David Crowley for governor means Black Milwaukee is in charge

David Crowley has not forgotten where he’s come from and that’s what you hope for in a governor.

The son of Milwaukee has lived a life of struggle like far too many Black folks born and raised on the north side of this historically segregated city.

But overcoming the adversity and ascending into the governor’s mansion would be the watershed moment Wisconsin deserves.

In the United States, only three Black people have ever been elected governor of a state. Wisconsin has never not had a non-white man as governor.

Crowley, the 40-year-old Milwaukee County Executive, would make history on Nov. 3 if elected. He’s one of eight Black major party candidates seeking a governor’s office this election.

Living in the tumultuous times of the President Donald Trump administration leaves many in the Black community wondering just how they are expected to make a living, raise a family and still enjoy life.

Naturally, local Black officials take much of the heat, but they’ve been dealt a bad hand in recent years. The Republicans have controlled the Wisconsin Legislature for 15 years. They don’t hide the fact that policies were pushed and passed that were detrimental to Milwaukee, particularly funding for the city.

By electing Crowley and voting for the other Democratic candidates downballot, Wisconsin would deliver a Democratic trifecta — meaning controlling the governor’s office and both chambers of the state Legislature.

That means more funding for Milwaukee. That means Crowley can deliver on the promises he made during the campaign — healthcare public option, renters rights, ban on insider trading, weakening affordability crisis, legalizing marijuana, protecting reproductive rights, regulating Big Tech, AI and data centers, etc.

And that also means Wisconsin can reject the MAGA agenda and the legacy of former Gov. Scott Walker that Crowley’s opponent, Congressman Tom Tiffany, has been an accomplice to.

The Milwaukee Courier, Wisconsin’s oldest Black-owned newspaper, is proud to endorse Crowley and other downballot candidates for this midterm election.

Here is a Q&A with Crowley from earlier this month that has been lightly edited for clarity.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore endorsed you in this race. He is only the third Black person ever elected governor of a state in U.S. history. He also traveled to Wisconsin to campaign with you amid his own reelection campaign and rumors that he is interested in running for the presidency. Why was this an important connection to make?

Well, I think we all recognize that Governor Wes Moore is a powerhouse, and I think he's one of the fresh new faces that we have when it comes down to generational leadership. He just spoke to the fact that it's just doing what's right. Making sure that you represent the entire state and how we have to continue to be bold enough to actually fight back against this administration, but also push forward when it comes down to being innovative and creative with the ideas that are going to deliver for working class families. I had a great time traveling all across southeastern Wisconsin with him. It was just phenomenal. But, I mean he was letting me know about the tough times I'm gonna have through (during) the campaign. How it is gonna get tough as we go and get closer to the election. But, just keep pushing through, keep doing what's right at the end of the day and win this election. He was excited to see the level of momentum and excitement from all the different places that we had attended.

Did you discuss Baltimore’s historic decline in gun violence and their success on the public safety front? Is there anything you can take away and apply to Wisconsin?

Yeah, we did. He talked about the fact that when he wanted to tackle it as an issue, people didn't think that they could get it done. When he wanted to talk about child poverty, other folks in the race when he first ran for governor, folks weren't willing to talk about it. And we can't be afraid to tackle these types of issues. But more importantly, stress the fact that it is partnership and collaboration that has helped contribute to the reduction in crime in Baltimore. And if you want to see that throughout the state of Wisconsin, that's what it's gonna take moving forward. And, you know, we've been doing a lot of that work already through our community violence interruption investments. But now it's about the state stepping up, and Governor Evers started a little bit of that already, and we want to continue to build upon that foundation.

Former President Barack Obama also endorsed you in recent weeks. Did you have a chance to speak with him? Will he campaign with you in-person before Election Day?

I spoke to him weeks ago, right after the primary, and when we spoke, he basically was congratulating me, and just telling me to continue to do the great job that we were doing throughout the primary and continue that message throughout the general election. I know everybody keeps asking whether or not he's gonna come. I will always welcome President Barack Obama or anyone who wants to stump on behalf of this campaign to make sure that we deliver a state where people can afford to live, work, and play.

Obama and Moore are Black politicians with historic achievements. Former Vice President Kamala Harris is also going to campaign with you later this month. How does this translate into Black voter turnout?

I mean they're highly respected in the Black community but I would also argue, they're highly respected by voters across this country, because they've been able to deliver. You think President Barack Obama, getting elected in 2008, providing healthcare for millions of folks across this entire country, helping to rebuild, getting people access to jobs, millions of jobs across this country. It’s exciting to get the endorsement of both of those leaders, folks who are focusing on results versus rhetoric, quite frankly. And two people who believe that the government should be opening doors versus closing them. And I do believe that it's going to resonate with Wisconsinites all over this state. Because these are two individuals that have proven that they can actually govern. And that's going to translate to when I become governor. And our goal is to make sure that we can get as much out as possible. When you think about the Black vote, these Black voters who have helped Democrats win, not just here in the state of Wisconsin, but across this country, and we know that, we're gonna have to increase Black voter turnout everywhere to make sure that we can win.

Let’s talk about some policies. How do we make things more affordable? It truly is dire in certain parts of the state.

I think it's important to recognize that things are unaffordable right now because we've had folks like Congressman Tom Tiffany, who's been loyal to Donald Trump. I mean, he's agreed 100% of the time with Donald Trump. We see the increase in gas and diesel because he's protected this war in Iran and has received millions of dollars from Big Oil. We have seen our prescription drug prices rise and people losing their Affordable Care Act subsidies because Congressman Tiffany wouldn't actually extend these things. So we have to remind people that the reason why we see these huge rising costs is because Congressman Tom Tiffany has been doing the bidding of Donald Trump to line the pockets of his current president and the billionaire class. They're taking away from working class families each and every single day. And so we tackle it one by lowering property taxes. We can do that by increasing state funding for our local school districts so we don't continue to put that on the backs of our local property taxpayers. We can do that by expanding BadgerCare, so people can actually afford to go to the doctor, afford their prescription drugs, and not worry about traveling hours away to get the care that they need, because they deserve to get it wherever and whenever they need it. This is also affected by childcare, making sure that we can expand childcare, so people can be able to work and keep more money in their pockets at an affordable rate, because we'll be able to cap childcare expenses at 7% of the household income. But also getting rid of the minimum markup on gas, because of these high gas prices that were paying, folks are spending 40 cents per gallon on average right now, which is just guaranteed profits for Big Oil. By getting rid of that, will help save more money in those who rely on their own vehicles and gas at the pump, but it will help to bring down grocery prices as well, because those are the costs that are being passed down to our consumers, as well as our farmers and manufacturers, who are growing our produce or manufacturing this produce. So there's a lot that we can do, but we have to make sure that we're not just electing me, that we're getting the Democratic trifecta, taking over the state Senate and the state Assembly to make sure these policies become a reality.

You announced a new policy position for renters that looks to change the tenant-landlord relationship in Wisconsin. You want to give local governments more authority to intervene in poor housing conditions, cap rent prices, give tenants facing eviction a right to counsel, and protect student renters. How did you land at this position?

This is also about tackling the affordability crisis. Specifically, when it comes down to students. And so we announced our (plan) to make sure that (students) can have a level of certainty when it comes down to housing. And it's not just going to affect students. It's going to affect renters all across the state, to make sure that there are some protections that are out there. We have to stop these corporate companies from buying homes in bulk, taking homes off the market that many young people and many young families are looking to buy each and every single year. But it's also about holding many of our out of state landlords accountable, who continue to jack up rent prices because there is no level of accountability. And so any good renters, any good landlords that are out there, they shouldn't have to worry about this. This is about making sure that we're going after those bad landlords and holding them accountable.

You’ve proposed expanding BadgerCare to every Wisconsin household. Three states currently have a public option (Washington, Colorado, and Nevada). But you're also going to get a ton of questions on how you're going to afford that. Do you think the better solution is for the federal government to get involved in healthcare again?

Well, I don't think there's no doubt that you need a federal solution when it comes down to healthcare, but we know that we can't trust this federal administration, and we can't trust Tom Tiffany to do what's right when it comes down to healthcare, because they've risen cost on all of us. And so by expanding BadgerCare, we're gonna be able to pay for this by getting rid of these tax loopholes that billionaires and billionaire companies have been able to take advantage of and exploit for the past decade, decade and a half . We're gonna make sure that we can legalize marijuana here in the state of Wisconsin, which will bring in an incredible amount of revenue across the entire state, since we've been losing out on those opportunities to places like Michigan, Minnesota, as well as Illinois. But it's also about creating a long-term solution. And so I'm proposing putting together a bipartisan blue-ribbon commission that brings statewide elected officials, community and local elected officials, business owners, academics, labor unions, and community members together to have a real discussion about our revenue and spending situation here in the state of Wisconsin, because the last time we've done that was in 1986, when Governor Tommy Thompson first became governor. We can have an open, honest conversation to really deliver taxes that are simpler, that's fair, and something that Wisconsinites can believe in.

You mentioned a long-term solution. Is that what you're trying to get at as well on the abortion constitutional amendment, putting a woman’s right to choose in the constitution?

What we're really getting at is keeping politicians like Congressman Tom Tiffany out of the patient's hospital room. Decisions related to reproductive healthcare, like abortion or contraceptives or futility, all of those things. Those decisions need to be made between the patient and the healthcare provider. We don't need elected officials making these decisions. And so it's extremely important for me that there's a level of certainty for those who need access to this important reproductive healthcare. And the only way that we do that is by making sure that we have this constitutional amendment.

After several inmates were found to be utilizing tablets, like iPads, to message and intimidate victims and witnesses, you ordered the suspension of messaging on the tablets at county jail facilities. How did you reach that decision or what's the response to concerned family members of inmates who utilize the messaging features?

I want to be very clear. We have zero tolerance when it comes down to any victim or witness intimidation and harassment. And as we began to have conversations with the DAs, the Community Reintegration Center, as well as the sheriff's office, we realized that the safeguards in place wasn't cutting it out. And so, we have temporarily suspended just the messaging portion until we can find a permanent solution moving forward. So, at the end of the day, we're gonna make sure that there's some automatic red flags to let us know what type of messaging and how much messaging people are gonna be putting out there. We want to make sure that we're doing everything that we can to protect the public. So, this is a temporary thing. You know, our residents still have access to their tablets. They still have access to free phone calls to their families, visitation, as well as video phone calls as well. But this is just a temporary pause until we can find that permanent fix to make sure that no witnesses and no victims are in the crosshairs of any of these folks who are in our care.

Do you have confidence that we'll have a free and fair election in November, considering the actions of the Trump administration, troops at election sites, and opposing mail-in voting, that sort of thing?

Look, we have to continue to push back on this narrative that we don't have integrity in our elections. Wisconsin has always had free and fair elections and we have county clerks, poll workers, volunteers, from all stripes, Democrat, Republican, Independents, young and old, who are volunteering their time, giving back to this country, to allow people to cast their ballot, their sacred right to vote. That's extremely important. And so, yes, I believe that we will have free and fair elections. Like, we've always had that in the state of Wisconsin, and it's unfortunate that Congressman Tom Tiffany and Donald Trump have continued to peddle these lies as it relates to Wisconsin elections and destroying the integrity. And quite frankly, you know, not just of the system itself, but those who have been, you know, working with them in this system, which is our neighbors, which is our families, which is the people we rely on each and every single election year. And so, you know, we're going to continue to push back against this narrative, but because our democracy is the bedrock of who we are as a country, it's important that we continue to feed into the integrity and show people that this is a fair election. Like, it always has been.

Tiffany donors, Dick and Liz Uihlein, through their corporate PAC, are running TV ads that some groups, including state legislators, have called racist. What do you make of those kinds of attacks in 2026?

It is unfortunate that, in a sense, we're seeing these Willie Horton-type ads come out. I mean, Drake, I'll just be honest. I mean, they were darkening my skin, but then they can't do that because I'm too dark, right? So, we know that they're gonna focus on fear mongering, divide, distractions, and outright lying in misrepresenting my views and what I have done as Milwaukee County Executive, because they cannot defend the policies that they supported in Washington, D.C. Tiffany cannot defend the fact that he has been bought and paid for by three billionaires telling them exactly what they want him to do. And quite frankly, it feels like this is Washington's corruption working at its worst. He delivered millions of dollars in tax breaks for these billionaires. And they're delivering for him by giving him north of $34 million towards his campaign. And it's hard working Wisconsinites who are paying the price through increased costs or even through the loss of their healthcare. And so, we just have to remind folks that Wisconsin is not to be bought and sold for. And I think this is what this election is about. Whether hard-working Wisconsinites want a government that’s going to work for them, work to make sure that when the tides rise, all the boats rise, or do you want a governor who's going to do the bidding of the billionaire class and is willing to sell this state at whatever cost, in order for him to become governor?

What do you make of the nature of this election cycle, it getting really personal and kind of dirty?

I believe that in our campaign, we've been focusing on telling our story. But also pushing back against the distraction, the lies, and the hate that we have received from a MAGA extremist in Congressman Tom Tiffany, where he's not even talking and focusing on what he's going to do in the state of Wisconsin. And so, for the fact that he's trying to make this about Milwaukee, lets me know that he doesn't care about the rest of this state. He's not focusing on tackling the affordability crisis, he’s not focusing on how we can raise the minimum wage from 7.25 an hour, or making sure that people can see a future that they can afford to live, work, and play here in the state of Wisconsin. And again, that's why I'm talking directly with our constituents, meeting people where they are, no matter where they are in the state, no matter what letter they believe in, because I'm focused on Wisconsin values, not the partisan nature that has been created under the guise of Donald Trump and Tom Tiffany. But you know, we're not going to take our foot off the gas. We're going to continue to remind folks exactly what Tom Tiffany is, which is a politician for the past 20 years who's gotten really good at saying one thing here in Wisconsin doing the exact opposite when he's representing folks in Washington, D.C.

Tiffany’s campaign will run a TV ad saying you raised property taxes. The next ad will be from your campaign saying your reduced property taxes. You’ve been campaigning on reducing property taxes for Milwaukee County residents year over year since you’ve been in office. Is Tiffany lying?

Well, I mean, let's just face it, right? You know Congressman Tom Tiffany is going to misrepresent all of my work because he knows that he's lying. He doesn't want to talk about what he has done as a congressional member in Washington, DC, and how the current tax system that we're currently operating under as municipalities, he and Scott Walker actually created. And the fact of the matter is that if he doesn't understand the difference between tax levy and tax rate, he absolutely doesn't deserve to be governor of this state because he's not willing to be honest with Wisconsinites. I'm proud of the fact that we were able to work in a bipartisan manner, through a Republican-controlled Legislature, to balance the budgets here within Milwaukee County, to continue to deliver services that people rely on. And more importantly, deliver more money to every single municipality, so they can invest in their roads, invest in their public safety, because the state of Wisconsin abdicated their responsibility as it relates to shared revenue, and have increased these costs on local governments all across the state. But Congressman Tom Tiffany, this is the environment that he actually helped to create. And one thing that I've learned being a county executive is that I've always come in on the back end to fix the problems that Republicans had created. Scott Walker was the county executive of Milwaukee County. Never did he fix the issues related to the structural deficit, never did he create a surplus within Milwaukee County, like I have. And he didn't fix the problems. He actually made it worse when he became governor with the help of then-state Senator Tom Tiffany. And so, I'm proud of my record and proud that we're gonna be able to deliver cost cutting measures for folks across this state like we did when we created the largest property tax cut in Milwaukee County’s history.

What does a governor Tom Tiffany administration look like?

We can expect reproductive freedom to change overnight. We're talking about somebody who co-sponsored one of the most restrictive abortion access bills in Congress without any exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of the mother. We can expect more money to come out of the pockets of more hard-working Wisconsinites to pay for the tax breaks, for the billionaires who are bankrolling his campaign. We can expect our schools not to receive the funding, because he has voted to defund our public schools here in the state of Wisconsin. And he's one of the most extreme people we have in Congress when it comes down to education, because he voted to even get rid of the U.S. Department of Education. And so we can't trust Tom Tiffany, because he also voted against certifying the 2020 election. And that's going to be extremely important because, as a governor, that's who actually certifies our election. We can't trust him because he's shown us exactly who he is. And so, when I think about a Tom Tiffany governorship that means that we're going to see an increase in rising prices whiles billionaires continue to make it out like bandits. And so we all have a duty in making sure that we win this election, but more importantly, get that Democratic trifecta that we need.

I wanted to ask you about your primary opponent, state Rep. Francesca Hong, and her supporters. The reality is, although you won the election, you only won by less than 4000 votes. The party was largely split on Election Day. For those who want to stay on the sidelines, because they were all in for a Hong, what's your pitch to them to get them to vote in the general election?

Right after the unity tour, I had a chance to actually talk to many of her supporters, and they love this state, and once they started to hear my policies and build that relationship with me, many of them are already on board because they believe that we should lower costs, that we have to tackle everything from childcare, healthcare, to gas, and groceries. And ultimately, our goal, even before the primary, was to make sure that we defeat Congressman Tom Tiffany, the MAGA agenda and that legacy forever, so it doesn't continue to brew and stew here within the state of Wisconsin. But at the end of the day, we can't afford folks to take their ball and go home. There's too much at stake when it comes down to this election. Making sure that we fully fund our public schools is on the ballot. Increasing the reimbursement rates for special education is on the ballot. Making sure that workers can collectively bargain for fair and higher wages, better benefits and safe working conditions. All those things are on the ballot. And so, we need to make sure that we ultimately defeat Tom Tiffany, and from the conversation that we've been having, and with the fact that not only her surrogates all across this state are out there stumping on our behalf, makes me feel incredibly grateful, but also hopeful when it comes down to November 3rd.

The Milwaukee Courier, Wisconsin’s oldest Black-owned newspaper, endorsed you among some other Democrats. What's your message to Courier readership and followers of the Milwaukee Black Media, which continues to grow?

Well, it's not just a pleasure, but it's the absolute honor to receive the endorsement from the Courier. I mean, you're talking about a community paper who's been doing the hard work informing readers all across southeastern Wisconsin. And you all ask the hard questions to hold people accountable. So to receive this endorsement is a direct link to the belief in my judgment, and my ability to lead, but also coalesce people across the political spectrum in their geographical areas. I want your readers to also know that we need them to get involved. It's not enough just to vote. We need them to knock on doors, make phone calls, lend their talents to this campaign to help get us over the finish line. And if they can, chip in a few dollars here and there. We know that we won't be able to compete with the fundraising, or out-fundraise, the three billionaires that have given him tens of millions of dollars. But that doesn't mean that we don't need help getting our message across this state. And I truly believe that as long as we receive the help of our community members, who have been directly impacted by the decisions that Congressman Tom Tiffany and Trump have made in lockstep, there's no doubt in my mind we'll win this race on November 3rd and deliver the Democratic trifecta we need to make sure that all people in this state have the ability to get ahead.