MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers reiterated his contention Wednesday that Milwaukee County executive David Crowley is best suited to replace him as governor, and he is the only Democratic candidate who can win in November.
Evers spoke to the Leader-Telegram on Wednesday to discuss the state of the race, as the primary is now less than a week away, taking place next Tuesday, Aug. 11. Early, in-person voting continues this week.
”I think if it’s not David, it’s going to be (U.S. Rep. Tom) Tiffany. It’s no slam against any of the other Democrats running,” Evers said during the 15-minute call. “David is the only candidate running who has stayed out of the melee on Twitter. He’s the right person for the right time. I’ve supported him all the way, and I think people have turned around (and are now paying attention to him).”
There are four Democrats remaining in the race. Along with Crowley are State Rep. Francesca Hong of Madison, State Sen. Kelda Roys of Madison and former Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan. Three other candidates will be on the Democratic ballot but have since dropped out.
Tiffany (R-Minocqua) is running for governor as a Republican. He will face Andy Manske of Milwaukee in the GOP primary.
Crowley had dropped out of the race on July 8, but got back in on July 17, the day after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out amid a campaign finance scandal. Evers then endorsed Crowley.
In recent weeks, polling has indicated Hong is ahead, but Evers believes there is positive momentum this week for Crowley, as many undecided voters are really starting to tune in with a week to go.
“We had a poll come back today showing a lot of momentum,” Evers said. “People are feeling confident about him today. He is working really hard, going all across the state of Wisconsin.”
Evers praised Crowley’s work as Milwaukee County executive, saying that Crowley is “the only one who has done things. And I think that’s exceedingly important. He will do well in Eau Claire.”
He added: “When David and I connected, it was about issues that were important. He saved (Milwaukee) County from bankruptcy and he’s always out in the community.”
In recent days, Republican-leaning media have focused on numerous past statements and social media posts that Hong has made, including one where it appears Hong doesn’t like Thanksgiving. Evers said Crowley will focus on the important issues and not get into petty social media battles.
“For some reason, the politics of the day in the nation, is about who is saying the most outrageous things every day,” Evers said. “Talking about who has the weirdest Twitter is going no place. We’re not going to determine who is a great leader by what type of Twitter system they have.”
Hong’s campaign provided the Leader-Telegram with a statement Wednesday afternoon.
“Governor Evers is entitled to support his preferred candidate, but his claim that Rep. Hong cannot win is contradicted by the evidence. Public polling shows her leading the Democratic primary and running neck-and-neck with Tom Tiffany. She has built the strongest grassroots campaign in this race and earned support from a diverse coalition of Wisconsinites across the state,” the statement reads.
“This campaign has remained laser-focused on the issues affecting working families, from leading the call for a moratorium on massive AI data centers to advancing a comprehensive platform for permanent affordability that lowers the cost of housing, health care, child care and education,” Hong’s office wrote. “Electability is not something political insiders get to decide in advance. It is earned by building a statewide coalition, inspiring people to participate and doing the work necessary to win votes. That is exactly what Rep. Hong has been doing since day one, and it is why she is the strongest candidate to defeat Tom Tiffany in November.”
Evers is optimistic that voters will give Crowley a look this week and support him next Tuesday.
“I think a lot of this is about talking about the issues,” Evers said. “He’s getting good crowds and he’s responding.”