In Wisconsin, David Crowley defeats Francesca Hong in Democratic primary for governor

Supporters react to election results coming in during a primary night watch party for Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Crowley in Milwaukee, Wis. Kayla Wolf/FR171783 AP hide caption

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley has won the Democratic nomination for governor of Wisconsin, according to a race call by the Associated Press. He narrowly defeated state Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist whose campaign had challenged the party establishment .

Crowley had at one point actually suspended his foundering campaign, facing low poll ratings and scarce campaign funds. But he relaunched it days later with the backing of outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in an effort to turn back the momentum by Hong.

The Hong loss comes after progressives saw a series of wins in recent primaries around the country. But the narrow margin of the loss still signals Democratic voters seeking change.

Crowley, 40, would be the state's first Black governor if he wins in the fall.

He will face U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is endorsed by Trump and won his party's primary decisively. One of Congress' most conservative members by voting record, Tiffany challenged 2020 election results. But as Trump's approval ratings have fallen, Tiffany has worked to define himself as a Wisconsin everyman , and a steady alternative to Democratic chaos.

Republicans see the fall election as a chance to flip the governor's mansion their way. Democrats hope to hold it and turn at least one chamber of the legislature, where both are now controlled by the GOP.

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Crowley's supporters presented him as a more electable alternative to Hong, whose past statements about defunding police, abolishing prisons and canceling Thanksgiving would give Republicans some lines of attack as they geared up for November.

He raised almost three times as much money after relaunching his campaign as he had in the entire year prior to when he had briefly suspended it. He told voters that national Republican-aligned groups spent millions propping up Hong, ostensibly in an effort to select an opponent they saw as beatable.

But Crowley chafed at being called an establishment alternative to a progressive upstart. He's a native of inner city Milwaukee, who grew up experiencing eviction and drug addiction in his family. He rose through political positions, working on Democratic U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold's 2010 reelection campaign, before joining the state Assembly. In 2020, he became the youngest and first Black Milwaukee county executive.