David Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, won the Wisconsin Democratic primary for governor on Tuesday, narrowly defeating state Assemblymember Francesca Hong in an outcome that defied months of polling showing Hong as the overwhelming favorite. Crowley took 39.8% of the vote to Hong’s 39.3%, a margin of less than 1 percentage point and roughly 3,800 votes, according to the final tally.
The result was a stunning reversal for Hong, a democratic socialist who had led the field by as much as 22 percentage points in pre-election polls. A State Navigate poll released just days before the primary showed Hong with 34% support compared to Crowley’s 12%, yet Crowley eked out the victory in what multiple outlets described as a photo finish.
Crowley’s path to the nomination was unconventional. He had dropped out of the race on July 9 and endorsed another candidate, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, but reentered the contest on July 18 after Rodriguez’s campaign imploded due to financial issues. That same day, Gov. Tony Evers, who had previously declined to take sides in the primary, announced his endorsement of Crowley. The endorsement proved decisive in the final weeks, helping Crowley consolidate moderate Democratic support.
The primary tested a fundamental divide within Wisconsin’s Democratic Party. Hong ran as a democratic socialist championing progressive causes, while Crowley positioned himself as a moderate focused on winning the general election against likely Republican nominee Tom Tiffany. Crowley performed strongest in less-educated counties, winning those areas by 11 percentage points, while Hong barely won the state’s most-educated counties, suggesting her progressive message resonated unevenly across the Democratic base.
If Crowley prevails in November against Tiffany, he would become Wisconsin’s first Black governor. The general election will test whether Crowley’s moderate approach can win a statewide race in a battleground state where Democrats have struggled in recent years.
Sources
- New York Times — final vote totals and margin of victory
- PBS NewsHour — Crowley’s defeat of Hong and characterization of the race
- Ballotpedia — official primary results and percentages
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — Crowley’s comeback narrative and upset victory
- Washington Post — county-level voting patterns and demographic splits
- Wisconsin Examiner — Crowley’s re-entry with Evers’ endorsement
- 19th News — Crowley’s background as Milwaukee County executive and first Black governor potential
- Forbes — polling failures and Hong’s lead in pre-election surveys
