Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is re-entering the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor, days after suspending his campaign. His return follows the sudden withdrawal of Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who exited the race Friday amid a campaign finance scandal involving inflated contribution reports and missing funds.
The Financial Scandal Behind the Rodriguez Exit
The race to succeed retiring two-term Democratic Gov. Tony Evers was upended late last week when Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez announced she was dropping out. Her departure came after her campaign discovered serious mismanagement and inaccuracies
in its financial reporting, as reported by NBC News.
The internal audit revealed that contributions had been double-counted, artificially inflating the campaign’s fundraising totals. Consequently, Rodriguez learned her campaign possessed only $200,000 in cash—a figure significantly lower than previously reported. On Sunday, she fired her campaign manager, Kara Spencer, in response to the findings. By Friday, Rodriguez concluded that the ongoing financial questions had become an ongoing distraction
that she could not allow to cloud a critical election for Democrats.
Crowley’s Re-entry and the Democratic Field
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who had suspended his own campaign less than 10 days prior to endorse Rodriguez, is now staging a comeback. The Hill confirmed that Crowley is expected to formally announce his return to the race at a rally scheduled for Saturday morning. The move comes after he was personally urged by former candidate Missy Hughes to rejoin the contest.
Crowley returns to a crowded field of Democrats competing for the nomination ahead of the Aug. 11 primary. Other candidates include former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, state Rep. Francesca Hong, state Sen. Kelda Roys, and former Department of Administration head Joel Brennan. The eventual nominee is slated to face Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany in the November general election, a contest currently rated as a toss-up by the Cook Political Report.
Candidate Reactions to the Primary Shakeup
The possibility of Crowley re-entering the race has drawn mixed reactions from his rivals. Speaking with WISN, Mandela Barnes emphasized a focus on the general election rather than the primary’s shifting dynamics, stating, It wouldn’t matter if there were two people in the primary or 20 people in the primary; we are going to be focused on Tom Tiffany and beating him in the general election.
Others expressed concern over the volatility. State Sen. Kelda Roys argued against the instability, noting, Now is not the time to move backwards and be in more disarray.
Meanwhile, Joel Brennan defended the fluidity of the campaign process, telling WISN: Candidates decide when it’s time to go, when it’s time to pull the plug. They do it with themselves, they do it with their family.
Political Stakes and Uncertainties
The sudden withdrawal of a front-runner and the subsequent return of a former candidate have left Democratic operatives concerned about the party’s path forward. Politico reported that some party members fear the remaining progressive candidates, such as Hong, may have a clearer path to the nomination but could struggle to win over moderate voters in the swing state during the general election.
Mordecai Lee, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, highlighted the practical hurdles Crowley faces in his return. It’s easy enough to drop out and drop in, but you have to think about the realities of money, the realities of politics, and the dynamic of where the race is going,
Lee told WISN. With the primary date approaching on Aug. 11, the remaining candidates must now navigate the fallout of the financial scandal while attempting to consolidate support in a fractured party.
