Former President Barack Obama threw his support behind Wisconsin Democrat David Crowley's bid for governor this week, releasing a video endorsement that praises the Milwaukee County executive's roots as a community organizer and his record balancing the county's budget. The move inserts one of the Democratic Party's most recognizable figures into a governor's race that recent polling shows is essentially a toss-up heading into the Nov. 3 election.
Obama Frames Crowley as a Family Man and Budget Balancer
In the video, Obama said, “David started out as a community organizer and he happens to be a girl dad, too. David and his wife Ericka are raising three daughters in public schools,” according to wispolitics.com. Obama also credited Crowley's stewardship of Wisconsin's largest county, saying, “As the leader of Wisconsin's largest county, he created jobs and balanced the budget.” Crowley responded to the endorsement by saying, “I'm honored to have the endorsement of President Obama,” per the same report.
Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, secured the Democratic nomination for governor earlier this year, as Yahoo News reported. If he wins in November, Crowley would become the state's first Black governor, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, which also noted that Obama became the nation's first Black president in 2008 and carried Wisconsin twice during his own campaigns.
Trump Already in Tiffany's Corner
Crowley will face Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in the general election, according to WTAQ. President Donald Trump has already endorsed Tiffany as his choice for Wisconsin's next governor, as reported by WMTV15 News. Trump first threw his support behind Tiffany in January, writing on Truth Social that the congressman had his “Complete and Total Endorsement,” according to Wisconsin Public Radio.
Polling Shows a Tightening Race
A Marquette Law School Poll conducted Sept. 16-23 found Crowley favored by 49% of likely voters to Tiffany's 46%, with 5% undecided — a margin within the poll's error range. Among all registered voters, the gap was even narrower, with Crowley at 46% and Tiffany at 45%, and 9% undecided, according to the Marquette Law School Poll. The survey interviewed 843 Wisconsin registered voters and carried a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.
The numbers also show movement since August, when Crowley held a wider edge over Tiffany among likely voters, 49% to 44%, while the two were tied at 44% apiece among registered voters, per the same Marquette release. Republican support for Tiffany climbed four points among likely voters between the two surveys, while Democratic support for Crowley slipped two points. The poll also found a turnout edge for Democrats, with 85% of Democratic likely voters saying they are certain to vote compared with 78% of Republicans.
A Familiar Playbook for Obama in Wisconsin
This is not the first time Obama has waded into a Wisconsin governor's race. In 2018, he endorsed Democrat Tony Evers in an effort to block Republican Gov. Scott Walker from winning a third term, according to WMTV15 News. Four years earlier, Obama had also backed Democrat Mary Burke in her unsuccessful 2014 run against Walker, the Journal Sentinel noted.
With Election Day 26 days away, both parties' presidential-level endorsements are now locked in alongside a poll showing voters in both camps closely divided.
