Democrat David Crowley held a narrow lead over Republican Tom Tiffany in the first poll of the Wisconsin governor race released since the two candidates won their primaries earlier in August. Wisconsin’s gubernatorial contest is poised to be one of the most competitive of the 2026 midterm elections. Incumbent Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, is retiring at the end of his term, leaving open a seat in one of the most closely divided swing states.
Tiffany, a congressman backed by President Donald Trump, easily won the GOP nomination—but Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, narrowly eked out a victory over democratic socialist state Representative Francesca Hong in the Democratic primary. The new poll from Platform Communications, first reported by Wisconsin Public Radio, showed Crowley up 4 points over Tiffany, 48 percent to 44 percent. Wisconsin voters viewed Crowley more favorably, with a +17 net favorability rating: 43 percent viewed him positively and 26 percent negatively.
Tiffany’s favorability sat at -5 points, with 38 percent viewing him favorably and 43 percent unfavorably. The poll surveyed 500 likely voters from August 12-13, 2026. The race is competitive, but Crowley has a slight advantage, Henrik Schatzinger, a professor of political science at Ripon College, told Newsweek on Tuesday.
He said four points is a “lead” but “not a cushion.” “Wisconsin is still closely divided, but Democrats have performed well in recent statewide races. Crowley starts the general election in a solid position,” Schatzinger said. He said Democrats have handled the aftermath of the primary “quite well.” “The Democratic primary was a roller coaster, but the general election began with something closer to a group hug.
Now the question is whether Democrats can turn that hug into turnout. Hong has already helped Crowley build the bridge back to progressives. The question is whether her voters cross it in November,” he said.
Tiffany responded to the poll in a statement to Newsweek, writing that he is “focused on lowering taxes, cutting costs, and letting Wisconsin families keep more of their hard-earned money.” “David Crowley nearly doubled Milwaukee County’s sales tax, raised property taxes, and oversaw spending that has left the county facing massive deficits. The more voters see his record, the clearer the choice becomes: he failed Milwaukee County, and we cannot let him fail Wisconsin,” he said. Crowley, meanwhile, said in a statement that Wisconsin voters “agree that Congressman Tom Tiffany and his MAGA agenda are too extreme for the Badger State.” “That’s why working families across Wisconsin are joining our movement to defeat Congressman Tiffany, who has spent nearly 20 years as a career politician trying to push our state backwards.
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