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CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – Democrats had breakfast yesterday.
There they were, David Crowley, the new nominee for governor. Tony Evers was there. So was Senator Tammy Baldwin and Congressman Mark Pocan. Most importantly, Francesca Hong was there. It was – a unity breakfast to unite the party behind the goal of defeating Tom Tiffany in November.
That will be a tricky needle to thread.
Before Tuesday’s primary Crowley had said that there were no policy disagreements between him and Hong. So he owns all of Francesca’s policy positions, minus the hatred of Thanksgiving and the anxiety attack in Culvers. Defund and disarm the police, close prisons, tax the rich at 12%, no AI centers… those were all cornerstones of the Hong campaign. And it’s foolish politics to inherit the positions of someone you’ve just defeated.
David Crowley has his own baggage. He publicly said someone else – Lieutenant Governor Sarah Rodriguex – would be a better governor than he. He only won the primary after other mainstream candidates cleared a path for him by dropping out. And Crowley hasn’t been such a great executive for Milwaukee County. Under his leadership the entire health insurance policy for all county employees lapsed. The county has a staggering pension problem; instead of reform he persuaded the state legislature to raise taxes in Milwaukee County. It’s still a ticking time-bomb. And the poorest people in Milwaukee pay more every time they go shopping. Transit funding runs at a huge deficit, and about one-third of bus riders walk past the fare box without paying. None of this makes sense to the people who live in other parts of the state.
Getting Francesca Hong’s swashbuckling band of political novices into the Crowley camp will be difficult. As far as they’re concerned, the old-guard of the party rose up and defeated their champion. Think of it as Chuck Schumer beating AOC. Hong’s hordes may be much less enthusiastic now that she isn’t on the ballot.
Tom Tiffany is the favorite, but is not a lock to win. Crowley has work to do.
Chris Conley
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