David Crowley's razor-thin primary win sets up Wisconsin governor's race against Trump's pick

(AP) — David Crowley's razor-thin primary win over a democratic socialist sets up a Wisconsin governor's race against a Republican congressman who has voted with President Donald Trump 100% of the time, potentially giving moderate Democrats an ideal matchup as Trump's approval ratings sag in the swing state.Crowley overcame Francesca Hong in dramatic fashion in Tuesday's primary, stunning pundits and pollsters who had long placed Hong as the front-runner. That means Crowley's challenger, U.S. Tom Tiffany, must pivot to face a Democrat known for working across the aisle with Republicans as the county executive in Milwaukee, the state’s largest source of Democratic voters.Crowley immediately leans into Tiffany's ties with TrumpAfter a unity event with Hong and others on Wednesday, Crowley pledged to build a broad coalition — including Hong's progressive, populist backers — to take on Tiffany by zeroing in on the Republican's support for the Make America Great Again movement.“This isn’t establishment versus progressive.

This isn’t insider versus outsider,” Crowley said. “This is Democrats defeating a MAGA extremist in Congressman Tom Tiffany and that’s what we should be focusing on moving forward.”It will be easier for Tiffany to pivot away from his ties with Trump and unpopular federal policies because he’s running for governor and not Congress, said former Republican Gov. Scott Walker, a Trump supporter.“He’s got to be on point, on message every time that comes up, and say, ‘That’s not what’s on the ballot,’” Walker told The Associated Press.

“What’s on the ballot is who’s going to be governor the next four years.”But former Republican state Senate Majority Leader Dale Schultz, who opposes Trump, said Crowley makes the path “way harder for Tiffany.”“It's going to force the campaign back to the issues that people care about like affordability, the war in Iran and the cost of healthcare,” Schultz said.Tiffany represents a broad swath of Wisconsin’s rural, conservative north woods. Trump won the state in 2024 and 2016, but lost in 2020. All three elections were decided by less than a percentage point.

Crowley’s win on Tuesday was even more narrow — less than half a point, further cementing Wisconsin’s reputation for close elections.Democrats look for a trifecta in WisconsinDemocrats savored the shift in focus from their chaotic primary to the… This isn’t insider versus outsider,” Crowley said Wednesday.