MADISON – Democratic candidate for governor David Crowley in recent days said his policy priorities aren’t that different from those held by primary opponent Francesca Hong, who is a democratic socialist and has called to eliminate law enforcement and the state’s school voucher program along with pushing for a moratorium on new data center development.
Crowley, who reentered the Democratic primary for governor as a more-moderate alternative to frontrunner Hong, has previously said he would not eliminate Milwaukee’s private school voucher program and would not support a data center moratorium.
But voters at a July 23 town hall-style event in La Crosse may have been left with the impression that Crowley agreed with much of Hong’s viewpoints.
“To be honest with you, there’s not a lot of policies we really differ from,” Crowley said when asked if he would implement any of Hong’s policies. “I think one of the problems I used to have in all these forums is that we’re saying the exact same thing in different ways … the question isn’t related to policy. The question should be who can get it done. That is the key, right?”
“I work with all of these candidates in some type of capacity, right? But none of them have been able to be as successful or successful at all in some cases as I have even with the Republican-controlled Legislature. Because what’s unique is that all of my success, ironically − I’ve been able to navigate the political landmines, if you will, to actually bring things home.”
Asked about Crowley’s comments, a campaign spokesperson said the Milwaukee County executive has been “consistent throughout this campaign: Wisconsin Democrats have more in common than the headlines suggest,” but Crowley “does not agree with his fellow candidates on every policy issue.”
“We agree on the need to tackle the affordability crisis, fully fund our public schools, expand access to health care, build more affordable housing, and so much more. These are the Democratic values that set us apart from Tom Tiffany and MAGA Republicans, whose agenda poses a grave threat to Wisconsin’s future,” the spokesperson said.
Crowley “does not support defunding the police,” his campaign said, but instead believes “we should invest in community violence intervention strategies that have delivered proven results in Milwaukee County.”
He does not support expanding the state’s voucher system, but “also does not believe it can be eliminated overnight.”
“That’s why he believes we must fully fund our public schools so every child has access to a high-quality education,” his campaign said.
“David also believes communities deserve a voice in decisions about data center development. Any proposed data centers should be built responsibly, with strong guardrails to protect our environment, public health, and long-term economic prosperity.”
Crowley’s campaign argued he is “the only candidate in this race with both legislative experience and executive experience running a government.”
Crowley revived his gubernatorial bid after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez’s campaign imploded earlier this month amid a campaign finance crisis and she left the race just as she was gaining momentum as a less liberal choice to Hong, who has led in the polls for months.
Instead of coalescing around a candidate still in the race, some Democrats − including Gov. Tony Evers − urged Crowley to jump back in even though he trailed in the polls.
Crowley on Tuesday announced he has raised more than $775,000 since returning to the race, arguing his is the only campaign with enough resources to compete against the Republican Governors Association, which is running ads Democrats say are designed to boost Hong through the primary.
In a statement, Crowley’s campaign said Republicans are “trying to trick Democrats into voting for Hong because she is their preferred candidate to run against.”
“This kind of support in such a short window tells me Wisconsin Democrats want a nominee with a record of delivering results, not just talking about them,” Crowley said in a statement.
In statement shared on social media Tuesday, Hong said, “Let the people decide. Let the people feel they belong.”
“We will continue to put in the work to ensure Wisconsinites know that we are fighting for permanent affordability, taking on special interests + data centers and a Wisconsin that delivers for everyday folks first,” Hong said.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Crowley minimizes policy differences with Hong at campaign event
Reporting by Molly Beck and Jessie Opoien, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Molly Beck and Jessie Opoien, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
