\n<\/p>\n
MADISON, Wis. — <\/span>David Crowley’s razor-thin<\/a> primary win over a democratic socialist in swing state Wisconsin<\/a> sets up a match against a congressman who has voted with President Donald Trump 100% of the time, a dream scenario for Democrats and a potential nightmare for Republicans.<\/p>\n Crowley overcame Francesca Hong in dramatic, narrow fashion<\/a> in Tuesday’s primary, stunning pundits and pollsters who had long placed Hong as the front-runner. That means Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany must pivot to face a challenger from Milwaukee, the state’s largest source of Democratic voters, known for working across the aisle with Republicans.<\/p>\n In his first comments Wednesday after his win, Crowley immediately linked Tiffany to Trump and called him a \u201cMAGA extremist,\u201d referring to Trump’s Make America Great Again movement. Crowley promised to build a broad coalition to defeat Tiffany, who he accused of being in \u201clockstep\u201d with Trump.<\/p>\n \u201cThe biggest difference between me and the congressman is I’m loyal to the people of Wisconsin, I’m not loyal to MAGA,\u201d Crowley said.<\/p>\n It will be easier for Tiffany to pivot away from his ties with Trump and unpopular federal policies because he\u2019s running for governor and not U.S. Senate, said former Republican Gov. Scott Walker, a Trump supporter.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s got to be on point, on message every time that comes up and say \u2018that\u2019s not what\u2019s on the ballot,\u2019\u201d Walker told The Associated Press. \u201cWhat\u2019s on the ballot is who\u2019s going to be governor the next four years.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump won Wisconsin in 2024 and 2016, but lost in 2020. All three elections were decided by less than a percentage point. Crowley\u2019s win on Tuesday was even more narrow \u2014 less than half a point, further cementing Wisconsin\u2019s well-earned place as one of the most purple states in the country.<\/p>\n Democrats have been savoring the shift in focus from their chaotic primary<\/a> to the general election against Tiffany, an opponent they\u2019ve long seen as vulnerable. They hope to capitalize on Trump\u2019s low approval ratings to retain control of the governor\u2019s office and flip both chambers of the Legislature to earn full control of Wisconsin state government<\/a> for the first time since 2010.<\/p>\n Just as Crowley highlighted his Republican opponent’s ties to Trump, Tiffany began the general election campaign with a message connecting Crowley to Hong, <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve said all along that there\u2019s not a dime\u2019s worth of difference between these Democrat candidates,\u201d Tiffany said in a statement Wednesday. \u201cHis record in Milwaukee County shows exactly what Wisconsin would get: mismanage the government, run up the bill, and raise your taxes to pay for it.\u201d<\/p>\n Walker, who once held the same job Crowley now has as Milwaukee county executive, said Tiffany’s messaging was on point: \u201cHigh taxes, high costs, failing schools, make that the definition of David Crowley.\u201d<\/p>\n Crowley has been the head of Wisconsin’s largest county since 2020. Prior to that, he served just over three years in the state Assembly. In 2023, as county executive, Crowley helped spearhead a bipartisan deal<\/a> in the Legislature that sent more state aid to Milwaukee and local communities. <\/p>\n Crowley dropped out of the governor\u2019s race on July 8, saying he didn\u2019t see a path to victory. He rejoined it<\/a> on July 18, less than a month before Tuesday\u2019s primary. With the backing of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, a fellow moderate who crisscrossed the state with him in the final week, Crowley pulled out the narrow win on the argument that he was the better matchup against Tiffany.<\/p>\n