David Crowley returns to the fray in the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary with the support of Governor Evers

Two weeks after shutting down his bid for governor in Wisconsin, David Crowley returned to the state Democratic primary on Saturday, with the Milwaukee County executive boasting last-minute support from outgoing Gov. Tony Evers in a move that appeared to put the party in the best position for success in November.

Evers had initially declined to endorse Crowley in the race, but he has thrown his weight behind Crowley and revived his bid to lead a swing state known for its razor-thin electoral margins, where attracting moderate and independent voters is crucial. It was the latest turn in a chaotic Democratic primary that has jeopardized the party’s chances this fall and comes after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez said she would abandon her bid for the state’s top office following a campaign finance scandal.

Democrats are looking to November to secure full control of Wisconsin state government for the first time since 2010, which they hope will send a signal about the direction the country’s politics are headed by shaping a key political battleground that will help determine presidential campaigns.

At an event in Milwaukee on Saturday to relaunch his campaign, Crowley pointed out the risks, saying that “winning this election will require building the broadest coalition possible,” and touted his ability to forge relationships across partisan divides. He continued that Evers’ endorsement “reflects his confidence that I have the experience” to lead and win.

Evers was on a trade visit to Africa and was not present at Crowley’s event on Saturday, but acknowledged in a social media post that he is now a “supporter” of Crowley, touting his executive leadership on issues including job creation and balancing budgets.

“He is not only a candidate who can win in November, but the kind of candidate who cares about doing the job right,” Evers wrote.

Crowley, 40, is resurfacing in a competitive primary for an open Wisconsin governor’s race that was upended Friday with the departure of Rodriguez, who earlier in the week fired her campaign manager after discovering her campaign had hundreds of thousands of dollars less than expected.

Read more: Democratic socialist Francesca Hong tests how far left-wing voters will go in battleground state of Wisconsin

Now, with Wisconsin’s Aug. 11 primary looming, Democrats are hoping to hold on to the governor’s office while also looking to flip majority control of the state Legislature, which Republicans have held since 2011.

The primary also follows previous victories by Democratic Socialists in the liberal strongholds of New York City, Washington, D.C., and Denver. Francesca Hong, a single mother who has worked as a dishwasher and cook, is trying to do the same in her campaign for governor of Wisconsin, where her candidacy has turned the Democratic contest into a test of how far left-wing voters are willing to go in November’s midterm elections.

Crowley, who would be the state’s first black governor if elected, ended his bid two weeks ago to support Rodriguez. Now, he’s back in the running against Hong, former Gov. Mandela Barnes, state Sen. Kelda Ruiz, and Joel Brennan, a former top Evers aide.

Democrats are struggling to navigate another chaotic primary across this year’s midterm calendar. In California, the race to succeed outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom turned into a messy free-for-all, with dozens of names on the ballot, and one of the main contenders, Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, abruptly withdrew from his campaign and Congress after allegations of sexual assault. Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Helton led in the final “jungle primary.”

Read more: Trump endorses Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany in open Wisconsin race for governor

In the first iteration of his campaign, Crowley drew on his background, highlighting how his family was homeless in Milwaukee, but he rose to become a community organizer and was elected to the state Assembly in 2016 at the age of 30. He served until mid-2020, when he was elected executive of Milwaukee County, the state’s largest. He was the first black person to hold the position and also the youngest at 33 years.

The winner of the Democratic primary will advance to the general election against Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany, who faces only token primary opposition.

Tiffany’s campaign did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Crowley’s resurgence. In an email statement, the Republican Governors Association said, “Watching Democrats in Wisconsin is like watching a clown car crash into a parked truck.”

Associated Press reporter Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed to this report.