Crowley, Tiffany Clash In Lone Governor Debate As Trump Looms Large

David Crowley and Tom Tiffany at 2026 Gubernatorial Debate. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

In their only debate, Wisconsin’s two gubernatorial candidates each tried to frame the race but kept coming back to Donald Trump.

“The key issue in this campaign is affordability and that’s solely what I am focused on at this point,” said Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany.

“I think voters need someone who works for them. That’s the entire premise of this entire election,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, a Democrat.

Almost regardless of the issue, Crowley kept trying to tie Tiffany to President Donald Trump and the three billionaire donors who have contributed more than $20 million to Tiffany’s campaign.

“It is very clear that he is working for Donald Trump and the billionaires that fund his campaign,” said Crowley.

“He’s misrepresenting our positions, and he’s over there ranting constantly about billionaires,” responded Tiffany at one point.

The debate was broadcast by WISN12 and moderated by Matt Smith and Gerron Jordan. Smith, the station’s political director, frequently had to interrupt the candidates to direct a response, while Jordan tried to keep the debate on track.

Spending Plan

If elected, Tiffany said he would return the entire $3 billion projected state surplus to taxpayers, but he said he didn’t favor a one-time rebate.

Without naming him, Tiffany said he would mirror Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” to enact a tax act and eliminate taxes on tips and overtime.

“We are going to put money into people’s pockets,” said the congressman.

“Let’s be very clear: He voted for the ‘Big Ugly Bill,'” said Crowley. He said he was focused on a “fair tax system” that would support families and reduce property taxes by funding schools at the state level.

Crowley said he favored the bipartisan surplus deal negotiated by Gov. Tony Evers and the two Republican legislative leaders. But he said Tiffany moved to block it. “He called in some favors,” said the county executive.

“It failed because not a single Democratic senator voted for Gov. Evers’ deal,” said Tiffany. Both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate voted against the bill.

Transportation

One of the fiercest exchanges of the debate was about transportation funding.

Asked for yes or no responses, Tiffany said “no” to any potential new user fees, tolling or reindexing the state gas tax to inflation.

But then Tiffany claimed he would spend more on transportation.

“We are going to put additional money into transportation,” said Tiffany. He said he would do it via the budgeting process and didn’t identify where the funding would come from.

Crowley said he was open to new user fees or tolling, but not to reindexing the gas tax.

“I want to first start off by letting people know that Congressman Tiffany doesn’t have any plans,” said Crowley. He said Tiffany’s transportation idea was similar to earlier Republican efforts to cut taxes. “This is the reason why cities, towns, villages and school districts are all struggling today.”

“He’s misrepresenting our positions, and he’s over there ranting constantly about billionaires,” said Tiffany. “We have enough money in the state budget that we can fund things like transportation, things like education; they just need to be prioritized.”

2020 Election Denial

Tiffany was pushed repeatedly by the moderators on why he voted to decertify the 2020 presidential election results.

He first tried to compare Crowley to Francesca Hong and said Crowley sounded like a socialist, but Smith did not let the issue go.

Why did he object to certifying the 2020 election results?

“One of the main reasons I did that was Zuckerbucks,” said Tiffany. “I objected to Mark Zuckerberg putting $15 million in.”

But Tiffany’s own congressional press release from Jan. 5, 2021, doesn’t mention that as a reason. He also voted against certifying the results in Arizona and Pennsylvania.

The Facebook founder donated money to large Wisconsin cities to help administer the pandemic-influenced election. A Republican-led constitutional amendment later banned the practice.

Smith asked if “Zuckerbucks” was the reason he voted to decertify the election, a push made by Donald Trump to try to overturn the results.

“Yes,” said Tiffany.

He also added that he was concerned a Dane County clerk exceeded their authority by allowing people to be declared indefinitely confined and vote absentee.

“Let’s be very clear, the congressman just said the only reason he was willing to throw away hundreds of thousands of votes here in the state of Wisconsin was because he disagreed on how somebody spent money. He didn’t say anything nefarious was going on with our elections; he didn’t say anything happened throughout the process; he just didn’t like the process,” said Crowley. “This is the reason we need a governor that will work for the people of Wisconsin. Yes, you may be able to disagree, but you still need dignity and integrity to make sure that you are actually carrying out the will of the people.”

“He broke the law, David,” said Tiffany of the Dane County clerk.

“One clerk in a different municipality has nothing to do with the entire state of Wisconsin,” said Crowley, interrupting Tiffany.

“Clerks across the state of Wisconsin do a terrific job,” said Tiffany.

Both candidates said they would certify the 2028 election results regardless of the outcome.

Abortion

David Crowley at 2026 gubernatorial debate. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

The candidates spent several minutes discussing abortion, and where the other stood on it.

Tiffany said he favors a ban starting at five months.

“My position has been consistent ever since I declared for governor,” said the congressman.

But three years ago, as Crowley pointed out, Tiffany did co-sponsor a six-week ban. He said he wouldn’t sign such a ban as governor.

Tiffany said he voted for a five-month ban in 2015 while in the Wisconsin State Senate. He also accused Crowley of refusing to state a clear position.

Crowley, who answered a yes-or-no question with a story, again dodged a specific time frame. “He refuses to say how many months he would stand for,” said Tiffany.

“These are discussions that need to be had between a doctor and a patient, Congressman,” he said.

Public Safety

The candidates traded barbs over public safety, particularly on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“This is a very clear contrast between the two of us,” said Tiffany.

Crowley agreed.

“I can’t take Congressman Tom Tiffany seriously when it comes down to public safety,” said Crowley. “We are talking about someone who literally praised the pardons of January 6ers, people who beat up cops, some of them who were convicted of child molestation, someone who actually protected the billionaire class by voting against the release of the Epstein files.”

Tiffany said he would make sure local and state law enforcement worked with federal agents to remove individuals subject to federal detainers.

Crowley said law enforcement needs to follow the law in order to build trust. He also said ICE officials must not wear masks. And law enforcement

“If we are talking about prosecuting criminals, then we need to do that, and they absolutely need to be deported, but that’s not what’s been happening under this federal administration,” he said.

Tiffany said the Milwaukee Police Association and other law enforcement unions have endorsed him because of Crowley’s past statements on public safety.

But Crowley said his work on the 2023 sales tax and shared revenue bill, Act 12, brought revenue to law enforcement and local governments, including a 382% increase for Tiffany’s hometown of Hazelhurst.

Closing Statements

Crowley attempted to contrast himself with Tiffany in his closing statement.

“I am running to be your governor because Wisconsin families are working harder than ever and still falling behind,” said Crowley, who touted his working-class roots.

He also didn’t miss a chance to tie Tiffany to Trump.

“They got tax breaks, you got higher bills. They got tariffs, you got higher prices. They got their endless war, you got record-high gas prices,” he said.

Tiffany spent most of his closing statement talking about his September plane crash and the 16-minute emergency response. “Ladies and gentlemen, I saw the best of Wisconsin that night. As your next governor, I am going to make sure you see the best of Wisconsin.”

Post-Debate Spin

Tom Tiffany at 2026 gubernatorial debate. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

Tiffany fielded several questions after the debate.

“I laid out a vision for Wisconsin of returning the surplus to the taxpayers, ending the 400-year property tax increase, no taxes on tips and overtime,” said Tiffany. “We laid out a clear agenda to be able to return money to the taxpayer. We are going to have affordability, accountability and common sense when I become the next governor. I thought it was a good debate. It is very clear the differences between the two of us at this point.”

He said the people of Wisconsin didn’t want the “sideshow” about billionaires that Crowley was engaged in.

Crowley opted out of appearing, sending former Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler to appear in his place.

“In every instance, we saw that the top issue on voters’ minds, affordability, was an issue that David Crowley won and Tom Tiffany fell apart,” said Tiffany.

“David Crowley won the debate. Sometimes you have a candidate that needs to do damage control; I think that’s what we just saw from Tom Tiffany,” said Wikler. “Tonight I think David Crowley is going to be celebrating with a whole bunch of Wisconsinites across the state who saw very clearly that David Crowley knows how to lead and Tom Tiffany knows how to dissemble.”

Wikler attacked Tiffany for voting for the most extreme cut to healthcare in U.S. history as part of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which gutted Medicaid and could cause over 270,000 Wisconsinites to lose health insurance coverage.

Prior to the debate, Crowley’s campaign appeared to be seeking to lower expectations, releasing a statement calling Tiffany “a polished, career politician who knows his way around a debate stage and a TV camera. He’s a regular on Fox News, from The Ingraham Angle to Fox Business’s Mornings with Maria to The Big Weekend Show, and he’s spent years practicing delivering Washington talking points on cue. So Wisconsinites should expect a smooth performance from Congressman Tiffany.”