Ahead of primary election, candidates for Wisconsin governor make final push to voters
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The day before the Wisconsin primary election on Aug. 11, candidates are making their final pushes to voters.
On the Democratic side, Joel Brennan, David Crowley, Francesca Hong, and Kelda Roys are all running for governor.
Mandela Barnes, Sara Rodriguez and Missy Hughes also garnered some measure of support despite suspending their campaigns.
On the other side of the aisle, Republicans are almost entirely behind U.S. Congressman Tom Tiffany.
Here's an overview of where the candidates still in the race were on Monday:
Tom Tiffany
Tiffany held a press event at a housing development in Oconomowoc on Monday, Aug. 10. He was joined by former Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. Tiffany was asked if he wants Hong to win on Tuesday.
"I think you saw it in the debate a couple weeks ago when none of the candidates took on Francesca Hong and the agenda she had laid out for Wisconsin,” Tiffany said. “None of them challenged her. It’s very clear that the leadership in the Democratic party, and I don’t think that reflects all Democrats across Wisconsin, but certainly amongst the leadership, they have capitulated to the big government socialism that she’s selling.”
Tiffany said he does not support Republicans voting for Hong in Tuesday’s primary as a way to make his path to victory in November easier.
“If you are a Republican, I recommend we vote Republican, because there are plenty of primaries that are going on around the state that are going to decide the future of Wisconsin and we want the best Republicans possible that are going to be running in this election in 2026,” Tiffany said.
Francesca Hong
Hong met with supporters in Sun Prairie on Monday, just outside of Madison. She thanked supporters and told them they are the reason she is leading in the polls.
Speaking to supporters, Hong said they had knocked on more than 130,000 doors and many are out knocking on more doors now.
Hong spoke about plans to raise the minimum wage, create an option for universal healthcare, and overall make life more affordable.
Hong has faced criticism in the last week over old tweets, some saying she wants to cancel Thanksgiving, others claiming she dislikes Halloween. She addressed those tweets at the event Monday.
"You have some hot takes," Hong said. "Sometimes bad takes on Twitter, and I let my feelings out in to the world. Right now, as governor what I am most serious about are the issues the voters are telling me they want solutions for -- permanent affordability."
Hong says the reason she feels her campaign is so successful is because of her ground game getting out -- knocking on doors and listening to what the voters want.
David Crowley
Hong's primary challenger is David Crowley, who is trying to mount a furious come-from-behind bid to knock her off the top spot.
Monday evening, Crowley will be joined by Governor Tony Evers at the Cooperage in Milwaukee for a campaign event. Crowley secured Evers' endorsement back on July 18, after he reentered the race.
It will be Crowley and Evers' fourth stop of the day, after visiting with voters in Oshkosh, Stevens Point, and Madison.
While Crowley has touted himself as the only candidate with executive experience, it's been an uphill battle.
He famously dropped out of the race last month and backed Sara Rodriguez, only to reenter the race after Rodriguez dropped out.
His re-launched campaign came with the firepower of the governor's endorsement and that of the party leadership, but it has done little to help Crowley chip away at Hong's lead.
Evers has been openly critical of Hong, saying he doesn't believe she can beat Tom Tiffany in November. But last week, Crowley acknowledged the governor's endorsement may have come too late in the campaign.
"Look, I can be critical and say Gov. Evers' endorsement came a little too late," Crowley said. "I would've loved to have Gov. Evers' endorsement earlier. But this is where we are today."
Kelda Roys
Roys held an event in Wauwatosa on Monday, Aug. 10, making a final push to voters at the Explorium Brewpub.
According to the latest Marquette Law School poll from July 29, Roys was polling at just 2%. However, that poll was released before Mandela Barnes dropped out of the race.
At Monday's event, Roys expressed her optimism heading into Election Day.
"I believe that Wisconsin voters, and not big money, should determine the outcome of elections, and too many people are swayed by TV commercials when in fact, Wisconsinites want to be able to make our own decisions, we want to elect the best candidate for the job and not vote based on propaganda that has been spewed by right-wing billionaires."
After visiting with voters in Wauwatosa, Roys moved to another campaign stop in Whitewater before heading to Madison for a rally.
Joel Brennan
After visiting Milwaukee on Sunday, Aug. 9, Joel Brennan will be canvassing in Mequon Monday.
Similar to opponent Roys, Brennan is seen as an underdog in the race, according to recent polling.
Affordability has been a consistent theme during Brennan's campaign events, in terms of both healthcare and education.