Democrat David Crowley makes history, defeats Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin governor’s race

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November 3, 2026

Anya van Wagtendonk , WPR

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley shakes hands with attendees during a campaign event Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, at New Zion Baptist Church in Beloit, Wis. (Angela Major/WPR)

Democrat David Crowley will be Wisconsin’s next governor, making history as the first Black person to hold the office.

Crowley, who is Milwaukee County’s executive, defeated Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua. Tiffany conceded in a speech at 9:45 p.m. The Associated Press had not yet called the race.

All results are unofficial until they’re certified by elections officials in coming weeks.

Crowley’s victory seemed impossible just this summer, when he briefly dropped out of the race for governor, only to drop back in.

His path to the office represents an extraordinary ascent from a difficult childhood in one of Milwaukee’s most troubled neighborhoods. As a candidate, he often discussed his parents’ struggles with addiction and a childhood marked by multiple evictions as motivation for his political work.

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