Election Day 2026: David Crowley on Wisconsin's Race for Governor

Mimi Brown (0:04)

It's election day in America, and today, voters are making decisions that could shape the direction of this country for years to come. And this election could also make history. In nearly 250 years, America has elected just three Black governors. This year, eight Black candidates are running for governor across the country. And one of those candidates is David Crowley, who was running to become Wisconsin's first Black governor.

Crowley currently serves as Milwaukee County Executive, and he's hoping to take his experience leading Wisconsin's largest county to the governor's office. Well, today, I'm joined by David Crowley to talk about his campaign and the issues that matter the most to Wisconsin voters. David, it is election day. How are you feeling? Have you gotten any sleep?

David Crowley (0:48)

Well, first and foremost, thank you for having me. And no, I'm not getting any sleep right now.

It's a lot of anxiety when you think about election being today. Election day being the day. But I'm really excited. We've been seeing a lot of momentum within the past few weeks. And I truly believe not only I'm going to win this race, but we're going to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot here in the state of Wisconsin to make sure we can continue to move forward.

Mimi Brown (1:12)

Yeah, you know, I know you've spent months traveling across Wisconsin, talking to voters. What's the biggest thing you've heard from people that they need out of their next governor?

David Crowley (1:21)

Well, then folks want somebody who's going to work for them. Right? And right now, affordability is at the highest, you know, at the top of the list for many folks. How they're going to afford their groceries, their rents, their mortgage payment, even at the gas pump right now. But also, you think about so many families that are just like mine. I have three daughters who can't keep up, you know, when it comes down to child care, even paying for health care, because they have seen their premiums skyrocket because of decisions by this federal administration. And so we're going to continue to talk about those things while my opponent continues to just focus on, you know, disparaging me, focusing on distractions, dividing and frankly just lying about who I am and what we're going to do.

But folks want somebody who's going to work for them, someone who understands the struggle that folks are going through. I come from a working class family and I look forward to representing our state.

Mimi Brown (2:14)

Absolutely. You know, in Wisconsin is a battleground state. There's a lot of, as you just mentioned, political division. How do you convince people that may be on the fence, that you are the man to represent them?

David Crowley (2:27)

Well, I think one, you need to elect somebody who comes from similar backgrounds, who understand the issues, right? You know, I grew up here in the state of Wisconsin, in the city of Milwaukee, to be exact, and had great loving parents. But they had their share of struggles with mental health, with drug addiction. I was evicted three times before I graduated high school. For at least 15 years, I moved every single year of my life. So I know what families are going through, because I remember those nights not knowing if food would be on the table, or not having enough money to put gas in the car, or not even just having bus fare to get around to go to school or to go to work. And so people want somebody who understands that struggle, but more importantly, who know how to bring people together. I have an organizing background, and I've been able to coalesce folks from across the entire political spectrum, whether you're a Democrat, Republican, independent, or quite frankly, don't care about politics.

And we've been able to deliver.

As county executive, I represent the largest county here in Wisconsin. We have the lowest homeless count per capita in any community across the country. We've reduced overdose deaths by 40%, and we've been able to expand affordable housing. And so it's not just a lived experience. I've actually gotten things done. And one of my proud accomplishments is that we kept the Milwaukee Brewers here, and we just celebrated the World Series not too long ago. And that's what people want in the state of Wisconsin. Somebody who's not just talking to talk, but somebody that can actually walk the walk.

Mimi Brown (4:00)

President Trump has been a major factor in this election. Where do you think his policies are having the biggest impact on Wisconsin families?

David Crowley (4:08)

Well, the biggest impact is that we're seeing the increase in costs, you know, and not just in urban areas, right? You know, the cost that we see with utility bills, you know, seeing your electric and your gas rates constantly rise. But also when you think about our rural communities right now, you know, the Canadian tears, this endless war of choice that they have put ourselves in. We have seen our diesel prices and our gas prices skyrocket and families, they feel uncertain about their entire future. I mean, young people who don't see a future here in Wisconsin and looking to go elsewhere. And so right now, this particular Trump administration, they aren't helping families get ahead.