USA18 July, 20262 min read
David Crowley Reenters Wisconsin Governor Primary With Tony Evers Endorsement
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Crowley reenters Wisconsin Democratic governor's race after suspending his campaign about nine days earlier. Gov. Tony Evers endorses Crowley to consolidate support against Francesca Hong in the primary.
Crowley reenters with Evers
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley reentered Wisconsin’s Democratic governor primary on Saturday, less than two weeks after dropping out, with outgoing Gov. Tony Evers’ endorsement.
Crowley made the announcement in Milwaukee before a packed room of supporters, saying, "I am re-entering this race to be the next democratic governor," and he tied the move to the Aug. 11 primary and the November election.
PBS NewsHour reported that Crowley’s return came after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez said she was abandoning her campaign following a campaign finance scandal, and it framed the endorsement as a bid to position Democrats for November.
In Milwaukee, Crowley told the Associated Press that voters would see "a much more aggressive campaign" in the primary’s closing weeks, buoyed by Evers’ backing and "a renewed, energized, volunteer base."
Democrats split over strategy
The reentry immediately sharpened divisions inside the Democratic field, with Wisconsin Watch describing a schism between traditional Democrats and Madison Rep. Francesca Hong, the democratic socialist who has energized the party’s progressive base.
Wisconsin Watch reported that Crowley said the Republican Governors Association was “bankrolling millions of dollars, not to attack a Democrat, but to boost one up” without mentioning Hong by name, and it quoted Crowley warning that 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.”
Barnes campaign manager Darby O’Connor criticized Crowley’s move as a spoiler tactic, saying, "this Hail Mary serves no purpose other than playing spoiler and handing our state to Trump’s handpicked candidate in Tom Tiffany," after nearly 70,000 people had voted.
In response to Crowley’s return, Hong welcomed him back and said, "Competition is good for democracy," while the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Hong later said she would focus on building the working-class coalition to defeat Tom Tiffany.
What’s at stake in November
Across the coverage, the endorsement and the reentry were repeatedly tied to the general election matchup against Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, with multiple outlets describing the primary as a path to November.
PBS NewsHour said Democrats are looking to November to secure full control of Wisconsin state government for the first time since 2010, and it described the swing-state contest as a test of how far left voters will go.
At a Milwaukee rally at 3rd Street Market Hall, Crowley told the crowd, "This election is too important to gamble on, and that's why today I am reentering this race," and he argued that the GOP is trying to shape the Democratic nominee.
The Milwaukee Courier also published excerpts in which Crowley said, "What also hasn't changed is the threat Tom Tiffany poses to Wisconsin's future," and it quoted him warning that Wisconsin cannot afford four years of Tom Tiffany.