Gubernatorial candidate visits Rhinelander, Eagle River

Josh Schoemann, the first candidate to announce his bid against Governor Tony Evers ahead of next year’s elections, took some time to stop in Eagle River and Rhinelander late last week, where he shared messages behind his campaign.
Schoemann announced his candidacy for governor back in May, and is yet the only candidate to have formally filed to run for governor next year. Gov. Evers has not yet announced if he will be seeking a third term; however, it’s anticipated that he will announce it after the approval of the biennial state budget in July.
While not a Northwoods local, Schoemann says that he has ties to the area, with his great-grandparents having owned property in Three Lakes and being a frequent visitor in his childhood with his father.
“It’s been great coming back to the area,” he said. “I’ve been getting reacquainted with the Eagle River area this time.”
In his interview with the News-Review, he was asked about his thoughts on issues prevalent in North Woods discussions, including tourism, supporting small businesses, forestry, housing crises, aquatic invasive species (AIS) and wakeboat regulations.

Tourism and small businesses
Schoemann described the state’s tourism sector as something he hopes to make a big focus in his campaign for governor, saying how it’s one of the most important sectors in the state’s economy — even calling upon how the Department of Tourism recently announced the state’s third record-breaking year in a row for tourism spending in 2024.
As Northwoods communities have taken a hit following the recent trend of mild winters, Schoemann voiced hopes of being able to provide more emergency management support for business owners.
“I almost looked at it like if there were a drought in the southern part of the state in the summertime, there would have been some kind of emergency management response, and I think there should be that same kind of thing up here,” he explained. “If you have a bad summer, the whole economy starts to fall apart, but a bad winter is really bad as well. I think that’s something that we really need to lean into, is helping the folks in the winter months as well, but just tourism in general, really promoting Wisconsin and all the amazing things we have to offer.”
Aware of the entrepreneurship efforts occurring in the Eagle River area, Schoemann added that he feels it’s important to provide this kind of support to small businesses.

“I think it’s really, really important having those small businesses. They’re the fabric of most of our economy,” he said. “Most jobs come from small businesses, not these big recruitments that we bring in, big manufacturing or something. It’s the small guy. So being helpful to them, I think, is important.”
While tourism is a key component to North Woods’ economies, those same communities have been faced with the statewide housing crises, something that Schoemann says he is an “idea machine” for in regard to addressing the issue, detailing his own struggles he has had as a millennial navigating the housing market.
“Millennials are trying to kind of move in to take over this space in housing and the workforce previously occupied by the Baby Boomers,” he explained. “We’re kind of in this inflection point of passing the torch of the American dream from the biggest generation formerly to the new biggest generation.”

Localizing government
While he says that he wants to have tourism be a big focus in his campaign, Schoemann added that, ultimately, he hopes to “localize government control” and have government be focused on the people.

“In the end, that’s what I think government’s about — it’s about the people,” he said. “That’s really what I want to do as governor, is get the focus back on the people. Just give people an opportunity. Most people I talk to, even the ones who are working their way back onto their feet, they don’t want a handout. They just want a chance. I want to give as many opportunities as I can to individuals.”
Schoemann explained that as governor, he hopes to bridge the gap between political parties to work toward more compromises that can appeal to both sides of the aisle.
“I believe deeply that we need to just start talking to each other again,” he said. “I feel like we’ve gotten so polarized, we’re talking past each other. And I think that’s really informed who I am because I think it’s important to remember that government’s about the people. I always lead with love your neighbor, and I want to bring that to Madison.
“We need to talk to each other again, Republican, Democrat — we’re all Americans. We’re all Wisconsinites. And the things that bring us together are more numerous than the things that pull us apart,” he said.

AIS and wakeboating

Additional issues the News-Review asked Schoemann to comment on were the topics of AIS control and wakeboat ordinances, both topics of varying levels of contention in the North Woods.
For AIS, Schoemann said he plans to draw on his experience as Executive Director of the Green Lake Association, based in Green Lake County, and his experience as the City Administrator in Princeton, Wis., in addressing the issue, but he says that “working together” will be one of the best ways to manage AIS in area waters.
“I think it’s important for us to work together, whether it’s Eurasian milfoil or curly pondweed, there’s some real threats to our ecosystems and our lakes, and lakes are a huge part of tourism, especially up here, but all of Wisconsin,” he explained.
In regard to wakeboat control, he maintained an idea of reaching a compromise from both sides of the issue, as this is an issue he has previously heard about from his constituents in Washington County.

“It’s interesting hearing the dialogue,” he said. “The thing that people have to remember is the lakes are not owned by the people around the lake. We all, as Wisconsinites, have access to those lakes. And so, again, I think it’s going to be about bringing both sides together and coming to a compromise.”

In his closing remarks, Schoemann added that he plans to address the mental health crisis and underfunded public safety services in the state as governor.
A seventh-generation Washington County resident, Schoemann also served as County Executive since he was elected in April 2020 and is a veteran who served in Iraq.
More information about Schoemann and his campaign can be found by visiting joshschoemann.com.