Photo Credit: David Crowley for Wisconsin
By BallotWire
08/12/2026
The Wire: Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley narrowly defeated democratic socialist state Rep. Francesca Hong in Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial primary, a come-from-behind upset that capped one of the most chaotic primary seasons in recent memory.
Why it counts: The result halts a run of high-profile democratic socialist primary wins and hands the party's moderate wing a marquee victory in a top battleground. It keeps the governor's office, held by Democrats since 2019, in play as both parties brace for one of the country's most competitive general elections.
The margin: Crowley won 39.8% to 39.4%, a lead of just over 3,200 votes. The Associated Press did not call the race until 2:34 a.m. Wednesday, after an absentee-ballot upload error in Milwaukee delayed the count and Hong conceded with 98% of ballots in.
The fine print: Crowley's win completes a dramatic reversal. He dropped out earlier this summer, then reentered a little over three weeks ago after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez exited and Gov. Tony Evers, previously neutral, recruited him back in to blunt Hong's momentum. Worried a democratic socialist could not win statewide, undecided voters broke late for his resurrected campaign.
On the record: "This race is more than just politics. It's about making sure that we can all have a seat at the table," Crowley told supporters.
The counter: Hong, who led the pre-election polling and ran on a grassroots volunteer army and a strong social media presence, framed the result as a beginning rather than an end. "We have built something that will change politics forever," she told supporters as the count hung in the balance. She would have been Wisconsin's first woman and first Asian American governor.
The backdrop: Hong had hoped to ride a progressive wave that included Abdul El-Sayed's Senate primary win in neighboring Michigan last week. Crowley now pivots to unifying the party against Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Trump-endorsed congressman from conservative northern Wisconsin who easily won his primary.
Looking ahead: This is Wisconsin's first open governor's race since 2010, and Democrats are betting on low Trump approval to hold the office and flip the Legislature for full control of state government. The contest will test whether Crowley can carry his Milwaukee strength into the suburbs and rural areas that decide close statewide races. If he wins in November, he would become Wisconsin's first Black governor.