https://civicmedia.us/news/2026/08/12/david-crowley-caps-unlikely-comeback-with-win-in-wisconsin-democratic-primary-for-governor
Francesca Hong, a progressive candidate, experienced an unexpected defeat in Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary despite leading by double digits in pre-election polls. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley emerged victorious, garnering 39.80% of the vote compared to Hong’s 39.38%, according to unofficial results. The narrow margin of approximately 0.5 percentage points highlights a significant shift from the polling forecasts. This result is seen as a setback for progressive Democrats, following another instance of a progressive candidate’s polling lead collapsing on election night the previous week.
Crowley, a more moderate Democrat, received backing from Governor Tony Evers, which may have contributed to his narrow win. The close margin suggests that Hong might consider requesting a recount, as Wisconsin’s recount laws allow for such a move if the margin remains within 1%. Markets appear to be recalibrating expectations regarding the final margin, with recent activity suggesting a decrease in the probability of Crowley winning by a narrow margin.
