Crowley Wins Wisconsin Primary, Faces Wisconsin Gambling Opponent Tiffany

Advocates for Wisconsin gambling received a boost on August 11, as Milwaukee County executive David Crowley claimed the Democratic nomination to replace Tony Evers as Wisconsin’s governor.

With 99% of the vote in, Crowley held a 3,200 vote lead over Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison). The remaining outstanding vote is expected to come from Milwaukee County and its three suburban counties of Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington, all areas where Crowley ran ahead of Hong.

Based on that, Decision Desk HQ called the race for Crowley at 2:20 a.m. on August 12.

Crowley will face Republican challenger Tom Tiffany, who currently represents Wisconsin in the 7th District of Congress. Neither Crowley nor Hong brought up Wisconsin gambling in the lead-up to the primary, but Tiffany did. He has opposed any expansion of gambling in the Badger State, which might or might not include Evers’ deal to bring mobile sports betting to Wisconsin.

While Evers signed that deal into law, it’s currently being challenged in the courts. Based on existing legal timelines, the next governor of Wisconsin might have to be the one who either implements or kills that effort.

Why Is David Crowley’s Win Important to Wisconsin Gambling?

With Tiffany taking a strong anti-gambling stance, Wisconsin gambling interests had to focus on the Democratic primary. Crowley is seen as the more electable candidate, as he had run as a moderate Democrat. Hong, by contrast, ran as a democratic socialist, which has struggled in Wisconsin before.

In 2022, Evers won his race for re-election by 3.5 points over Republican Tim Michels. At the same time, progressive lieutenant governor Mandela Barnes lost his race for senator to incumbent Ron Johnson by a single point. Evers’ win was seen as proof that Wisconsin was too centrist to elect anyone progressive, and political wisdom suggested that Hong put that at risk.

If Crowley wins, he’s likely to take a similar tack to Evers. The outgoing governor endorsed Crowley on July 18, and has campaigned with him ever since. While Crowley has not taken a stance on Wisconsin gambling, he is believed to prioritize tribal interests.

What Has Tiffany Said About Gambling in Wisconsin?

In general, he’s opposed to expanding gambling in the state. He has not, however, taken a position on Evers’ deal with the tribes regarding sports betting. In May, he said that he would need to review the compact Evers had sign to see if he approved.

Otherwise, he has consistently opposed efforts to expand gambling. If he were to win, any efforts to bring iGaming in Wisconsin would certainly be dead until his term expired in 2030.

What’s Likely to Happen?

Prior to August 12, political forecasters considered this race one of the tightest in the country. They expected Hong to win, as polls showed her with a comfortable lead. With Crowley’s victory, Wisconsin is now expected to keep its governorship in Democratic hands.

While Decision Desk hasn’t made a prediction yet, prediction markets list Crowley’s chances of victory at 78%.