Photo: LaShawnda Jones for Harvest Photo and WikiPortraits, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is the Democratic nominee for Governor of Wisconsin after a photo-finish primary win over State Rep. Francesca Hong this week, according to results reported by NBC News, PBS Wisconsin and CNN.
Hong, a democratic socialist who represents Madison, had been widely tapped as the frontrunner heading into Tuesday’s vote. Crowley, who has led Milwaukee County since 2020, pulled off the upset in a race national outlets are calling one of the closest primary finishes of the 2026 cycle.
A hometown story before it’s a state story
For Milwaukee, this is personal. Crowley has spent nearly six years running the county government — now he’s carrying Milwaukee’s name onto the statewide ballot in November. The race also exposed a real divide inside the Wisconsin Democratic Party between its progressive wing, energized by Hong’s campaign, and its establishment wing, which coalesced around Crowley late.
Lieutenant Governor nominee Sarah Godlewski, the current Secretary of State, and Secretary of State candidate JoCasta Zamarripa, a Milwaukee Common Council member, round out a ticket with deep Milwaukee ties heading into the fall.
What we’re watching next
Two open questions will shape the general election and Milwaukee’s own political future:
- Who backfills the Milwaukee County Executive seat if Crowley wins in November?
- Does a Crowley governorship mean more attention — and more resources — for Milwaukee out of Madison?
Urban News Journal will keep tracking this race as the general election matchup firms up. Watch the full breakdown on tonight’s UNJ Live stream.
Sources: NBC News, PBS Wisconsin
Photo credit: LaShawnda Jones for Harvest Photo and WikiPortraits, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.