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.
