National Media Discovers Mayor Johnson
Gaining lots of positive press during RNC, now talking of running for governor.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson delivers an inauguration speech. Photo by Jeramey Jannene
The national media has discovered Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, who just four years ago was a low-profile alderman known mostly for the catchy nickname of ‘Chevy.’
Now he’s getting positive press from the New York Times, C-SPAN, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press and CNN, among other media outlets, as the host for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Johnson comes across — repeatedly — as congenial, articulate and sincere, not to mention that he’s youthful, nice-looking and has a great smile.
Johnson, just 37, is a “popular young mayor” and “ubiquitous cheerleader for the city, popping up at festivals, parades and events, shaking hands and working crowds,” the Times reported.
It’s been a publicity coup for Johnson, with the national media coverage focusing on some of the same issues, including:
-How Johnson worked to secure the convention, by “engaging with the search committee, talking about why he got into politics and what it was like to grow up in Milwaukee,” as the Times reported and despite naysayers from his own party in heavily Democratic Milwaukee. “Certainly” there were people “on my side of the aisle… who were not necessarily keen on hosting the Republican Party’s National Convention,” he told C-SPAN.
-How hard the city has worked on security for the convention, connecting and communicating over a period of 18 months with the Milwaukee police and fire departments, the federal Secret Service, FBI and other law enforcement agencies “across our state and across our country,” with meetings involving “at least two dozen subcommittees related to every single aspect of public safety,” as Johnson explained to C-SPAN.
-What a great opportunity this is “for Milwaukee to be at… the center of the political universe with all eyes across the country and eyes really around the world focused in on Milwaukee,” he rhapsodized to C-SPAN. He wants convention goers “to eat cheese curds and scoops of frozen custard, and maybe indulge in a Friday night fish fry” and “explore Milwaukee’s neighborhoods, including Bronzeville,” the Times noted.
-How much crime has gone down in Milwaukee under his leadership, despite being hamstrung by state gun laws. “We’ve seen crime continue to drop,” he told C-SPAN. “Unfortunately, because of state law, we are not able to enact harsher, or I’m sorry, more restrictions for individuals who may decide to carry guns,” he told CNN.
-Johnson’s ability to work in a bipartisan manner, not just in his work to land the Republican convention, but in winning the support of Republican legislators for increased revenue sharing and a local sales tax for Milwaukee. Dale Kooyenga, a former Republican state legislator who is now the president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, told the Times that Johnson “really took the time to walk the halls of the Capitol and spend time with folks who are nowhere near Milwaukee. He formed relationships.”
Wall Street Journal reporter John McCormick, in an interview with Johnson, noted that Republicans he talked to had described the mayor as “a very bipartisan guy.”
“You get described as sort of a rising star in the Democratic Party in this state,” noted McCormick. “Do you have aspirations to be something beyond the mayor of Milwaukee?”
Yes he does, Johnson admitted. Or as he put it more effusively in the WPR story: “Would I be interested in running for governor one day? Absolutely. Absolutely, I would.”
It is widely assumed Democratic Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers won’t run for a third term in 2026 and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley has already made clear that he has hopes of running for the position. Now his friend Cavalier Johnson, buoyed by all that national attention, appears eager to skip Crowley’s place in the line.
“Man, he’s a driven individual,” union leader and former Milwaukee County Board member Eyon Biddle told the publication. “His first few races did not go well, and most people would have just tucked their tails and ran. But he kept fighting and working for what he wanted for the vision that he saw for himself.”
And that vision has now landed him — quite comfortably — in the national spotlight.
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- August 13, 2015 - Cavalier Johnson received $25 from David Crowley
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Yawning 🥱
“ Milwaukee election commission records show that candidates Nick McVey, Tearman Spencer, Joel Paplham and Wenona Gardner didn’t submit their nomination papers in time to join the race.” LOL! 😂
Yeah it was a laughing matter. I was victim of Mayor Cavalier Johnsons lack of experience dealing with reckless drivers. November 17 while crossing Wisconsin Avenue at 22nd I was hit by a car being chase by Milwaukee Police. As a result I now need a walker for balance. I attend weekly physical therapy at Columbia hospital. But I still live independently as a hip / cool gentleman. Lmao
Coming April 2, 2025 I will file recall papers at the Election Commission. I will make sure enough signatures are collected for guess who???
Mayor Johnson–unless you deal with the horrendous situation we are experiencing with outside police officers (and not even our own problems this time) it will be a while before this community is willing to have you move on to more expansive positions. We love you–but we are watching how you address these problems.
It’s way too soon for Mayor Johnson to be thinking about, much less talking about, a run for governor. Getting the RNC to Milwaukee was hardly a great accomplishment once Nashville pulled out. The mayor will need to demonstrate much more to win hearts and minds across the state.
Always interesting how fortuitous media attention can hawk tuah a quick rise in political ambitions. That being said, Mayor Johnson seems like a nice guy and competent leader. Cav for Guv!
CAV back to 53206 and be a ” community organizer ” like his brother.
Funny he should mention Obama as a political hero. Cavalier’s speaking manner and tone always strike me as very similar to Barack Obama, but that is just me. He also seems to like political expedience much like Obama did. Examples being the support of the RNC, I-94 expansion, the Brewers, all despite their questionable value and cost to the community. He likes currying favor with Republicans even though they hate MKE. He champions growth as “of course” being positive because for some reason 1,000,000 residents is better than 600,000. Why is that exactly? It seems it is only natural that he wants to be Governor because he has the mindset of your typical politician.
Ride on the bus Routes 30 & 19 from Wisconsin Avenue north to the ends. See what former Milwaukee Mayor and Mayor Cavalier Johnson have accomplished to enrich the neighbor HOODS ? Darn you to get off at any bus stop after 9pm. and wait for the next bus? Enjoy your journey.
Those were my bus routes throughout my life until I bought a used car so I’m very familiar. I would put the blame on the slum landlords–not Mayor Johnson. Trouble hangs around deteriorating properties.
Residents should have invested in their surroundings by simply not throwing empty food containers on streets, painting gang tagging on building and numerous small improvements in their lives. Investment could been the best way of improving the neighborhoods but people living in rented properties showed no concern for who owned the properties.