David Crowley, a centrist Democrat, has secured an unexpected victory in the Wisconsin gubernatorial primary, as projected by CBS News. He narrowly defeated Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist who had been considered a leading candidate for the position.
In the upcoming November election, Crowley will compete against Republican Representative Tom Tiffany.
Despite facing considerable challenges, including a brief suspension of his campaign in July, Crowley received endorsements from two-term Democratic Governor Tony Evers. Meanwhile, Hong’s campaign struggled amid negative media attention related to her past social media activity.
Crowley’s primary win marks a departure from the recent successes of progressive candidates in Democratic primaries across states like Michigan, New York, and Colorado.
The governorship of Wisconsin is a highly coveted position for both parties, especially following Evers’ announcement that he would not seek reelection. In the 2024 election, President Trump won the state by a narrow margin of less than one percentage point, making Wisconsin notable for its mixed representation of one Democratic senator and one Republican senator. (Maine’s independent senator, Angus King, aligns with Democrats, while the other senator from the state is Republican Susan Collins.)
The Democratic race featured several prominent figures, including former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, who narrowly lost the 2022 Senate election to Senator Ron Johnson, along with Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, and Francesca Hong, a state legislator and former chef.
The dynamics of the race shifted significantly in July when Crowley temporarily withdrew his candidacy to support Rodriguez, perceived as an establishment candidate. However, Rodriguez exited the race shortly thereafter due to financial constraints discovered within her campaign.
Although Barnes had previously achieved a surprising victory in the 2022 Senate primary as a progressive candidate and had won statewide office in 2018 as Wisconsin’s first Black lieutenant governor, Hong had emerged as the frontrunner. As the election date approached, Crowley made the decision to re-enter the race as a centrist, responding to the leftward shift in the Democratic field. He explained in a recent debate that his initial departure was based on inaccurate data.
On July 30, just days before the primary, Barnes announced his withdrawal, suggesting it was clear who the Democratic nominee would be, indicating support for Hong. This announcement came amidst an investigation by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel into allegations regarding his conduct with younger women, which Barnes has not publicly addressed, and he has not been accused of any crimes.
This left the contest primarily between Crowley and Hong, bringing increased national attention to the race. Hong’s past social media statements from 2019 to 2021 have resurfaced, including calls to defund the police, abolish the U.S. Senate and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and comments about cultural issues, such as calling to “cancel Thanksgiving.” Recently, Hong has moderated her stance on certain issues, clarifying her views in an interview with Politico, where she expressed her affection for Thanksgiving as a holiday.
