David Crowley secured a narrow victory in Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor, according to projections released early on Wednesday, overcoming centrist-versus-progressive dynamics that have characterized recent Democratic contests nationally.
Crowley, who serves as chief executive of Milwaukee County, will advance to face Republican Tom Tiffany in the general election scheduled for November. Tiffany, a sitting US congressman with backing from President Donald Trump, won his party’s primary by a substantial margin. Both candidates have emphasized economic concerns, with Crowley focusing on affordability, education, jobs, and opportunity expansion, while Tiffany’s platform centers on tax reduction, agricultural support, and healthcare improvements.
The result marks a reversal in momentum for the party’s left wing, which had recorded multiple primary victories in recent months. Francesca Hong, a state assemblywoman and former chef running as a democratic socialist, entered election day as the perceived frontrunner in what observers described as a crowded Democratic field. However, controversies surrounding her historical comments on police funding and other topics, combined with notably absent endorsements from prominent progressive figures like Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, may have influenced the outcome. Hong conceded the race and expressed pride in her campaign’s efforts.
Crowley’s victory is particularly noteworthy given that he had suspended his candidacy the previous month to support another candidate before re-entering the race with support from incumbent Governor Tony Evers. His win interrupts a pattern in which left-wing candidates, many affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, have achieved primary success by challenging party establishment positions and mobilizing voters on issues including Gaza funding debates.
Wisconsin’s general election is positioned as a closely contested matchup with broader implications for congressional control in the midterm elections. Separately, South Carolina’s special Republican Senate primary saw Darline Graham Nordone advance to a run-off against Democrat Annie Andrews to fill the seat vacated by the death of Senator Lindsey Graham.
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