Moderate Democrat David Crowley secured a narrow victory over democratic socialist Francesca Hong in the Wisconsin Democratic primary for governor on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. Crowley, who aims to become Wisconsin’s first Black governor, positioned himself as the candidate best equipped to win the November general election against the Republican nominee.

Hong sought to capitalize on recent progressive successes, including Abdul El-Sayed's narrow win in the Michigan US Senate primary last week. However, her campaign faced criticism for past social media posts calling for the cancellation of Thanksgiving to stop celebrating colonialism and disparaging Valentine’s Day as a capitalist invention.

The Democratic Party faces internal divisions between establishment candidates like Crowley and insurgent progressives such as Hong, with party leaders concerned that more left-leaning candidates might struggle to defeat Republicans and jeopardize the party’s chances of regaining control of the US Senate and House.

Crowley’s campaign manager, Garren Randolph, stated, “Now, David is focused on bringing people together, earning the support of Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and anyone who believes Wisconsin is at its best when we work together and deliver results.”

The vote count experienced a delay due to a human error in uploading about 28,000 absentee ballots from Milwaukee, postponing results until early Wednesday morning. Crowley’s margin of victory was less than one percentage point, wider than the 0.25-point threshold that would have required Hong’s campaign to pay for a recount.

Crowley’s win highlights the ongoing struggle within the Democratic Party as it prepares for the 2026 US midterm elections in key battleground states like Wisconsin.

Sources