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Wisconsin Democrats selected Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley as their gubernatorial nominee Tuesday, delivering a significant victory to the party’s establishment wing over a candidate backed by progressive activists. The primary contest represented a clash between the Democratic Party’s ideological factions, with Crowley prevailing against state Rep. Francesca Hong, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America from Madison.
Crowley received substantial support from retiring Gov. Tony Evers, who actively campaigned on his behalf during the final stretch before the primary. Party leadership expressed concerns that a Hong nomination could damage Democratic prospects in a state viewed as crucial to national electoral outcomes, potentially affecting downballot races in congressional and legislative contests.
Hong, a 37-year-old former chef and single mother, campaigned on a progressive platform featuring guaranteed paid leave, raising Wisconsin’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $20 hourly, and implementing a one-year moratorium on artificial intelligence data center construction. National progressive figures including Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ro Khanna of California endorsed her candidacy, though Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont declined to support her, citing insufficient familiarity with the race.
The primary contest came after Gov. Evers announced his retirement, marking the first opportunity in 16 years for Wisconsin Democrats to nominate a gubernatorial candidate without an incumbent governor on the ballot. The race attracted national attention as an early indicator of whether the Democratic Party would trend toward its progressive or establishment wings heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
Hong faced renewed scrutiny over resurfaced social media posts calling for police abolition and a 2020 message advocating to “cancel Thanksgiving” to oppose colonialism. She walked back both positions before the primary, telling voters Saturday that she has “evolved” and now supports public safety measures, while characterizing Thanksgiving as her “favorite holiday.”
Crowley will face Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in the general election, a conservative House Freedom Caucus member backed by President Donald Trump. Republican strategists and pro-GOP super PACs spent millions during the primary supporting Hong, viewing her as the weakest Democratic opponent for Tiffany in the general election.
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