David Crowley completed a surprising comeback in the Wisconsin gubernatorial primary on Tuesday night, narrowly edging out democratic socialist Francesca Hong to become the party's nominee in the state's pivotal governor's race. =
The unexpected result amounts to a significant win for establishment Democrats in the Badger State, who had rallied behind Crowley in a last-ditch effort amid concern that Hong's left-wing politics would be a bad fit for swing voters in the general election.
Crowley, who is currently the top elected official in Milwaukee County, had bowed out of the race about a month ago amid flagging poll numbers. He re-entered the primary 10 days later and earned the endorsement of outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, which helped propel him to a victory over Hong by roughly half a percentage point.
In a speech on Wednesday morning, Crowley emphasized the need for unity within the Democratic Party as he prepares to face Republican nominee Rep. Tom Tiffany in November.
"Over the past few months, you've heard a lot of people try to define this election as a battle between the left and the center, between progressives and the establishment, between insiders and outsiders," he said. "That narrative misses the entire point of what we're doing."
Hong, who had held a polling lead of more than 20 points as recently as last week, struck a similar tone in her statement conceding the race.
"Congratulations to David Crowley and his team," she wrote. "I fully support him and look forward to working with him to defeat Congressman Tiffany in November."
Forecasters expect the Wisconsin gubernatorial race to be one of the tightest in the country, so here's a rundown of who David Crowley is, what he stands for and how he pulled off Tuesday's remarkable comeback to become the Democratic nominee.
Crowley, 40, grew up in a poor Milwaukee neighborhood with what one 2019 study described as "staggeringly high" rates of incarceration, especially among its Black residents. His parents struggled with addiction and mental health issues when he was a child, and his family was evicted three times during his youth.
"Having to pick up yourself and everything you own off the curb, it'll break you … or it'll make you," he said in a video announcing his campaign last year.
Crowley says his experiences with poverty helped inform his professional life. In his late teens, he began working as a community organizer, which served as his introduction to politics. After working as a campaign staffer and aide to several Wisconsin Democrats, Crowley launched his own political career in 2016 and was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Four years later, Crowley won a closely contested race for Milwaukee County executive, the top position in the state's most populous county. He was the first Black person to serve in the role and also the youngest leader the county had ever had when he was sworn in at age 33. He was reelected in 2024.
As county executive, Crowley has focused on bringing more revenue into Milwaukee's poorest neighborhoods, expanding affordable housing, increasing access to mental health services and combating the opioid epidemic. While leading the county, he also reenrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and earned a bachelor's degree in community engagement and education in 2024, nearly 20 years after he dropped out during his first stint at the school.
At the time, he said his choice to return to school was inspired by his daughters.
"I wanted to be an example for them," he told Wisconsin Public Radio.
