MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Moderate Democrat David Crowley won the Wisconsin primary for governor, defeating a democratic socialist who fell short while trying to deliver another win for progressives in a battleground state.
Crowley, the Milwaukee county executive, is vying to become Wisconsin’s first Black governor and pitched himself as the candidate best positioned to win in November against Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Crowley narrowly defeated democratic socialist Francesca Hong, who was hoping to ride the wave of recent victories by progressive candidates, including Abdul El-Sayed in neighboring Michigan’s U.S. Senate race last week.
El-Sayed’s win was the movement’s first major success in a purple state. It also fed fears in the party’s leaders that such candidates, farther afield and often carrying political baggage of past stances such as defunding the police, would struggle to beat Republicans and imperil the party’s hopes of recapturing control of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House.
Crowley didn’t address supporters Tuesday night but was expected at a unity event later Wednesday.
“Now, David is focused on bringing people together, earning the support of Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and anyone who believes Wisconsin is at its best when we work together and deliver results,” Crowley’s campaign manager Garren Randolph said in a statement.
Hong’s loss in Wisconsin may have doused the momentum, but it’s far from snuffing it out. A democratic socialist coming close to victory in a battleground state sends a clear message: There’s unignorable angst among the party’s voters.
“We have built something that will change politics forever,” Hong told supporters as the outcome of the race hung in the balance late Tuesday. “The work we have done will be remembered forever. I know we don’t have the final results right now, but what I do know is we are ready to keep fighting.”
Her campaign manager Becky Cooper said after Hong conceded that she was “proud of the race we ran.”
“Our team campaigned clean, our souls are intact and we really made meaningful change for the progressive movement,” she said.
The Associated Press declared Crowley the winner once Hong’s concession removed the possibility of a recount in the exceptionally close race.
Hong could have requested a recount since Crowley’s margin of victory was less than 1 percentage point. But because it was wider than 0.25 points, Hong’s campaign would have had to pay for it.
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is projected to win the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Crowley’s projected win came after a City of Milwaukee absentee ballot dump that was delayed until after midnight due to an issue with the transportation of flash drives from central count to the Milwaukee County Courthouse which Milwaukee Election Commission Paulina Gutiérrez attributed to “human error.”
It’s unknown if State Representative Francesca Hong, who according to the unofficial results finished second in Milwaukee County by 2,392 votes, will request a recount. She would have to wait until the last day a county board of canvassers meets, which is at least one week after the election according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Because the margin of victory is expected to be more than .25%, Hong’s campaign would have to pay for the recount.
The victory for Crowley was also buoyed by a strong showing of support from nearby Ozaukee, Jefferson, and Waukesha Counties.
The result follows a turbulent election cycle in which Crowley suspended his campaign July 8, then re-entered the race July 18 following the unraveling of Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez’s campaign.
Democrats plan to hold a unity tour with the complete ticket of candidates including Crowley in multiple locations across the state August 12. The start of that tour has been pushed back by a few hours to accommodate for the late election results.
On the Republican side, Congressman Tom Tiffany cruised to a primary victory over challenger Andy Manske, with the Associated Press calling the race at 8:21p.m. Tiffany plans to hold a unity tour of his own in West Allis August 12.
This is a breaking news story; more information will be added as it becomes available.
