Crowley defeats Hong, winning tight contest in Wisconsin governor primary
(WLUK & AP) -- Several hours after the polls closed in Wisconsin's Democratic primary for governor, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley was declared the winner -- a stunning comeback after he left the race one month ago. He will now face Republican nominee U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in November.
The race was extraordinarily tight between Crowley and democratic socialist State Rep. Francesca Hong throughout Tuesday night. The victory came around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday after 28,000 absentee ballots from Milwaukee were delayed because of a human error in uploading the results.
Crowley's campaign manager, Garren Randolph, released a statement on Wednesday morning:
"David Crowley is grateful to Wisconsin voters, the volunteers who powered this campaign, and everyone who stepped forward to participate in this primary.
“To Francesca, Kelda, Joel, and every candidate who shared their vision for Wisconsin, thank you. They challenged all of us to think bigger about what our state can become.
“From day one, this campaign has been about what comes next for Wisconsin: making life more affordable, strengthening our schools, creating good-paying jobs, and making sure opportunity reaches every corner of our state.
“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 choice in November has always been clear. 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.
“David is ready to get back to work, build a broad coalition, and win in November."
Rep. Gwen Moore, D-4th District, was the lone official to address the crowd at Crowley's watch party.
"We've got to unify this thing," said Moore, prior to Crowley earning the nomination. "We've got to give some grace to people who did not prevail. Because we're all in this together. We're all in this together."
Crowley's win comes less than four weeks after he relaunched his campaign nine days after he suspended it. The relaunch came on the heels of Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez's campaign finance scandal which ultimately led her to drop out of the race.
Crowley was widely viewed as the moderate of the two Democratic frontrunners, earning the endorsement of Gov. Tony Evers.
"He has a proven record as a county executive, and I've actually had some personal talks with him," said Crowley supporter Enze Price. "I've been able to attend some of the events that he's done in Kenosha, and he's a really nice guy, special guy, and I appreciate what he's done."
Another voter said Crowley was the candidate who gave the Democrats the best chance at defeating Tiffany in November.
"We're not ready for it," said Crowley supporter Maria Kirylos. "The country isn't ready for it. They're not going to vote for it."
Milwaukee Election Commission Director Paulina Gutierrez said human error was to blame for audit logs being uploaded onto flash drives instead of ballot results.
Hong was unable to deliver the victory speech she had hoped for, instead thanking supporters for their work.
“I know we don’t have the final results right now," she said late Tuesday night. "But what I do know is that we are ready to keep fighting and I feel confident, but more importantly, I am so deeply, deeply grateful to my core."
One of Hong's supporters explained why he backed her.
“I think her positions on Act 10, on public employees bargaining power, on private employees bargaining power, ending right to work for less," said Justin Lee. "I think those are my key issues. I think that it's about time that working families in Wisconsin got more power over what the government does on their behalf.”
Recent Marquette polls had shown Hong with a strong lead in the chaotic race.
If the margin is less than one percentage point, the losing candidate can seek a recount.
The general election is Nov. 3.