Crowley's Surprise Comeback Cuts to Wisconsin Democratic Momentum

Sun Sep 06 2026 08:40:25 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

David Crowley defeats progressive Francesca Hong in the Wisconsin Democratic primary, ending a surge of anti‑establishment victories and reshaping the state’s political balance.

David Crowley, former Milwaukee County CEO, surprises the left‑wing by narrowly defeating Francesca Hong in Wisconsin’s Democratic governor primary. His late‑stage surge, backed by Governor Tony Evers, halts a chain of anti‑establishment wins across the country. The result gives Crowley a slim lead against Republican Tom Tiffany for the November ballot, while potentially shifting the ideological balance in key battleground states.

David Crowley posing with supporters — David Crowley, the centrist candidate, poses with supporters during the campaign.

Crowley's Surprise Comeback Cuts to Wisconsin Democratic Momentum

David Crowley, former CEO of Milwaukee County, shocked Wisconsin’s Democratic voters by securing a narrow primary win over progressive challenger Francesca Hong.

His victory ends a string of high‑profile successes for anti‑establishment Democrats across the country, placing a sudden challenge to the left‑wing’s narrative of momentum.

Backed by a late‑stage re‑entry into the race and the support of Governor Tony Evers, Crowley overturned an early double‑digit deficit in the polls to win by less than half a percentage point after almost all votes were counted.

With Crowley poised to take the seat from Republican Tom Tiffany, who had an easy win in his own primary, the November contest could become a tight race that will impact the balance in the U.S. Congress.