Wisconsin Democrats nominate moderate David Crowley for governor

In a major political upset, moderate Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley narrowly defeated progressive democratic socialist Francesca Hong by just 0.4 percentage points to win the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary. Crowley, who re-entered the race in July with the backing of outgoing Governor Tony Evers, will face Trump-aligned Republican Representative Tom Tiffany in November. Meanwhile, progressives scored a major victory in Minnesota as Peggy Flanagan defeated Angie Craig for the Democratic Senate nomination, while Trump's endorsement power faltered as his ally Mike Lindell lost the Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary to Lisa Demuth.

Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary

• ▪David Crowley will face Republican nominee U.S. Representative Tom Tiffany, an ally of Donald Trump who ran unopposed, in the November 2026 general election.
• ▪Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley won the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary election on August 11, 2026, narrowly defeating state Assemblywoman Francesca Hong.
• ▪David Crowley won the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary with 39.8% of the vote to Francesca Hong's 39.4%, a margin of just over 3,000 votes.
• ▪David Crowley briefly suspended his campaign in early July 2026 but re-entered the race on July 18, 2026, after receiving the endorsement of outgoing Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers.
• ▪The Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary was marked by a chaotic field where former frontrunner Mandela Barnes dropped out on July 31, 2026, and Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez withdrew in mid-July due to campaign finance irregularities.

Democratic Party progressive-moderate divide

• ▪A Reuters/Ipsos poll indicates that more than 70% of liberal Democrats consider it essential for party candidates to support raising corporate taxes, expanding abortion access, and providing universal healthcare.
• ▪Progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in Michigan on August 4, 2026, defeating moderate Haley Stevens.
• ▪In Minnesota's Democratic Senate primary on August 11, 2026, progressive Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan defeated moderate Representative Angie Craig with 59% of the vote to Craig's 39.4%.
• ▪The narrow victory of moderate David Crowley over democratic socialist Francesca Hong represents a significant test of the progressive wing's durability in Midwestern swing states.

David Crowley Milwaukee County Executive

• ▪If elected in November 2026, David Crowley would become the first Black governor in the history of Wisconsin.
• ▪David Crowley pitched himself to Wisconsin voters as an electable centrist with a proven track record of executive leadership capable of defeating Republican Tom Tiffany.
• ▪David Crowley rejected the framing of an intraparty conflict in his victory remarks, stating that Wisconsin Democrats all want safe communities, strong schools, and affordable healthcare.

Francesca Hong polling lead upset

• ▪Prominent national progressive leaders, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, declined to endorse Francesca Hong in the Wisconsin primary.
• ▪Francesca Hong's campaign faced heavy scrutiny over resurfaced social media posts from 2019 to 2021 in which she called to cancel Thanksgiving and supported defunding the police.
• ▪Francesca Hong entered the primary election day as the frontrunner, with late July 2026 polling showing her leading the Democratic field by double digits.

Trump endorsement influence primaries

• ▪Minnesota Republican Party Chairman Alex Plechash criticized Donald Trump's endorsement of Mike Lindell, citing Lindell's relocation to Texas and significant financial liabilities.
• ▪In South Carolina's special Republican Senate primary, Trump-backed interim Senator Darline Graham was forced into an August 25, 2026, runoff after failing to secure 50% of the vote against Representative Ralph Norman.
• ▪In Minnesota's Republican gubernatorial primary on August 11, 2026, Trump-endorsed candidate Mike Lindell lost decisively to state House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who won 43.4% of the vote to Lindell's 32.5%.

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