Don’t Call It A Comeback: David Crowley Makes History As First Black Major Party Nominee For Wisconsin Governor–Beats Polls, Comes From Behind Weeks After Re-Starting Campaign He Ended

In a stunning political resurrection that defied both public polling and conventional wisdom, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley secured a historic upset victory over state Representative Francesca Hong in Tuesday’s Democratic gubernatorial primary.

The razor-thin victory completes an unprecedented comeback for Crowley, who will now advance to the November general election as the first Black major-party gubernatorial nominee in Wisconsin history.

With 99% of precincts reporting, Crowley edged out Hong by roughly 3,200 votes out of more than 800,000 cast, taking 39.8% to Hong’s 39.4%. The Associated Press officially projected Crowley as the winner early Wednesday morning after Hong, a democratic socialist from Madison, issued a formal concession statement.

“Nobody thought we would be standing here tonight,” Crowley told a roaring crowd of supporters at his Milwaukee victory rally. “But the people of Wisconsin proved that it is never too late to fight for our future.”

By securing the Democratic nomination Tuesday night, Crowley makes history as the first major-party Black nominee for governor in Wisconsin history. The state has previously elected Black candidates to statewide executive office, such as Mandela Barnes as Lieutenant Governor in 2018. But Crowley would become the state’s first Black governor in its history if he prevails in November.

Crowley’s victory appeared virtually impossible just weeks ago. After an initial summer campaign failed to gain traction, Crowley dropped out of the race in July. At the time of his exit, public polling showed him trailing Hong by a staggering 29 percentage points, with Hong leading 44% to 15%.

However, the political landscape shifted dramatically when several other moderate candidates faltered. Sensing an open lane, Crowley made the risky decision to re-enter the race. He immediately consolidated the party’s moderate wing and secured a coveted, late-stage endorsement from outgoing Governor Tony Evers, which political analysts say fundamentally altered the race’s trajectory.

The high-stakes primary exposed a deep ideological divide within the state’s Democratic base, pitting Hong’s progressive, grassroots movement against Crowley’s pragmatic, establishment-backed coalition. In her concession speech, Hong urged her supporters to unite behind the nominee.

Crowley now pivots to a highly competitive general election matchup against Republican Representative Tom Tiffany, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump. Tiffany’s actions in the aftermath of the 2020 election have earned him the label of election denier by many media entities; he easily secured the GOP nomination.

The battle to succeed Governor Evers is expected to be one of the most expensive and closely watched races in the nation this fall.