PLYMOUTH – Before a wall of television cameras — as reporters’ cell phones buzzed with headlines declaring international travel banned, NBA players falling ill, and cruise ship passengers marooned at sea — Tony Evers stepped into a role he learned as a child.
Fourteen months into his first term as governor, Evers declared a state of emergency in Wisconsin as the coronavirus pandemic picked up speed in the U.S., outpacing knowledge of how to combat it. On a military base in Madison, Evers assured the public that his administration would prioritize keeping people healthy and called for shared sacrifice.