Photo: Ballotpedia
David Crowley
DemocraticMilwaukee County Executive
ⓘ What do the party and ideology labels mean?
On the ballot, partisan candidates run under a party — in Wisconsin almost always Democratic or Republican, with the occasional third-party or independent candidate. Words like progressive, conservative, libertarian, or democratic socialist are labels people use to describe themselves, not separate parties on the ballot. A label is a starting point; each candidate's sourced positions show where they actually stand.
How we do this →What is David Crowley running for?
David Crowley is on the ballot for Governor of Wisconsin in the August 11, 2026 Wisconsin partisan primary. 9 other candidates are on the ballot.
Also on this ballot
- Joel Brennan (Democratic)
- Francesca Hong (Democratic)
- Kelda Roys (Democratic)
- Tom Tiffany (Republican)
- Andy Manske (Republican)
- Oliver Carranza (Independent)
- Crystal Harper (Independent)
- Mike Kohn (Independent)
- Korey Streich (Independent)
Who is David Crowley?
First Black man elected Milwaukee County Executive (since 2020); previously represented a Milwaukee district in the state Assembly
Withdrew July 8, 2026 and endorsed Rodriguez; re-entered the primary July 18, 2026 after her exit.
Where does David Crowley stand on the issues?
ⓘ What do these stance labels mean?
Each label describes how a candidate has spoken about an issue, drawn from a sourced statement — not our opinion. Support and oppose mean they've clearly taken that side. Mixed means their statements point both ways. Evolving means their stated position has changed over time. Unclear means we couldn't find a clear public statement. Every label links to the source it came from.
How we do this →ⓘ Sourced position vs. campaign claim — what's the difference?
A sourced position is something we tied to a specific public statement, with a link. A campaign claim is what a candidate's own site says about their priorities. We keep them separate so you can see the difference between a documented stance and a self-description.
How we do this →Crowley frames his opponent as a threat to reproductive freedom, indicating his own support for it.
Position sources (1)
- campaignDavid Crowley
Crowley emphasizes job creation rooted in local ownership and union labor, taking his Building Bridges Program statewide and supporting apprenticeships and small businesses.
Position sources (1)
- campaignDavid Crowley
Crowley's plan includes universal early childhood education, new investments in public schools, and closing the special education reimbursement gap.
Position sources (1)
- campaignCrowley for WI (campaign site)
Crowley pledges to protect voting rights and push for nonpartisan redistricting at every level.
Position sources (1)
- campaignDavid Crowley
Crowley emphasizes protecting land, water, and air, contrasting himself with his opponent whom he says would roll back that progress.
Position sources (1)
- campaignDavid Crowley
Crowley proposes expanding mobile outreach, addiction treatment access, and EMS innovations to make care more accessible statewide.
Position sources (1)
- campaignDavid Crowley
Crowley pledges to build and preserve affordable housing across rural, urban, and suburban communities and streamline project approval.
Position sources (1)
- campaignDavid Crowley
Crowley says he will give communities resources for well-trained police and fire departments and cites delivering balanced budgets that protect public safety.
Position sources (1)
- campaignCrowley for WI (campaign site)
Crowley proposes revenue reform to fund local governments while lowering property taxes and delivering balanced budgets.
Position sources (1)
- campaignDavid Crowley
The interview
David Crowley sat down with WisconsinEye and WisPolitics for a half-hour interview. Every candidate in this race sat for the same interview, so these answers are directly comparable. Each is transcribed verbatim, timestamped to the recording.
“I truly believe that, one, we need to repeal the unfair sales act. This will help save more money at the pump for all of our residents across the state of Wisconsin”
At 1:36 · Watch on WisconsinEye ↗
“We have to expand BadgerCare as a public health option, helping to save more money, but also incentivizing”
At 1:55 · Watch on WisconsinEye ↗
“we have in our state constitution that we should be fully funding our schools to the tunes of two thirds. One, again, that will help naturally ease the property tax pressures, but that would allow us also allow our schools to actually plan more for the future.”
At 3:04 · Watch on WisconsinEye ↗
“So let's put a blue ribbon commission. Let's bring academics. Let's bring business leaders. Let's bring government officials, community members”
At 3:38 · Watch on WisconsinEye ↗
“at the end of the day, our goal should be getting to the two thirds funding formula”
At 3:57 · Watch on WisconsinEye ↗
“I'm not looking to expand vouchers across the state. It's about making sure we strengthen our public schools, but we also have to hold these charter and these voucher schools accountable.”
At 8:23 · Watch on WisconsinEye ↗
“I'm not looking to expand vouchers across the state. It's about making sure we strengthen our public schools, but we also have to hold these charter and these voucher schools accountable. They need to be transparent,”
At 8:23 · Watch on WisconsinEye ↗
“it's extremely important that we don't just repeal act 10, but we have to repeal right to work for less. But it's important to understand that just repealing those two doesn't give more power to the workers. We have to enshrine workers' rights into this state constitution”
At 11:24 · Watch on WisconsinEye ↗
“we need a moratorium for PSC members not to be able to go and and find a job with a utility company once they leave.”
At 19:12 · Watch on WisconsinEye ↗
“I do believe that you need to shut down the Green Bay prison and open a new one, but you also have to look at all the other prisons as well and and and lower those capacities”
At 25:09 · Watch on WisconsinEye ↗
Quotes are transcribed verbatim from the recording and checked against it before publication. Watching the video requires a free WisconsinEye account. WisconsinEye is a nonprofit that records Wisconsin government and campaigns gavel-to-gavel; this interview exists because they were in the room.
ⓘ What is a voting record showing me?
A roll-call vote is a recorded yes/no vote in the legislature; 'aye' means yes and 'no' means no. A 'deciding vote' is one that changed the outcome. These are the candidate's actual recorded votes, linked to the official record.
How we do this →Voting record
Recorded floor votes David Crowley cast in the Wisconsin Legislature, newest first, across the 2019 session, 2017 session. Every entry links to its official roll call and the full bill. We don’t rate or score votes.
515
Recorded votes
193
Voted yes
303
Voted no
96%
Participation
19 did not vote
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In their own words
“My campaign for governor was never about one person. It was about a shared belief”
“Politics should not be about who talks the loudest. It's about showing up, working with anyone who wants to solve the problem, and delivering results people can see in their own communities.”
“Wisconsin deserves leadership that shows up, tells the truth, and gets things done for working families”
“Climate action is economic investment.”
“This election is too important to gamble on, and that’s why today I am reentering this race.”
Show all 7 quotes
“Wisconsin deserves a strong Democratic candidate, and that's exactly why I am reentering this race.”
“We don't have to win every county, but we cannot allow Tom Tiffany to dominate outside our population centers.”
ⓘ How do I read these campaign-finance numbers?
Individual contributions come from people; PAC (political action committee) money comes from organized groups. Cash-on-hand is what a campaign has left to spend. Money shows who is backing a campaign — it is not an endorsement by us, and more money does not mean a candidate is better.
How we do this →Top reported contributors
- Wisconsin Pipe Trades Association PAC Fund (Madison)$86,000
- WI Laborers District Council (DeForest)$86,000
- IBEW PAC Voluntary Fund (Washington)$86,000
- International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 PAC (Pewaukee)$84,000
- Michael Barber (Windermere)$20,000
Show 5 more
- Chris Abele (Milwaukee)$20,000
- Mara Wallace (Palo Alto)$20,000
- Prof Firefighters of WI PAC (Green Bay)$20,000
- Tony for Wisconsin (Madison)$20,000
- Joan Lubar (Milwaukee)$20,000
Source: WI Ethics Commission (Sunshine) · non-commercial voter education use
Top organization & PAC donors
- Wisconsin Pipe Trades Association PAC Fund (Madison)PAC/Committee$86,000
- WI Laborers District Council (DeForest)PAC/Committee$86,000
- IBEW PAC Voluntary Fund (Washington)PAC/Committee$86,000
- International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 PAC (Pewaukee)PAC/Committee$84,000
- Prof Firefighters of WI PAC (Green Bay)PAC/Committee$20,000
Show 5 more
- Tony for Wisconsin (Madison)PAC/Committee$20,000
- Direct Supply Inc Partners PAC (Milwaukee)PAC/Committee$15,000
- The Next 50 PAC (New York)Unregistered$10,000
- Plumbers Local 75 PAC (Milwaukee)PAC/Committee$10,000
- Union Copy Centers, Inc. (Milwaukee)$4,249
Source: WI Ethics Commission (Sunshine) · non-commercial voter education use
Where the money comes from
| Individuals | 62% | $707,275 | 2399 donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union PACs | 32% | $364,000 | 6 donors |
| PACs & committees | 4% | $46,531 | 5 donors |
| Other | 2% | $17,920 | 8 donors |
11% from donations under $200 (1,940 donors)
- under $200$80,852 · 1,940 donors
- $200–$999$112,894 · 308 donors
- $1,000 and up$513,529 · 151 donors
Individual donors only, grouped by each donor's total
75% from Wisconsin
- Wisconsin$531,945 · 1,852 donors
- Out of state$181,730 · 552 donors
- Unknown$0 · 0 donors
Individuals and businesses; committees excluded
Monthly fundraising
| 2026-01 | $15,519 |
|---|---|
| 2026-02 | $43,083 |
| 2026-03 | $29,029 |
| 2026-04 | $54,772 |
| 2026-05 | $41,390 |
| 2026-06 | $78,858 |
| 2026-07 | $853,718 |
Itemized contributions, filings through Aug 3, 2026 · Source: WI Ethics Commission (Sunshine)
Political ads about David Crowley
Ads a BadgerBrief editor confirmed are about David Crowley, from the Meta Ad Library. Spend is the range Meta discloses.
- Support$49,050
- Support$20,000–$25,000View ad on Meta ↗
- Support$10,000–$15,000View ad on Meta ↗
- Support$3,000–$3,499
David Crowley
Paid for by Crowley for Wisconsin
🚨 NEW AD: Today, my campaign released our first statewide television ad of the primary. Getting our message out to voters across Wisconsin is critical because the stakes couldn't be higher. We need to defeat Tom Tiffany in November and move our state forward with leadership that brings people together - not divide us. I believe I’m the best candidate to do just that. Learn more at crowleyforwi.com.
View ad on Meta ↗ - Support$2,500–$2,999
David Crowley
Paid for by Crowley for Wisconsin
⛽ New Ad Alert ⛽ Wisconsin's mandatory gas markup is an outdated law that forces drivers to pay more at the pump on top of higher prices thanks to the chaos in Washington. My plan will eliminate that unnecessary cost while protecting small, independent gas stations - because the government should be helping families make ends meet, not making life more expensive.
View ad on Meta ↗ - Support$1,000–$1,499
David Crowley
Paid for by Crowley for Wisconsin
I am deeply grateful for and honored to have the endorsement of Governor Tony Evers. This race isn' t just about who can win a primary. It’s about winning in November. It’s about bringing Wisconsin together. And it’s about delivering results for working families for years to come. My record proves I can do it, and I’m ready for that fight. Now, let’s get to work to move Wisconsin forward.
View ad on Meta ↗ - Support$1,000–$1,499
David Crowley
Paid for by Crowley for Wisconsin
I'm David Crowley, I'm a Democrat running for Wisconsin Governor, and there's a lot at stake for working people. My lived experience is how I lead. My father worked as an electrician, and my mother worked in the service industry, while both battled addiction and mental health struggles. I spent many days at school wondering if I’d come home to find our belongings on the curb after another eviction, and I quickly learned what it was like to come home to no food in the kitchen and no heat in the house. I understand that the challenges families face aren’t only policy debates, but they're the everyday realities so many folks in Wisconsin are facing. That’s the mindset I’ve brought as a State Representative, as Milwaukee County Executive, and now as a candidate for Governor. And MAGA Tom Tiffany, the leading Republican contender in this race, is so wrong for Wisconsin. He talks about making our state safer and more affordable, but his record tells a very different story. That's why your help is so important. Can you chip in any amount today?
View ad on Meta ↗ - Support$900–$999
David Crowley
Paid for by Crowley for Wisconsin
Governor Tony Evers is all in. I'm honored to have his endorsement, and I'm back in this race to finish what we started. Wisconsin needs a governor with a track record of delivering results and winning, not just talking. That's what I've done every day as County Executive, and it's what I'll do as Governor. Wisconsin, let's get to work.
View ad on Meta ↗ - Support$200–$299
David Crowley
Paid for by Crowley for Wisconsin
I'm David Crowley, I'm a Democrat running for Wisconsin Governor, and there's a lot at stake for working people. My lived experience is how I lead. My father worked as an electrician, and my mother worked in the service industry, while both battled addiction and mental health struggles. I spent many days at school wondering if I’d come home to find our belongings on the curb after another eviction, and I quickly learned what it was like to come home to no food in the kitchen and no heat in the house. I understand that the challenges families face aren’t only policy debates, but they're the everyday realities so many folks in Wisconsin are facing. That’s the mindset I’ve brought as a State Representative, as Milwaukee County Executive, and now as a candidate for Governor. And MAGA Tom Tiffany, the leading Republican contender in this race, is so wrong for Wisconsin. He talks about making our state safer and more affordable, but his record tells a very different story. That's why your help is so important. Can you chip in any amount today?
View ad on Meta ↗ - Support$200–$299
David Crowley
Paid for by Crowley for Wisconsin
🚨 ENDORSEMENT ALERT 🚨Firefighters and paramedics put service above self every single day and keep our communities safe during some of life's most difficult moments. I am honored to have the support of the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin and grateful for the trust they have placed in our campaign.
View ad on Meta ↗ - Support$100–$199
David Crowley
Paid for by Crowley for Wisconsin
I was born and raised in Milwaukee in a union household. My father was a master electrician. My mother was a Jane of all trades. Just like many families in Wisconsin, they worked hard. But just like many families, they struggled with addiction and mental health issues. Growing up, I learned that when systems fail, families pay the price. Throughout my career, I've looked for ways to do things differently, bring people together, and deliver results that improve people's lives. That's what leadership looks like, and that's what Wisconsinites need from their next governor.
View ad on Meta ↗ - Support$0–$99
David Crowley
Paid for by Crowley for Wisconsin
I'm David Crowley, I'm a Democrat running for Wisconsin Governor, and there's a lot at stake for working people. My lived experience is how I lead. My father worked as an electrician, and my mother worked in the service industry, while both battled addiction and mental health struggles. I spent many days at school wondering if I’d come home to find our belongings on the curb after another eviction, and I quickly learned what it was like to come home to no food in the kitchen and no heat in the house. I understand that the challenges families face aren’t only policy debates, but they're the everyday realities so many folks in Wisconsin are facing. That’s the mindset I’ve brought as a State Representative, as Milwaukee County Executive, and now as a candidate for Governor. And MAGA Tom Tiffany, the leading Republican contender in this race, is so wrong for Wisconsin. He talks about making our state safer and more affordable, but his record tells a very different story. That's why your help is so important. Can you chip in any amount today?
View ad on Meta ↗ - Support$0–$99
David Crowley
Paid for by Crowley for Wisconsin
Being governor for all of us means showing up in every corner of this state, not just Milwaukee and Madison. I sat down with WQOW to talk about what my campaign means for voters in western Wisconsin. Watch the full interview ⬇️ https://www.wqow.com/news/one-on-one-david-crowley-on-how-western-wisconsin-voters-fit-in-his-campaign-for/article_fbfb96d2-8cb2-450a-8215-ba7ec1458bc0.html
View ad on Meta ↗ - Support$0–$99
David Crowley
Paid for by Crowley for Wisconsin
The August 11th Primary Election is coming up fast! Sign up to volunteer with Team Crowley as we spread the word, knock doors, and make calls to get out the vote 🗳️ crowleyforwi.com/volunteer
View ad on Meta ↗ - Support$0–$99
David Crowley
Paid for by Crowley for Wisconsin
I'm David Crowley, I'm a Democrat running for Wisconsin Governor, and there's a lot at stake for working people. My lived experience is how I lead. My father worked as an electrician, and my mother worked in the service industry, while both battled addiction and mental health struggles. I spent many days at school wondering if I’d come home to find our belongings on the curb after another eviction, and I quickly learned what it was like to come home to no food in the kitchen and no heat in the house. I understand that the challenges families face aren’t only policy debates, but they're the everyday realities so many folks in Wisconsin are facing. That’s the mindset I’ve brought as a State Representative, as Milwaukee County Executive, and now as a candidate for Governor. And MAGA Tom Tiffany, the leading Republican contender in this race, is so wrong for Wisconsin. He talks about making our state safer and more affordable, but his record tells a very different story. That's why your help is so important. Can you chip in any amount today?
View ad on Meta ↗
In the news about David Crowley
Coverage a BadgerBrief editor reviewed and confirmed belongs here. We link out — we don’t summarize. How we handle coverage ↗
- Crowley Reenters Governor's Race With Evers' Endorsement ↗2026-07-18Urban Milwaukee · news outlet · The funding model for Urban Milwaukee includes both advertising and a small retail outlet that sells Milwaukee-themed souvenirs and gifts.Urban Milwaukee was founded by Jeramey Jannene and Dave Reid, with Jeramey Jannene currently serving as president. Bruce Murphy joined as the editor in 2012. source ↗
- Crowley returns to governor's race in last-minute effort ... ↗2026-07-18Wisconsin Public Radio · news outlet · The outlet is funded through a combination of state appropriations, listener donations, and grants.Wisconsin Public Radio is owned by the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin System, Board of Regents. source ↗
- Crowley Will Reenter Race For Governor ↗2026-07-17Urban Milwaukee · news outlet · The funding model for Urban Milwaukee includes both advertising and a small retail outlet that sells Milwaukee-themed souvenirs and gifts.Urban Milwaukee was founded by Jeramey Jannene and Dave Reid, with Jeramey Jannene currently serving as president. Bruce Murphy joined as the editor in 2012. source ↗
- Capitol Notes: The latest in the race for Wisconsin governor ↗2026-07-13WUWM · news outlet · WUWM is funded through a combination of listener donations, grants, and public funding.WUWM is owned and operated by the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, with the license held by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. source ↗
- Milwaukee County Exec David Crowley withdraws from governor's race ↗2026-07-08Milwaukee Journal Sentinel · news outletGannett
Sources
- referenceBallotpedia
- reportedMilwaukee Journal Sentinel
- campaignWPR — Crowley signals return
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