David Crowley, the Milwaukee County Executive, narrowly won Wisconsin’s Democratic governor primary on August 11, 2026, defeating democratic socialist Francesca Hong in an upset that defied pre-election polling and reshapes the party’s path forward in a swing state. Crowley claimed 39.8% of the vote—315,278 ballots—to Hong’s 39.3%, a margin of just 3,783 votes or 0.5 percentage points, according to final results.
Crowley is vying to become Wisconsin’s first Black governor. He pitched himself as the candidate best positioned to defeat Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump, in the November general election.
Hong, a 37-year-old democratic socialist state representative and former line cook, had led most public polls heading into Election Day. She tapped into Democratic anger over military aid to Israel, campaign finance, immigration policy, and the cost of living. “We have built something that will change politics forever,” Hong told supporters as results hung in the balance late Tuesday.
The race unfolded against a backdrop of campaign chaos. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out in mid-July amid a campaign finance scandal, and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes withdrew less than two weeks before the election following questions about inappropriate behavior. Crowley himself had dropped out in early July but re-entered the race 10 days later after securing Gov. Tony Evers’ endorsement—a move that proved decisive in the final stretch.
Both Evers and Crowley crisscrossed the state in the final week, arguing that Crowley offered the stronger matchup against Tiffany in a state known for close elections where independent, moderate voters often decide outcomes. Evers, who declined to seek a third term, had previously endorsed Rodriguez before she exited the race.
How the Primary Was Shaped by Dropped Candidates
The late departures of multiple candidates left a significant mark on the results. According to analysis by FairVote, an election reform organization, 68,343 votes were cast for candidates who had already withdrawn from the race—what election experts call “zombie votes.” This occurred because early and mail voters had no way to change their ballots after candidates dropped out.
Sara Rodriguez received 32,687 votes despite withdrawing in July, while Mandela Barnes received 32,410 votes after his late-month exit. Missy Hughes, who dropped out in June, received 3,246 votes. Combined, these three candidates accounted for more votes than the margin separating Crowley and Hong.
Additionally, Kelda Roys and Joel Brennan, who remained in the race, collectively received 96,570 votes—far more than the 3,783-vote difference between the two frontrunners. This meant that nearly one-third of all primary voters had no effective say in the choice between Crowley and Hong.
What Hong’s Loss Means for Progressives
Hong’s defeat comes after democratic socialists and progressive candidates notched wins in neighboring Michigan and New York City earlier in 2026, raising hopes that the movement could break through in battleground states. Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in Michigan’s U.S. Senate Democratic primary last week had energized progressives nationwide and fueled concerns among Democratic establishment figures that such candidates would struggle against Republicans in swing states.
However, national progressive leaders, including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, notably sat out the Wisconsin race and did not endorse Hong. Her campaign manager Becky Cooper said after the loss that the campaign had “run clean” and that “we really made meaningful change for the progressive movement.”
Crowley, with fewer than 40% of Democrats behind him, enters the general election with a narrower mandate than candidates who win by larger margins. Research shows that primary winners without majority support face steeper odds in general elections, a particular concern in Wisconsin, where Trump won in both 2016 and 2024 by razor-thin margins.
Both Crowley and Hong pledged to unite Democrats against Tiffany. “Our ultimate goal is to make sure we don’t have a MAGA extremist occupying the governor’s office,” Crowley said in the final days before the primary.
Sources
- PBS News — Crowley’s primary victory, Hong’s democratic socialist platform, the chaotic primary with multiple candidate withdrawals, and Evers’ endorsement
- FairVote — Vote totals (Crowley 315,278 at 39.8%, Hong 311,495 at 39.3%, margin of 3,783 votes), “zombie votes” cast for withdrawn candidates (68,343 total), and votes for Rodriguez, Barnes, and Hughes
- NBC News — Final vote counts and projection of Crowley as winner
- The New York Times — Crowley as moderate candidate, Hong’s loss as setback for progressive movement
- The Guardian — Hong’s democratic socialist platform and Crowley’s focus on unity
- NPR — Hong’s challenge to party establishment and Crowley’s narrow victory
