Wisconsin Democratic Governor Primary Too Close to Call

Wisconsin's Democratic primary for governor was too close to call early Wednesday morning, with state Rep. Francesca Hong and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley separated by only a few hundred votes, according to NBC News' Decision Desk.

The result was tighter than most Democrats expected going into election night, capping a campaign of dropouts, re-entries and late surges that exposed divisions between the party's wings in one of the country's most closely balanced battleground states.

Hong, 37, a democratic socialist from Madison, began the race essentially unknown and built a substantial lead in public polling, drawing national attention. In the closing stretch she faced growing scrutiny over positions she had outlined in the past, fueling concerns among some Democrats that she was too far left to win a general election in a swing state.

Crowley, 40, dropped out a month ago after struggling to gain traction, then re-entered 10 days later with the endorsement of outgoing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. Evers, who chose not to seek a third term, campaigned across the state for him, arguing he was the most electable candidate. Pro-Crowley outside groups amplified that message with closing television ads as polls showed many voters still undecided.

Alli Plummer of Madison told NBC News she "voted for Crowley because I am a risk-averse person, and I really was reading a lot about who has the chances to beat Tom Tiffany in the larger election." Her partner, Shawn Bass, backed Hong: "I really think that she has a great platform for talking about universal healthcare, talking about universal childcare."

Other candidates took a combined 20% of the vote. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who exited in mid-July amid campaign finance issues, and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who dropped out at the end of July, each drew nearly 4%. A Wisconsin judge had ruled that voters who returned absentee ballots could not request new ones. State Sen. Kelda Roys was third with just shy of 8%, and close to 11% in Dane County.

In Wisconsin, a losing candidate may request a recount if the margin is under 1%; the state pays if it is 0.25% or less.

The nominee will face Rep. Tom Tiffany, who won the Republican primary Tuesday, NBC News projected. Tiffany attacked Hong and "extreme Madison socialism" on Fox News, and told supporters, "Stand with me as we protect the Wisconsin way of life."