David Crowley set to rejoin Wisconsin governor’s race after lieutenant governor exit

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is re-entering the Democratic primary race for Wisconsin governor. His decision follows the departure of Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who ended her campaign on Friday due to an ongoing scandal involving campaign finance errors.

Rodriguez dropped out of the race to prevent her financial situation from distracting from the campaign. She discovered major inaccuracies in her financial filings, including double-counted contributions and a significant shortfall in reported funds. She subsequently fired her campaign manager.

Crowley had suspended his own campaign less than ten days ago, initially urging his supporters to back Rodriguez. He is now returning to a competitive field of candidates seeking to succeed retiring Gov. Tony Evers. The Democratic nominee will likely face Republican frontrunner Tom Tiffany in the general election this November.

The race is currently categorized as a toss-up by the Cook Political Report. Crowley, who became the youngest Milwaukee County Executive in history in 2020, is expected to formally announce his return during a campaign event scheduled for Saturday morning.