers and those who can least afford it.

"by Trump's tariffs landing hardest on the people who can least afford it."

Opposes Trump's tariffs, which he argues land hardest on Wisconsin farmers and small businesses.

"by Trump's tariffs landing hardest on the people who can least afford it"

Supports policies to help small businesses access health coverage and childcare, and has a record of directing COVID relief funds to small businesses.

"directed nearly $2 billion in CARES Act funds and $2.5 billion in American Rescue Plan funds to small businesses, farmers, and families across Wisconsin"

Supports policies benefiting small businesses including a public health plan option and childcare funding to enable workforce participation.

"create a state public option that lets small businesses and residents buy into the state employee health plan"

Supports requiring project labor agreements for public construction and expanding apprenticeship and earn-while-you-learn pathways for Wisconsin workers.

"require project labor agreements for public construction, protect workers from wage theft, eliminate the income tax on tips and overtime, expand apprenticeship programs"

Supports workers' rights protections and ensuring a day's work provides a living wage.

"Abortion rights. Voting rights. Workers' rights. Joel will sign the protections Wisconsin families have waited too long for — and with fair maps, a Democratic legislature to pass them is finally within reach."

Has a record of delivering aid to small businesses and signals continued support as governor.

"He stood up to the extremists to deliver aid to tens of thousands of small businesses, farmers, and families across Wisconsin."

Supports ensuring one job is sufficient to cover basic living expenses for working families.

"As governor, he'll fight to make sure that in Wisconsin, a hard day's work is still worth something — that one job is enough to cover the rent, the groceries, and still have something left over."

Brennan highlights his record of delivering COVID relief aid to small businesses across Wisconsin during the pandemic.

"When COVID hit, Joel stood up to the extremists in the legislature and delivered aid to tens of thousands of small businesses, farmers, and families across all 72 counties."

Opposes Trump administration trade and economic policies that harm Wisconsin farmers, workers, and families.

"Wisconsin farmers, workers, and families are taking the hit from Washington's chaos. Joel won't flinch. He'll roll up his sleeves and get to work fighting back for Wisconsin."

Brennan touts his record of building fiscal reserves, growing Wisconsin's rainy-day fund and budget surplus during his tenure as Secretary of Administration.

"Together with Governor Evers, they grew the rainy-day fund to $1.7 billion and built a budget surplus of nearly $4 billion."

No explicit position stated on minimum wage, though general support for workers earning a living wage is implied.

"he'll fight to make sure that in Wisconsin, a hard day's work is still worth something — that one job is enough to cover the rent, the groceries, and still have something left over."

Education(6)

Supports modernizing the school funding formula so schools are funded based on what kids actually need, reducing reliance on local property taxes.

"Joel will modernize the funding formula so schools are funded based on what kids actually need, make sure teachers have the tools, the support, and the pay they deserve, bring back cursive, mandate recess, invest in tutoring, expand STEM programming, and make sure every Wisconsin student gets a free school lunch sourced from Wisconsin farms."

Supports mandating recess in Wisconsin schools, restricting cell phones during the school day, and bringing back cursive writing.

"Joel will mandate recess in Wisconsin schools, restrict cell phones during the school day, and crack down on the addictive design features and predatory data collection practices that social media companies use to hook kids."

Supports ensuring teachers have the tools, support, and pay they deserve.

"make sure teachers have the tools, the support, and the pay they deserve"

Supports earn-while-you-learn pathways so Wisconsin workers can build skills without accumulating debt.

"building earn-while-you-learn pathways so Wisconsin workers can build skills without drowning in debt"

Supports expanding earn-while-you-learn pathways and youth apprenticeship programs so workers can build skills without accumulating debt.

"expanding youth apprenticeship programs, and building earn-while-you-learn pathways so Wisconsin workers can build skills without drowning in debt."

No explicit position on charter schools or vouchers stated on the page.

"Education has always been one of Wisconsin's proudest traditions. But Madison has failed to keep up its end of the bargain."

Healthcare(5)

Supports repealing Wisconsin's 1849 abortion ban and protecting every Wisconsin woman's right to make her own healthcare decisions.

"Joel will fight to repeal it and protect every Wisconsin woman's right to make her own health care decisions. He'll also invest in the prenatal, maternity, and postpartum care that too many Wisconsin women — especially in rural communities — can't access today."

Supports expanding Medicaid eligibility in Wisconsin as part of the Healthy Wisconsin Promise.

"Joel's Healthy Wisconsin Promise will expand Medicaid eligibility, create a state public option that lets small businesses and residents buy into the state employee health plan, guarantee health care coverage for every Wisconsin child, invest in rural health partnerships to keep essential services close to home, and grow the health care workforce this state needs."

Supports banning spread pricing by pharmacy benefit managers, requiring rebates to go back to patients, and using Wisconsin's purchasing power to lower drug costs.

"Joel will ban spread pricing, require rebates to go back to patients, make sure independent pharmacies get paid fairly, expand pharmacists' scope of practice so they can do more in communities where they're the most accessible health professional, and use Wisconsin's purchasing power to make drug companies compete on price, not political connections."

Supports modernizing Wisconsin's crisis response system, expanding mental health services in primary care, and investing opioid settlement funds into evidence-based treatment.

"Joel will modernize Wisconsin's crisis response system, expand mental health services in primary care settings, and invest opioid settlement funds into evidence-based treatment."

Supports a state public option allowing residents and small businesses to buy into the state employee health plan, guaranteeing coverage for every Wisconsin child.

"create a state public option that lets small businesses and residents buy into the state employee health plan, guarantee health care coverage for every Wisconsin child"

Immigration(4)

Opposes using local law enforcement to carry out federal immigration enforcement and will establish a commission to review ICE enforcement abuses.

"Joel's view is simple: local law enforcement should focus on local crime, not on doing the federal government's job for them. When masked federal agents occupy our streets without accountability, it doesn't make Wisconsin safer — it makes everyone less safe. As governor, Joel will establish the Wisconsin Accountability Commission to collect, preserve, and review evidence of ICE enforcement abuses in Wisconsin."

Opposes unaccountable ICE enforcement operations and will establish a commission to review and hold accountable those who commit abuses during ICE enforcement.

"As governor, Joel will establish the Wisconsin Accountability Commission to collect, preserve, and review evidence of ICE enforcement abuses in Wisconsin. He'll make sure anyone who acts lawlessly is held accountable"

Opposes using local law enforcement to carry out federal immigration enforcement, arguing it makes communities less safe.

"Joel's view is simple: local law enforcement should focus on local crime, not on doing the federal government's job for them. When masked federal agents occupy our streets without accountability, it doesn't make Wisconsin safer — it makes everyone less safe."

Opposes unaccountable federal deportation actions in Wisconsin and will hold those who act lawlessly accountable.

"When masked federal agents occupy our streets without accountability, it doesn't make Wisconsin safer — it makes everyone less safe. As governor, Joel will establish the Wisconsin Accountability Commission to collect, preserve, and review evidence of ICE enforcement abuses in Wisconsin. He'll make sure anyone who acts lawlessly is held accountable"

Social Issues(2)

Supports repealing Wisconsin's 1849 abortion ban and protecting women's reproductive rights.

"Wisconsin still has an 1849 abortion ban on the books — written before women could vote, before modern medicine, before anyone alive today was born. Joel will fight to repeal it and protect every Wisconsin woman's right to make her own health care decisions."

Supports signing abortion rights protections into law as governor.

"Abortion rights. Voting rights. Workers' rights. Joel will sign the protections Wisconsin families have waited too long for — and with fair maps, a Democratic legislature to pass them is finally within reach."