Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley pulled off an upset Tuesday in Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor, defeating state Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist who had been seen as a leading contender.
CBS News projected Crowley as the winner in a close race, setting up a November matchup with Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany.
Crowley’s victory came after a difficult campaign that included a temporary suspension of his bid in July. He initially stepped aside, citing data concerns, and backed Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, but returned to the race after Rodriguez dropped out over fundraising problems, saying his earlier decision was based on “wrong data.”
Crowley also won with backing from Gov. Tony Evers, and his victory marks a setback for the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, which had recently been gaining ground in states such as Michigan, New York and Colorado.
