David Crowley Upsets Progressive Hong in Wisconsin Governor Primary

Moderate Democrat David Crowley will win his party's primary for Wisconsin governor, CBS News projects, in a narrow, upset victory over Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist widely viewed as the race's frontrunner.

Crowley will face Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany on the ballot in November.

Crowley overcame significant headwinds, including briefly suspending his campaign in July. But he had the backing of two-term Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, and Hong faced negative press after old social media posts resurfaced.

"Today, I stand before the people of Wisconsin after we rose from the ashes," Crowley said Wednesday morning, adding that voters had decided "the bright future that working Wisconsin families deserve is worth fighting for."

Crowley thanked Evers "for his friendship, his leadership, and his belief that Wisconsin works best when working people come together to solve problems," and said he was "filled with gratitude, with humility and with hope" in accepting the nomination.

Evers reacted on social media, saying, "He's earned this win and the accolades. I am so proud of David—he's the future of our Party."

The race scrambled repeatedly over the summer. Crowley dropped out in July and backed Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who then withdrew after discovering her campaign had less money than believed. Crowley returned to the race as a centrist. Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes also dropped out on July 30 amid a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation into allegations involving his conduct with young adult women; he has not been accused of a crime and has not addressed the allegations.

That left the contest mainly between Crowley and Hong, a state lawmaker and former chef whose 2019-2021 social media posts calling to defund the police, abolish ICE and the Senate, and "cancel Thanksgiving" drew scrutiny. Hong has since walked back the Senate comment and told Politico that Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday.

Crowley's win reverses a recent trend of progressive victories in Democratic primaries in Michigan, New York and Colorado. Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball moved the general election race from a toss-up to "leans Democratic." Wisconsin, where Trump won by less than a point in 2024, is a top target for both parties after Evers decided not to seek reelection.