Madison Reporter

Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI) was clearly a mix of emotions as he took the stage at the Jan. 3 swearing-in ceremony, kicking off his second term as the state’s 46th governor.

"As jazzed as I am today, I am also humbled,” Evers tweeted Jan. 3. “Just as I did four years ago, I'm taking my oath of office again today with a grateful heart — for your trust, for your faith and for your confidence in me.”

Evers further memorialized the moment by giving thanks to voters, saying, "Given the opportunity to abandon the virtues that define us, Wisconsinites chose to embrace a better history."

Surrounded by a crowd that included judges, members of the armed services and other elected officials, Evers also made it a point to reaffirm his agenda, highlighting the major changes he is pushing for, especially on issues like abortion.

"We must restore the freedoms that Wisconsinites had until June 23, 2022, the day before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade,” Evers said in his speech. “And I believe that together we will.”

On the issue of education, Evers reaffirmed his commitment to his vision of smaller classrooms and a publicly funded system.

Later, he again turned his attention to his push for legal marijuana, reasoning that the state has been left behind because of its hesitancy and needs to move forward in order to better support its residents.

"We must have a meaningful conversation about treating marijuana much like we do alcohol," he added in his speech.

As a born-and-raised Wisconsinite, Evers proudly touched on how he’s remained connected with the voters of the state, and the reason why so many of them again turned out in droves to support him.

“People voted because they believe, as I do, that when we deliver tax relief, it should be targeted to the middle class to give working families a little breathing room in their family budget, not to give big breaks to millionaires and billionaires who don’t need the extra help to afford rising costs,” he said in the speech. "People voted because they believe, as I do, that we should expand BadgerCare and work to ensure everyone has access to quality, affordable health care.”