Evers backs Crowley’s comeback bid in Wisconsin governor’s race

Skip to content

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) on Saturday threw his support behind Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley’s revived gubernatorial campaign, just a day after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez’s (D) abrupt exit from the race.

“I’m all in on making sure Wisconsinites continue to have a governor who will stand up for the people of our state, who understands the challenges facing working families and has real plans to help, and who will work to do the right thing when it matters most, and that’s why I’m all in on David Crowley — and I’m urging Wisconsinites to join me in supporting him,” Evers, who decided not to pursue another term in office, wrote in a statement posted to social platform X.

“He’s not just a candidate who can win in November, but he’s the kind of person who cares about doing the job right, he has the experience to make tough decisions, and he’s proven he can work together with others to get good things done,” he added later. “I’m proud to endorse him to be Wisconsin’s next governor.”

The governor also acknowledged that when Rodrigruez was still in the contest, he did not intend to endorse either candidate because he “wanted them to have the opportunity to make their case” to voters in the state.

Crowley made his comeback bid official during a press conference Saturday.

“Democrats cannot afford to head into this general election with a nominee who lacks the experience, who lacks the record, or the coalition necessary to win this race, especially with Republicans actively trying to hand us that exact outcome,” he told the crowd.

“This election is too important to gamble on, and that’s why today I am re-entering this race,” the candidate added.

His return comes just over a week after he suspended his initial run to rally supporters around the lieutenant governor.

Rodriguez, who had been considered a leading contender to succeed, Evers (D), ended her campaign earlier this week after disclosing major errors in financial reporting. The lieutenant governor said the issue would have been an ongoing distraction if she continued.

The Badger State’s primary is set for Aug. 11.

Other candidates in the Democratic race include former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, state Rep. Francesca Hong, state Sen. Kelda Roys and former Department of Administration head Joel Brennan. The winner will likely face Rep. Tom Tiffany (R), who is backed by President Trump, in the general election.

Hong said in a statement shared with Wisconsin Public Radio welcomed Crowley back into the mix.

“Competition is good for democracy, and voters deserve a substantive debate about the future of our state,” she said.

While Democrats maintain a strong advantage in the state, party infighting and recent momentum for democratic socialists in other races could give Hong an edge.

A June straw poll from WisPolitics/State Affairs found the state lawmaker coming in second place to Rodriguez, 23 percent to 28 percent, respectively.

Election handicapper Cook Political Report currently rates the seat as a “toss up.”

Tags

2026 midterm elections

David Crowley

democratic socialists

Donald Trump

Francesca Hong

Mandela Barnes

Sara Rodriguez

Tony Evers

Wisconsin

Wisconsin gubernatorial race

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.