Moderate Crowley beats progressive Hong in Wisconsin Democratic primary

David Crowley defeats Francesca Hong in Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary

David Crowley won the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor on Tuesday, defeating state Rep. Francesca Hong in a race decided by less than one percentage point. The Associated Press called the contest for Crowley after Hong conceded, eliminating the possibility of a recount. Hong’s campaign would have been required to pay for any recount because the margin exceeded 0.25 percentage points.

Crowley, a state representative, had suspended his campaign in early July before re-entering ten days later following the withdrawal of Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez. Gov. Tony Evers endorsed Crowley upon his return to the race. The primary began with seven Democratic candidates after Evers announced he would not seek a third term. Rodriguez had been viewed as the leading mainstream candidate before exiting amid a campaign finance issue. Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who had been considered an early front-runner after his 2022 Senate campaign, also withdrew less than two weeks before the primary following questions about his conduct.

Crowley will face Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in November. Tiffany received an endorsement from President Donald Trump. Crowley has stated that his campaign will focus on uniting Democratic, Republican, and independent voters. His campaign manager, Garren Randolph, said Crowley intends to emphasize shared goals and results across party lines.

Hong, a former line cook and single mother, campaigned on proposals including free childcare, free healthcare, and a moratorium on new artificial intelligence data center construction. She had previously supported reducing police funding but stated during the campaign’s only debate that she would not back cuts to law enforcement budgets. Hong also addressed earlier social media posts in which she suggested cancelling Thanksgiving over its association with colonialism and described Valentine’s Day as shaped by capitalism; she characterized those posts as attempts at humor.

The race occurred in a state that Donald Trump carried in both 2016 and 2024. Democrats are seeking to retain the governor’s office and gain control of both legislative chambers. Crowley and Hong each said in the final days of the campaign that they expected the party to unify against Tiffany.

Reporting of approximately 28,000 absentee ballots from Milwaukee was delayed until early Wednesday due to a data upload error, according to city election officials. The delay did not alter the outcome.

Voters interviewed after casting ballots cited concerns about electability in the general election. One Madison resident, retired engineering professor David Zimmerman, said he supported Crowley and expressed doubt that Hong could defeat Tiffany. Crowley has described Tiffany as holding positions outside the mainstream.

Hong told supporters late Tuesday that her campaign had built lasting infrastructure and that participants remained committed to future efforts. Her campaign manager, Becky Cooper, said the team had conducted a clean campaign and advanced progressive priorities.

National figures including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did not endorse in the race. In other states, candidates aligned with democratic socialist positions have won some recent primaries, including in New York City and Michigan. Wisconsin Democrats have pointed to Trump’s approval ratings in the state as a factor that could affect the November contest.

The primary followed a period of candidate withdrawals that narrowed the field. Crowley’s re-entry with Evers’s support occurred after Rodriguez’s exit consolidated support among remaining candidates seeking the nomination. Both Crowley and Hong stated they would work to defeat Tiffany regardless of the primary result.