Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is running to be Wisconsin’s governor, his campaign announced Tuesday. Crowley will join Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez in the field as a Democrat after Gov. Tony Evers announced he will not seek reelection.
Former Navy SEAL and businessman Bill Berrien and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann, both Republicans, were the first two candidates to announce they are running for the seat. Many expect Congressman Tom Tiffany to also get into the race in the Republican field.
“I know what it’s like to struggle, and I know families across our state feel like they’re falling behind,” Crowley said in a statement. “With costs shooting up, we are all getting less, even if we’re making more.” But what has Crowley done in Milwaukee County?
Here are 9 key things to know about David Crowley:
1. Milwaukee County Almost Went Bankrupt & Hiked Its Sales Tax, But Still Runs Large Deficits With ‘Looming Financial Trouble’
As county executive, Crowley has presided over a county teetering toward bankruptcy, which caused officials to seek permission to raise the sales tax, which the county then did.
The county’s finances are still a mess.
Even so, according to Urban Milwaukee in 2024, “Budget deficits returned sooner than expected. Policymakers had to close a $19 million gap midway through 2024 and a $14 million gap in the 2025 budget.”
In 2024, Urban Milwaukee also noted, “the comptroller has projected a $46.7 million budget deficit for 2026.” In March 2025, five years into Crowley’s tenure, things weren’t better despite the influx of state cash; the county was facing a “projected $46.7 million budget gap,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
“He oversees a $1.4 billion county budget that’s facing a $47 million deficit and looming financial trouble,” the Journal Sentinel noted again on Sept. 9, 2025.
As a legislator, Crowley fought to get counties the right to increase sales taxes more.
2. DEI & ‘Racial Equity’ Have Been Key Themes & Focuses of His Tenure
Crowley has emphasized having a focus on achieving “racial equity.”
“Support for diversity, equity and inclusion” was a key theme of his tenure, according to the Journal Sentinel, which wrote in March 2025 that “supporting DEI” was a major takeaway from his State of the County speech.
Crowley supported Milwaukee County labeling racism a public health crisis before he took office, saying, “Declaring racism a public health crisis means we acknowledge that explicitly and implicitly racist policies and practices at all levels of government have worked to the advantage of white residents and to the disadvantage of Black residents and other residents of color.”
3. David Crowley Has Made ‘Fighting Climate Change’ a Priority
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Crowley has made fighting climate change a “priority,” and the county “has strived to achieve net-zero carbon emissions.”
4. Crowley Has Opposed ICE Arresting People in the Courthouse
Crowley has spoken out against ICE arresting people (i.e. convicted and accused criminals) in the County courthouse, saying it is an “attack” that undermines “public trust” and “breeds fear.”
5. Crowley Has Trashed the FBI
Crowley spoke out when Judge Hannah Dugan was charged with a crime for allegedly helping an illegal immigrant evade ICE. He trashed the FBI and called the FBI’s actions an “attack” on “our nation’s immigration laws.”
“It is clear that the FBI is politicizing this situation to make an example of her and others across the country who oppose their attack on the judicial system and our nation’s immigration laws,” he said.
6. Crowley Signed a Measure Condemning Conversion Therapy & Speaks Out on Transgender Rights
Crowley signed a measure condemning conversion therapy and speaks out in favor of transgender rights.
7. During His Tenure, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department Has Dealt With Severe Staffing Shortages, Refuses Many Misdemeanor Bookings, Won’t Document ICE Holds & Renamed Inmates
The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department has reported severe staffing shortages and soaring overtime during Crowley’s tenure.
The Sheriff’s Department has been incapable of providing documentation of denied ICE holds at the jail.
The Sheriff’s Department renamed inmates “persons in our care” and “occupants.” The agency also is refusing many misdemeanor bookings at the Jail.
8. The County Implemented an Employee Vaccine Mandate, Citing Racial Equity Concerns
Under Crowley’s leadership, the county implemented a vaccine mandate, saying, “The mandate requires all current employees to demonstrate verification of their COVID-19 vaccination or receive an approved exemption in order to avoid consequences.” The County added: “Racial equity was a key consideration throughout the development of the County’s vaccine mandate.”
It didn’t end until 2023.
9. As a Legislator, Crowley Fought to Expand the Rights of Felons to Vote & Wanted to Limit Law Enforcement Officers’ Authority
As a legislator, Crowley sought to expand the rights of felons to vote.
He wanted to make it a felony for a police officer (or anyone) to delete body camera data.
He co-introduced legislation to limit “the authority of a law enforcement officer to arrest someone for sleeping or camping in a county park.”
Crowley was a Wisconsin legislator before becoming Milwaukee County Executive. He chaired the Milwaukee Caucus and the Legislative Black Caucus.
The Democratic primary is scheduled for Aug. 11, 2026.
“As a legislator, I fought to protect the rights of people across our state, and as County Executive, I’ve led Wisconsin’s largest and most diverse county,” Crowley said. “The challenges I’ve addressed in Milwaukee County aren’t specific to one county or one political party; these are issues that communities face all across Wisconsin.”
With contribution from the Center Square.
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