Who is David Crowley and what is Crowley running on in the 2026 Wisconsin Governor race?

David Crowley is the Democratic candidate for Wisconsin governor. Milwaukee County Executive since 2020; former state Assembly member (2017-2020); running mate is Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

The race

• The seat: Open seat (Tony Evers (D) not seeking a third term).
• Rating: Toss-up (Cook, Aug 2026).
• Polling: Crowley 49, Tiffany 44 among likely voters (Marquette Law School, Aug 12 to 20, 2026); polling average Crowley 47.9, Tiffany 44.0 (as of Sept 13, 2026, per Wikipedia).

Why Crowley is ahead

• Crowley leads every post-primary poll by 3 to 5 points, and leads independents 55 to 16 in Marquette’s likely-voter sample.
• National environment: Trump’s approval is -19 in the Marquette poll, and Crowley ties Tiffany to Trump; Tiffany is a Trump-endorsed Freedom Caucus member who objected to certifying the 2020 results.
• Markets see Crowley, a moderate, as more electable than progressive Francesca Hong would have been; he went from 40% to about 80% after the primary.
• Tiffany’s case: Republican voters are more enthusiastic (55% vs 49% very enthusiastic), registered voters are tied 44 to 44, and he attacks Crowley’s Milwaukee County tax and deficit record.

What Crowley is running on

• Healthcare. Would expand BadgerCare and take his ‘No Wrong Door’ care model statewide.
• Abortion. Campaigns on protecting reproductive freedom in Wisconsin.
• Education. Calls for fully funding public schools.
• Data centers / energy. Says communities should decide on data centers case by case, with regulation, transparency and renewable energy requirements.
• Cost of living. His ‘Badger Basics’ plan covers housing costs, a wage increase, labor-law changes and marijuana legalization as a revenue source.
• Trump. Runs against what he calls the ‘division and extremism’ of Tiffany and Trump.

In Crowley’s own words

“Fully funding our public schools is on the ballot. Protecting reproductive freedom right here in the state of Wisconsin is on the ballot.”

“I don’t trust Donald Trump or Tom Tiffany to actually do what they’re saying they’re going to do.”

“We can move Wisconsin forward with leadership focused on solving problems, or we can bring the division and extremism of Tom Tiffany and Donald Trump to Wisconsin.”

The other candidates

• Tom Tiffany (R)

Every race

See every Senate and governor race on the ballot, with each candidate’s chance of winning: the 2026 midterms at a glance.