David Crowley (Wisconsin politician)

David C. Crowley (born May 14, 1986) is an American politician and the 7th County Executive of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. He is the first African American to serve as the county's top official, and, at age 33, also the youngest.[1] He previously represented Milwaukee as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, serving from January 2017 until June 2020.[2][3][4]

David Crowley
7th County Executive of Milwaukee County
Assumed office
May 4, 2020
Preceded byChris Abele
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 17th district
In office
January 3, 2017 – June 18, 2020
Preceded byLa Tonya Johnson
Succeeded byVacant
Personal details
Born (1986-05-14) May 14, 1986
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Ericka
Children3
ResidenceMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Occupationpolitician
WebsiteOfficial webpage
Assembly webpage

Biography

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Crowley's parents struggled with narcotics addiction in his youth and lost their home when he was just ten years old. His parents eventually divorced, and he suffered eviction from two more homes before graduating high school. Under the mentorship of Reggie and Sharlen Moore, and their community organizing group, Urban Underground, Crowley became interested in issues of policing and local government. Crowley graduated from Bay View High School and attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee from 2008 to 2012, though did not obtain a degree.[1]

He worked as an organizer for United States Senator Russ Feingold on his 2010 re-election campaign, then became a legislative aide to Milwaukee County Supervisor Nikiya Harris Dodd. When she was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate, he worked as her policy director in Madison.[1]

Crowley made his first attempted at elected office in 2016, when he ran for Milwaukee City Council. He came in third in the February nonpartisan primary election and did not advance to the general. However, later that month, his employer, Senator Nikiya Harris Dodd, announced she would not seek re-election in the 6th district seat. The move prompted Assemblymember La Tonya Johnson to declare for that office, creating an open race in the 17th Assembly District. Crowley jumped into the race and won the Democratic primary with 56% of the vote.[5] He was unopposed in the general election and entered office on January 3, 2017.[1] He would go on to win re-election in 2018.

In November 2019, after incumbent Chris Abele announced he would not seek re-election, Crowley announced his candidacy for Milwaukee County Executive.[6][7] In the February primary election, Crowley came in a close second to state senator Chris Larson, defeating County Board Chairman Theodore Lipscomb, Sr., and businesswoman Purnima Nath.[8][9] Crowley received the endorsement of outgoing executive Chris Abele, who had been challenged by Larson for his seat in 2016. Abele would go on to spend heavily on behalf of Crowley in 2020 through his Leadership MKE political action committee.[10] The April election was significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin, but when the votes were tallied on April 13, Representative Crowley narrowly defeated Senator Larson.[3]

Crowley was sworn in as County Executive on May 4, 2020, from his front yard, due to ongoing shelter-in-place policies in the state.[11] He resigned his seat in the Assembly effective June 18, 2020, as required to comply with a 2015 Wisconsin law prohibiting a person from simultaneously serving as a member of the legislature and a county executive.[4][12]

Personal life and family

Crowley's parents recovered from their addiction struggles and remain involved in his life. He married his wife, Ericka, in 2016, they have two daughters together as well as a daughter from Ericka's previous relationship.[1] Crowley is the vice chair of the Milwaukee chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, and a member of the Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals, and the Milwaukee NAACP.[6]

Electoral history

Milwaukee City Council (2016)
Milwaukee City Council, District 7 Election, 2016
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Primary Election, February 16, 2016
Nonpartisan Khalif Rainey 1,351 31.51%
Nonpartisan Michael Bonds 1,116 26.03%
Nonpartisan David Crowley 962 22.44%
Nonpartisan Randy Jones 613 14.30%
Nonpartisan Vivian Redd-Fehr 228 5.32%
Scattering 17 0.40%
Total votes 4,287 100.0%

Wisconsin Assembly (2016, 2018)
Wisconsin Assembly, District 17 Election, 2016[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Primary Election, August 9, 2016
Democratic David Crowley 3,303 56.48%
Democratic Kim Burns 1,116 27.96%
Democratic Marcus Hart 887 15.17%
Scattering 23 0.39%
Plurality 1,668 28.52%
Total votes 5,848 100.0%
General Election, November 8, 2016
Democratic David Crowley 21,715 99.07%
Scattering 204 0.93%
Plurality 21,511 98.14%
Total votes 21,919 100.0%
Democratic hold

Milwaukee County Executive (2020)
Milwaukee County Executive Election, 2020[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Primary Election, February 18, 2020
Nonpartisan Chris Larson 42,154 36.34%
Nonpartisan David Crowley 39,756 34.27%
Nonpartisan Theodore A. Lipscomb, Sr. 19,252 16.60%
Nonpartisan Purnima Nath 14,218 12.26%
Scattering 624 0.54%
Total votes 115,380 100.0%
General Election, April 7, 2020
Nonpartisan David Crowley 96,714 50.05%
Nonpartisan Chris Larson 95,688 49.52%
Scattering 837 0.43%
Plurality 1,026 0.53%
Total votes 193,239 100.0%
gollark: I don't like Nazis or ethnonationalists or whatever, but I *also* don't want people to be physically attacked because of their beliefs.
gollark: I disagree with punching people because of their ideology, personally.
gollark: Anarchoprimitivism is not "based".
gollark: KIND OF?
gollark: Maaaaybe they could just not burn things in general?

References
  1. Glauber, Bill (May 4, 2020). "'People felt like this was my path': David Crowley's journey to becoming the first African American elected as Milwaukee County executive". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  2. "Wisconsin spring election results". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. April 13, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  3. Bice, Daniel (April 14, 2020). "State Sen. Chris Larson concedes to Rep. David Crowley in the Milwaukee County exec's race". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  4. "Rep. Hintz Statement on Rep. Crowley's Final Day in the State Assembly" (PDF). Office of Representative Gordon Hintz (Press release). Madison, Wisconsin. June 18, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020 – via The Wheeler Report.
  5. "Taylor easily defeats Barnes in primary". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. August 9, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  6. "Rep. David Crowley announces bid for Milwaukee County Executive". Crowley for Milwaukee (Press release). Milwaukee. November 4, 2019 – via Milwaukee Courier.
  7. Spicuzza, Mary; Dirr, Alison (October 16, 2019). "In a reversal, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele announces he will not seek re-election". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  8. Glauber, Bill; Dirr, Alison (February 18, 2020). "Chris Larson, David Crowley advance to April 7 election in Milwaukee County executive race". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  9. Bice, Daniel (February 19, 2020). "Bice: Winners and losers on a strong election night for African American candidates". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  10. Bice, Daniel (March 31, 2020). "Bice: Chris Abele-funded group has spent staggering $755,000 for David Crowley and other preferred candidates". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  11. Dirr, Alison (May 4, 2020). "David Crowley sworn in as next Milwaukee County executive". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  12. Dirr, Alison (May 5, 2020). "Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley to resign seat in state Assembly". Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  13. Canvass Results for 2016 Partisan Primary - 8/9/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. September 30, 2016. p. 25. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  14. Canvass Results for 2016 General Election - 11/8/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. December 22, 2016. p. 12. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  15. 2020 Spring Primary (Report). Milwaukee County Election Commission. February 18, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  16. 2020 Spring Election and Presidential Preference Vote (PDF) (Report). Milwaukee County Election Commission. April 21, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.


Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by
La Tonya Johnson		 Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 17th district
January 3, 2017 – June 18, 2020		 Vacant
Political offices
Preceded by
Chris Abele		 County Executive of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
May 4, 2020 – present		 Incumbent
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