Cavalier Johnson Easily Wins Primary

Mayor Cavalier Johnson at the 2023 State of the City. Photo by Sophie Bolich.

As expected, Mayor Cavalier Johnson dominated the three-way mayoral primary on Tuesday. Johnson earned 85.9% of the vote (26,798 votes).

Johnson and second-place finisher David D. King will face each other in a general election on April 2. The incumbent mayor is running for the second time in as many years after finishing out the term of Tom Barrett, who resigned in late 2021 to become U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg. Johnson, then the Common Council President, was automatically appointed to serve as interim mayor and then won a highly-competitive primary and general election to serve out the remainder of Barrett’s term.

King received approximately 9.7% of the vote (3,018 votes). Ieshuh Griffin received 3.5% (1,094 votes).

Johnson’s campaign was quick to praise the results.

“Tonight, as the results of the primary election come in, I am filled with immense gratitude. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who cast your vote, demonstrating your faith and confidence in our shared vision for Milwaukee. This victory is not just mine; it is ours. It is a testament to our collective belief in the power of unity, hard work, and a relentless commitment to progress. Together, we have made significant strides in making Milwaukee a safer, more prosperous, and inclusive city. Yet, our journey is far from over. There’s more work to do, more dreams to fulfill, and more challenges to overcome,” said the mayor in a statement. “Your support in this primary election reinforces the trust you place in me to lead our beloved city into its next chapter. As we look toward the general election, let’s carry this momentum forward. Let’s continue to engage in meaningful dialogue, to build bridges across our communities, and to work hand in hand for the betterment of every Milwaukee resident. I am honored to serve as your mayor and even more honored to have your backing as we move towards the general election. Let’s keep our spirits high, our focus sharp, and our hearts open as we march on with resilience and optimism.”

The winner of the April race will receive a full four-year term as mayor, with a Johnson-backed 15% raise to $169,436. King has been critical of the decision.

Instead of expending considerable political capital, Johnson appears to have accumulated a political buffer by successfully negotiating with the Wisconsin State Legislature for a 2% sales tax to resolve the city’s fiscal crisis.

King is a conservative and has stridently branded himself as such in the officially nonpartisan race. He says he is running on “a common sense platform empowering the citizens of Milwaukee to work together to actually solve the issues facing us.”

Like Griffin, King has run for several offices. He ran for mayor in 2020, but did not submit enough signatures to appear on the ballot in a contested decision. He has also run for alderman, lieutenant governor, secretary of sttate, state assembly and state senate. He leads a group called Wisconsin God Squad.

Griffin’s campaign season isn’t over. She will appear on the ballot for Milwaukee County Executive and the 3rd District council seat. She was rejected for placement in the 15th District.