A little over a week after suspending his campaign for governor, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley reentered Wisconsin’s Democratic primary with the support of a powerful ally – Gov. Tony Evers.
Crowley’s return to the field followed a series of developments that turned the gubernatorial race inside out and on its head. And it comes as part of a concerted effort to prevent democratic socialist Francesca Hong from winning the party’s nomination to face Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany on the ballot this fall.
“Democrats cannot afford to head into this general election with a nominee who lacks the experience, who lacks the record, or the coalition necessary to win this race, especially with Republicans actively trying to hand us that exact outcome,” Crowley told a crowd of about 200 at a rally July 18.
“This election is too important to gamble on, and that’s why today I am reentering this race.”
Gov. Tony Evers announces endorsement of David Crowley
Just before Crowley began to address supporters, the governor announced his endorsement of Crowley. Evers, who has to date largely kept hands off the race, is currently on a trade mission in Africa.
“I have indicated I did not plan to endorse anyone in the race for governor because I know each of the candidates and I wanted them to have the opportunity to make their case to Wisconsinites first, just like I did,” Evers said in a statement.
“I also believe that, in a race this close, Wisconsinites deserve to have the perspective of someone who’s done the job who understands what it takes, and who’s had the benefit of spending years quietly watching how others in politics conduct themselves and treat people when they thought no one was paying attention.”
Evers said he’s “all in on making sure Wisconsinites continue to have a governor who will stand up for the people of our state, who understands the challenges facing working families and has real plans to help, and who will work to do the right thing when it matters most.”
In response to the governor’s endorsement, Hong said she respects his decision but “the real power belongs to Wisconsin voters, and they have made their preference clear, too.”
“We are the leading campaign because people are ready for bold, working-class leadership that meets the urgency of this moment,” she said.
The campaign confirmed Crowley’s return to the race late Friday afternoon, after senior Democratic strategists told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and others that Evers was “very strongly considering” backing the county executive.
“From the very first day that I got into this race, I’ve said the stakes in this election are far too high for anyone to sit on the sidelines. And when I suspended my campaign, I made it clear that Wisconsin needed a leader who would show up for working families, bring people together, but more importantly, deliver for the people of Wisconsin. And honestly, that hasn’t changed,” Crowley said. “What also hasn’t changed is the threat that Tom Tiffany poses to Wisconsin’s future.”
Asked after his speech if reentering the race with Evers’ endorsement could give the appearance of “the establishment” trying to select the party’s nominee, Crowley said, “I don’t know who the establishment is.”
“When you think about the state of Wisconsin, you look at a Black kid from the city of Milwaukee – this is not what the establishment looks like,” Crowley told reporters.
“We know that there’s many different factions between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. It’s about how do we coalesce around a candidate to make sure that we can defeat the extreme MAGA agenda that Tom Tiffany’s going to bring to this place.”
Collapse of Sara Rodriguez marks a tumultuous week in the Wisconsin governor race
The news of Crowley’s return came as the field was rocked by the rapid implosion of Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez’s campaign just as it appeared to pick up momentum toward closing in on Hong and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who have led the field in public and internal polling for much of the campaign.
Party insiders said Barnes’s campaign has stalled despite him entering the race with the most name recognition of all the candidates after his unsuccessful 2022 U.S. Senate bid.
In response, Barnes campaign manager Darby O’Connor said Crowley “left this race for a reason,” arguing “he and his allies spent nearly a million dollars but gained absolutely no traction and was stuck in the low single digits.”
Democratic strategists worked behind the scenes to bring Crowley back just a week after he ended his own campaign and backed Rodriguez, who withdrew from the race July 17 after the revelation that her campaign finances and infrastructure were in disarray and, she said Friday, it became clear to her the issues “would be an ongoing distraction.”
Crowley’s wife, Ericka, told the crowd Saturday that when he first told her that people were urging him to get back in the race, she said, “No, absolutely not.” But she said they prayed and asked for a sign – “and don’t make it subtle.”
“This last week has been one hell of a week, guys,” Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said.
Johnson said he has seen Crowley in the trenches, calling him “the knower of challenges” and “the seeker of solutions.”
Francesca Hong, democratic socialists a growing focus of the race
The effort to bring Crowley back into the race came as the Republican Governors Association hit airwaves with a $2.2 million ad buy boosting footage of Hong pledging to bring Wisconsin “back to our progressive roots.”
The ad is set to air July 16 through Aug. 16, with more than $1.2 million allocated to the Milwaukee market and more than $811,000 to the Madison market. The buy also includes more than $112,000 to air the ad on CNN and the liberal MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) in the Green Bay market.
“The Republican Governors Association right now is bankrolling millions right now, not to attack a Democrat, but to boost one of them, because they’ve decided which Democratic nominee that they want to beat in November. They’re making an investment right now, and this should all give five-alarm warning signs to all of us,” Crowley said Saturday.
“We cannot allow the GOP to choose the Democratic nominee for governor of the great state of Wisconsin. Period. So, Democrats, we have a decision to make based on who can actually win in every corner of this state, but also govern on day one.”
Asked about Hong after his speech, Crowley told reporters “this isn’t about any other campaign in this race; this is about what I bring to the table.”
Buoyed by an ardent group of supporters spanning the state, Hong has maintained momentum since she launched her underdog campaign in September 2025.
Her candidacy comes as the democratic socialist ideology takes a greater role in mainstream politics nationally. Despite Wisconsin’s own dances with socialism dating as far back as the early 1900s and as recently as U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ statewide win in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary, Hong continues to face questions about electability in the November general election in a battleground state known for razor-thin vote margins.
The Madison lawmaker said she welcomes Crowley’s return to the race and will remain focused on building a winning coalition.
“Competition is good for democracy, and voters deserve a substantive debate about the future of our state,” Hong said in a statement. “Our campaign will remain focused on building the working-class coalition it will take to defeat Tom Tiffany and deliver permanent affordability for Wisconsin families.”
State Sen. Kelda Roys and former Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan have consistently trailed the top candidates in polls, but both have said they’ve seen renewed interest in their campaigns in the days since Rodriguez announced she had fired her campaign manager after she said she discovered her account was more than $1 million short of what she believed she had.
“We need to move forward and unite behind the strongest candidate to beat Tom Tiffany and deliver a Democratic Legislature, which is Kelda Roys,” Roys campaign spokesman Jalen Knuteson said.
Brennan campaign manager Sarah Abel said the former Cabinet official is “in this race to win it” and will “continue making [his] case directly to the people who have the power to decide: the voters of Wisconsin.”
In a statement, RGA spokesman Kollin Crompton said “watching Wisconsin Democrats is like watching a clown car crash into a parked semi-truck.”
“From financial scandals to re-launching failed campaigns, these Democrats shouldn’t be in charge of a lemonade stand let alone the state of Wisconsin,” Krompton said.
The wide open Democratic field emerged after Evers announced a year ago he would not seek a third term as governor. The winner of the primary will face Tiffany in November.
Evers “understands what’s required to run, win, and govern in Wisconsin because he’s already done it,” Crowley said.
“The governor’s endorsement reflects his confidence that I have the experience, that I have the judgment, and the record to build the type of coalition that we need, defeat Tom Tiffany, and lead effectively from the very first day in office. This race is not just about who can win a primary, y’all. It’s about winning in November.”
Local officials in attendance at Crowley’s Saturday rally at 3rd Street Market Hall included Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Common Council President Jose Perez, Ald. Milele Coggs and County Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman. Sheboygan Mayor Ryan Sorenson and Waukesha Mayor Alicia Halvensleben also shared their support.
Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: David Crowley reenters governor’s race with backing of Gov. Tony Evers
Reporting by Jessie Opoien and Mary Spicuzza, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jessie Opoien and Mary Spicuzza, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
