After Narrow Win, Crowley Tries To Turn Page On Democratic Divide

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley speaks after becoming the Democratic nominee for governor. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley used his first speech as the Democratic nominee for governor to call for party unity and reject the ideological divisions that defined much of the primary campaign.

Speaking Wednesday morning at the Sherman Phoenix Marketplace, Crowley sought to quickly turn the page from his razor-thin victory over State Rep. Francesca Hong and focus Democrats on defeating Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany in November.

Crowley won 39.8% of the Democratic primary vote to Hong’s 39.4%, according to unofficial results, an unexpected win after a turbulent campaign in which Crowley temporarily dropped out before reentering the race after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez‘s campaign imploded and outgoing Gov. Tony Evers endorsed him.

“Today, I stand before the people of Wisconsin with gratitude, with humility and hope,” Crowley said as he ceremonially accepted the Democratic nomination.

Much of Crowley’s message focused on bridging the divide exposed by the primary.

“For the past few months, you’ve heard a lot of people try to define this election as a battle between the left and the center, between progressives and the establishment, between insiders and outsiders,” he said. “That narrative misses the entire point of what we’re doing.”

Crowley said the voters he encountered while campaigning across Wisconsin were less interested in ideological labels than in the challenges facing their families.

He cited parents struggling with child care, workers whose wages have not kept pace with the cost of living, small business owners trying to keep their businesses afloat, seniors seeking financial security and young people wondering whether they can afford to build a future in Wisconsin.

“We may not agree on every possible issue. We may not use the same language,” Crowley said. But, he said, Wisconsinites broadly want safe communities, strong schools, affordable health care, good-paying jobs and opportunities for their children.

The remarks offered an early preview of how Crowley intends to reposition his campaign for a general election against Tiffany, who easily won the Republican nomination Tuesday after being endorsed by President Donald Trump.

Crowley repeatedly attempted to make Tiffany, rather than Hong or the Democratic Party’s internal divisions, the focus of the campaign ahead.

“Wisconsin, we deserve better than politicians who divide us for their own political gain,” Crowley said. “We deserve leaders who wake up every single morning asking one simple question: How can I make life better for the people we serve?”

Tiffany, however, issued a statement attempting to tie Crowley to Hong.

“I’ve said all along that there’s not a dime’s worth of difference between these Democrat candidates, and David Crowley proved my point when he admitted there aren’t many policy differences between him and a socialist. His record in Milwaukee County shows exactly what Wisconsin would get: mismanage the government, run up the bill, and raise your taxes to pay for it. Wisconsin doesn’t need more of the same failed policies. I’m running to lower costs, restore accountability in Madison, and expand opportunity across our state,” said the congressman.

“We don’t agree on everything,” said Crowley of Hong. He said he was focused on building a large coalition. “The biggest difference between me and the congressman is I’m loyal to the people of Wisconsin, not MAGA.”

Crowley said his campaign would emphasize lowering everyday costs, making child care more affordable, expanding access to health care and investing in education and workforce training.

He also offered a series of traditional Democratic priorities, including stronger public schools, workers’ ability to organize, abortion rights and environmental protections.

But Crowley repeatedly framed those issues as pieces of what he hopes will become a substantially broader electoral coalition.

“This election is not about insiders versus outsiders. It’s not about the establishment versus progressives,” he said. “It’s about building something bigger than any one campaign.”

Crowley said that coalition would need to stretch from Milwaukee neighborhoods to small towns, suburbs and rural communities and include Democrats, independents and Republicans dissatisfied with the direction of their party.

That message comes after a primary that highlighted significant differences within the Democratic Party.

Hong, a Madison legislator and democratic socialist, campaigned as an insurgent progressive and came within less than half a percentage point of defeating Crowley after polling as the front-runner for most of the race. Crowley on Wednesday praised her campaign rather than dwelling on their disagreements.

Her candidacy, he said, demonstrated “that there are no long shots when it comes to believing in a better future and fighting to expand opportunity.”

Crowley’s nomination also carries historic significance.

The 40-year-old Milwaukee County executive is the first Black candidate nominated for Wisconsin governor by a major political party and, if elected in November, would become the state’s first Black governor. Mandela Barnes, as lieutenant governor in 2018, and Vel Phillips, as secretary of state in 1978, are the only Black candidates to have won a statewide race in Wisconsin history.

Crowley acknowledged the potential that he could make history Wednesday, but said it was not what he was focused on.

“My job is not to become the first,” Crowley added. “And if I do become the first, my job is to make sure that I’m not the last.”

Crowley connected that message to his own biography, describing setbacks, mistakes and second chances that he said shaped his approach to public service.

Those experiences, he said, taught him that government works best when it opens opportunities instead of closing them and that leadership should be judged by results.

“That’s why I’ve dedicated my life to public service,” he said. “What we do isn’t just about winning elections. It’s about improving the lives of our neighbors.”

With fewer than three months remaining before the general election, Crowley said his campaign would immediately begin trying to assemble the coalition he described.

“Today, we get back to work,” he said. “Together, we will reject division. Together, we will reject extremism. Together, we will make history and write the next chapter of Wisconsin’s story — one built on opportunity, compassion, hard work and hope.”