Gov. Tony Evers Rallies with Milwaukee Co. Exec David Crowley in Appleton

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, right, hugs Gov. Tony Evers at a campaign rally on Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Appleton, Wis. Joe Schulz/WPR

After watching a recent Democratic debate for governor, retired psychologist Clifford Stephens of Appleton said he still hadn’t decided who he planned to vote for in the Aug. 11 primary.

Late Monday afternoon, Stephens said he had been leaning toward voting for state Rep. Francesca Hong, saying he liked her focus and fire in responding to debate questions.

A couple hours later, however, he was singing a different tune.

Stephens attended a campaign event Monday evening in which Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley met with Democratic voters in the Fox Cities before taking the stage with Gov. Tony Evers.

Crowley spoke with Stephens ahead of addressing the crowd. After the event, Stephens said the Milwaukee County executive earned his vote.

“After seeing David Crowley up close, I changed my opinion,” he said. “I saw the fire in him, the focus in him, learned a little bit more about his experience, and I will support him now. We need a candidate that can win people over from all across the state.”

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, right, speaks with Clifford Stephens of Appleton before taking the stage at a campaign rally on Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in the Fox Valley. Joe Schulz/WPR

Crowley is going to need more voters like Stephens to change their minds if he hopes to move on to the general election.

A Marquette University Law School poll released last week showed Hong leading with 38 percent of Democratic votes with Crowley at 7 percent. Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who has since dropped out of the race, was a distant second behind Hong at 16 percent.

During the campaign rally at a local brewery in Appleton, Evers said he chose to endorse Crowley because he was the candidate in the race most focused on issues. He said the people of Wisconsin want a governor who is willing to reach across the aisle to deliver for the working class.

“We have to move the state forward, and we’re going to do this with this gentleman right here,” the governor told the crowd. “Bottom line is this: David’s running on his record, and he has expertise to get stuff done.”

After the event, Evers told reporters that he felt Hong, a democratic socialist, spent a lot of time “talking on Twitter and all these other extraneous issues.”

“You can ask me 100 times, I’m going to give you the same damn answer. This issue is around getting things done. This guy has done it,” Evers said, gesturing toward Crowley. “Let’s get it going.”

Evers, who is stepping down at the end of his term, is popular among Democrats, according to the Marquette poll. But despite that, in the most recent poll released, his endorsement did not sway many voters. Asked whether the governor’s endorsement of Crowley had an effect on their choice, 56 percent said it did not.

In a statement, Allison Geyer, a spokesperson for the Hong campaign, said Evers is “entitled to support his preferred candidate, but his characterization of our campaign does not reflect the race we have run.”

“This campaign has remained laser-focused on the issues affecting working families, from leading the call for a moratorium on massive AI data centers to advancing a comprehensive platform for permanent affordability that lowers the cost of housing, healthcare, childcare and education,” Geyer stated. “Rep. Hong is leading because voters are looking for a clear and compelling vision for Wisconsin’s future.”

Evers’ comments about Hong’s social media usage come after Crowley was tied to an old Twitter account that made insensitive posts, though he has said he didn’t publish the crude posts.

Crowley dropped out and then reentered the race last month, just 24 days before the August primary. He’s presented himself as the mainstream Democratic alternative to Hong, who has left some Democrats worried she could lose the general election to Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley sits next to Gov. Tony Evers during a campaign event in Appleton on Monday, Aug. 3, 2026. Joe Schulz/WPR

Crowley told voters in Appleton that his experience as Milwaukee County’s top executive made him uniquely experienced to lead the state of Wisconsin. He cited efforts to reduce homelessness in the county and his work negotiating with Republicans and Democrats to boost shared revenue to municipalities.

“I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in Milwaukee County that I know that we can make sure that across the entire state, when the tide rises, all the boats rise,” he said. “But in order to do that, we need to bring everybody to the table.”

That message seemed to resonate with Appleton resident Barb Weyenberg, who said she plans to vote for the county executive next week.

“The issue is can our candidate, our Democratic candidate, work with Republicans? That’s a key issue,” she said. “I know that young people support a more dramatic approach, but I think — as I’ve gotten older — I’ve become more realistic about how we have to be compromising.”

After the event, Crowley told reporters that he felt he could catch up to Hong’s lead because his campaign had “momentum” and Evers’ endorsement. He said voters across the state are “worried about electability” and that’s why his campaign continues to “travel across this state.”

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, right, speaks with voters in the Fox Valley on Monday, Aug. 3, 2026. Joe Schulz/WPR

While he came back in the race with hopes to win, Crowley said his biggest fear is seeing Republicans win the governor’s office. Regardless of who emerges from the primary, he said he hopes the party rallies to build a coalition capable of winning the general election.

“We know that this has been chaotic. We know that this has been messy. It reminds me of our democracy in general,” Crowley said. “Our focus shouldn’t be attacking one another, attacking different candidates. Let’s focus on building the coalition come Aug. 12 to do our ultimate goal.”

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers rallies with Milwaukee Co. Exec David Crowley in Appleton was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.