Democrat David Crowley wins the Wisconsin governors race
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley has won Wisconsin’s race for governor, NBC News projects, defeating Republican Rep.Tom Tiffany and keeping the office in the critical swing state under Democratic control.Crowley is the first Black person to be elected governor of Wisconsin.
At age 40, he’s also the youngest governor to be elected in the state in nearly a century.He succeeds two-term Gov.
Tony Evers, who helped resuscitate Crowley’s primary campaign this summer.Crowley managed to overcome the massive campaign cash advantage held by Tiffany, who represents a largely rural area in the northern part of the state in Congress.
He highlighted an affordability agenda that proposed cutting costs of household expenses like childcare, healthcare and housing, mostly through a proposed increase in state spending.Crowley also put his personal story front and center for voters.
He grew up in one of the poorest areas of Milwaukee, and his family struggled with poverty and homelessness when he was a child, while both of his parents dealt with drug addiction.Prior to being elected Milwaukee County executive in 2020, Crowley served in the state Assembly and worked as a community organizer and political aide.Rep.
Tom Tiffany, R-Wisc.Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call via GettyTiffany struggled to overcome the political headwinds his party faced nationally.In the lead-up to Election Day, polls showed voters in the state holding increasingly negative views of President Donald Trump, and Crowley had used many of his own campaign ads to cast Tiffany as a loyal Trump acolyte.Tiffany and his GOP allies attacked Crowley for raising property and sales taxes as Milwaukee County executive and over prior statements he’d made in support of undocumented immigrants.
His fundraising edge was driven almost entirely by the support of three billionaire megadonors.Down the homestretch of the campaign, Crowley received support from several high-profile national Democrats, including former Pre...