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US Politics

Democrat David Crowley elected Wisconsin's first Black governor

The Milwaukee County executive defeated Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany to succeed Gov. Tony Evers, and says he did not run to make history.

David Crowley in 2026
David Crowley in 2026. Photo: LaShawnda Jones, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
10 news outlets reported this
Liberal4 outletsA moderate Democrat who tied Tiffany to TrumpCenter2 outletsThe historic win and when it was calledConservative4 outletsCrowley's win, the history and the tax fight
Published 3 min read
Overview

Democrat David Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, won Wisconsin's governor's race on Tuesday, defeating Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany. He will be the state's first Black governor. He succeeds Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who is not running again.

The Associated Press called the race at 11:28 p.m., and the Washington Examiner reports Crowley took 53.6% to Tiffany's 46.4%. Crowley narrowly won the in August over Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, after dropping out of the race in July and then returning. In the general election he tied Tiffany to President Trump, citing the One Big Beautiful Bill, and the Iran war.

Tiffany, a Trump ally, said Crowley sounded like a socialist and campaigned on lowering costs. On Wednesday, Crowley told reporters in Milwaukee that he did not run to be the first Black governor or to make history. He said he wants to be governor for all the people of Wisconsin.

Key figures
  • 53.6% against Tiffany's 46.4% Crowley's vote share against Tiffany's, per Washington Examiner — Washington Examiner
  • 54.25 percent to 45.75 percent Crowley vs. Tiffany, per Decision Desk HQ as reported by Townhall — Townhall
  • 4,000 votes Crowley's margin in the August 11 primary over Hong, per CBS News — CBS News
  • 178-year span of Wisconsin history in which no Democrat held the governor's office for more than eight consecutive years before, per Seattle Times — The Seattle Times

Three sides of the story

Liberal4 outlets

A moderate Democrat who tied Tiffany to Trump

CBS News projects that "Moderate Democrat" David Crowley beat "top Trump ally" Tom Tiffany, and builds its report around how Crowley tied Tiffany to the president.

It cites a September Marquette University Law School poll showing 60% disapproval of Trump in Wisconsin. It lists Crowley's attacks on Tiffany's House vote against certifying the 2020 election, the One Big, Beautiful Bill, tariffs and the Iran war. CBS says Tiffany "tried to paint"

Crowley as a socialist after the divisive Democratic primary. It recounts that primary, which Crowley won by just 4,000 votes over Francesca Hong after dropping out and returning. The New York Times headline says Crowley will be Wisconsin's first Black governor and notes Democrats keep the governor's mansion.

NPR also leads with that milestone and says the campaign focused on "lowering costs for working families" and more jobs. HuffPost notes that Crowley served in the Legislature and has led Milwaukee County since 2020.

Center2 outlets

The historic win and when it was called

The Seattle Times opens with the result. Crowley beat Republican Tom Tiffany on Tuesday and will be Wisconsin's first Black governor. The paper adds that this is the first time in the state's 178-year history that a Democrat has held the governor's office for more than eight straight years.

It says the Associated Press made its call at 11:28 p.m. EST. It also notes Crowley's earlier service in the Legislature and his role as Milwaukee County's top elected official since 2020. The Hill's headline says Crowley wins the race to succeed Evers.

Its report rests on a projection from its partner Decision Desk HQ that Crowley will defeat Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany. As of 10:20 p.m. EST, DDHQ had 63 percent of the vote reported, with Crowley ahead 54 percent to 46 percent, an 8-point margin.

Conservative4 outlets

Crowley's win, the history and the tax fight

The Center Square leads with Crowley playing down the historic side of his win. "I didn't run to be the first Black governor," he told reporters in Milwaukee. It says he is one of five Black governors elected or reelected Tuesday.

It adds that a Hong victory would have made her Wisconsin's first woman governor and its first Asian American governor. Fox News headlines the history too and replays the debate. Crowley said Tiffany "voted for the big, ugly bill," and Tiffany said Crowley was "consistently focused on being against Donald Trump."

The Washington Examiner reports the AP call, the 53.6% to 46.4% result, outside spending and Cook Political Report's "" rating. Townhall says Crowley "vowed to be an ally and accomplice of illegal aliens" and writes that the win "means higher taxes for Wisconsin families." It embeds a Tiffany post pledging to cut income taxes by 10% for working families, and ends with an editor's note that Republicans must keep control of .

Where outlets disagree
All sources: 11 articles from 10 outlets

Liberal (4)

Center (2)

Conservative (5)

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