Democrat David Crowley to Become Wisconsin's First Black Governor, Defeating Trump-Backed Tiffany

Democrat David Crowley has won the governor's race in the US state of Wisconsin, defeating Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany to become the state's first Black governor. The Associated Press called the race for Crowley.

Crowley, who serves as the Milwaukee County executive, built his campaign around 'lowering costs for working families' and bringing more jobs to Wisconsin. Those two promises sat at the heart of his pitch to voters.

Tiffany's campaign massively outspent Crowley's in the race. But even that heavy spending could not get the congressman over the finish line.

Crowley carried endorsements from outgoing Democratic Governor Tony Evers and former President Barack Obama, and he used that backing to mobilize Democratic voters across the state.

His path through the primary was anything but smooth. He narrowly bested democratic socialist Francesca Hong to win the nomination, capping a tumultuous contest in August. At one point Crowley dropped out of the race and endorsed Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, only to re-enter after she withdrew. The endorsement of Evers, a popular governor, is credited by some as a major factor in his primary win.

Crowley pitched himself as a 'deal-maker' who can work across the aisle. Along with Evers and legislative Republicans, he was involved in the push for a bipartisan bill allowing the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County to raise their sales tax rates and earn more revenue. Evers has said Crowley also played a large role in negotiations on a $500 million deal to upgrade the baseball stadium where the Milwaukee Brewers play and to keep the team in the city through 2050.

Tiffany, meanwhile, held the fundraising advantage, as three billionaire donors contributed millions to the effort to put him in the governor's office. He was endorsed by key Republicans including President Donald Trump, former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson, and former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre.

Advertisements promoting Crowley touted Trump's historic unpopularity, tied Tiffany to Trump, and argued that Tiffany's votes for Trump's agenda have resulted in costs going up. One Crowley ad proclaimed, 'Wisconsin's not for sale, but Tom Tiffany is, and it'll cost ya.'

Crowley made defending Medicaid funding and preserving affordable housing central pillars of his platform. The 40-year-old also spoke about his own experience growing up in poverty, with working-class parents who battled substance abuse and mental health issues during the city's crack-cocaine epidemic. He described working his way out of those hardships through education and community organizing jobs, eventually landing in the Wisconsin legislature and later the county executive's office.

Crowley said the historic nature of the race — the fact that he will be the state's first Black governor — is not lost on him. 'But I'm running to be a governor for all of us,' he said at a campaign stop at the Walworth County Fair. 'And it doesn't matter what zipcodes you live in, who you love, or where you come from. I want to make sure that we can move our entire state forward.'