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Two months ago, Wisconsin's governor race wasn't giving voters much to get excited about.
Like many Democrats, I couldn't decide who deserved my support.
Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany appeared to have a clear path to his party's nomination. On the Democratic side, the field was crowded, but no one had separated from the pack or given voters a compelling reason to rally behind them.
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Most of you know I'm a Democrat, though I tend to lean moderate.
That changed on June 22 when I co-moderated a gubernatorial candidate forum with Journal Sentinel political reporter Mary Spicuzza.
Until then, most of what I'd seen came from campaign speeches, television ads and carefully crafted talking points. But watching the candidates answer unscripted questions side-by-side gave me something campaign commercials never could.
By the end of the night, I had made up my mind. I'll tell you who earned my support in a moment.
First, though, it's worth understanding how dramatically this race has changed over the past week.
Not long ago, Democrats appeared to be coalescing behind one candidate to challenge Tiffany. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez announced a $1 million television advertising campaign. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley suspended his campaign, endorsed Rodriguez and urged the remaining Democratic candidates to unite behind her. State Rep. Francesca Hong has been leading in the polls, but "undecided" was still the top candidate.
Then everything fell apart.
Rodriguez acknowledged her campaign had overstated its finances after donations were double-counted and expenses underreported. Her campaign manager was fired. The full barrage of television ads never aired because the bills hadn't been paid, and Rodriguez dropped out of the race.
Days later, Crowley reversed course and jumped back in. By Saturday, he had secured the endorsement of outgoing Gov. Tony Evers, throwing the Democratic primary wide open and transforming what had been a quiet race into one of Wisconsin's most unpredictable political contests.
I made up my mind after community forum
As of July 21, five Democrats remain in the race: Crowley, Hong, State Sen. Kelda Roys, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and former state Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan.
When I co-moderated a gubernatorial forum hosted by WISDOM last month, I walked in undecided. Two hours later, I knew Crowley had earned my vote.
That isn't a knock on the other candidates. Barnes, Roys, Hong and Brennan all bring experience and ideas to the race. Reasonable Democrats can make a case for any of them.
Crowley simply made the strongest case to me. He didn't answer questions like someone interviewing for a promotion. He answered them like someone who has spent years making difficult decisions.
One exchange set him apart.
I asked the candidates about second chances. Crowley talked about his former deputy chief of staff, who was seeking a pardon after a felony child abuse conviction stemming from an altercation when he was 18 and the other person was 17.
At first, the conviction sounded disqualifying, but Crowley persuasively explained why he believed the circumstances mattered. He said the victim didn't want the young man's life defined by that one incident, yet the conviction followed him for years.
Crowley's point wasn't that everyone deserves a pardon. It was that justice requires looking at people as individuals instead of reducing them to the worst thing they've ever done. That answer reflected the kind of judgment I want in a governor.
His broader argument was straightforward: If you can successfully manage Wisconsin's largest county, you're prepared to manage the state.
That wasn't just a campaign line. It made sense.
Milwaukee County is a microcosm of Wisconsin. It includes affluent communities, neighborhoods struggling with poverty and everything in-between. Leading a county that diverse requires balancing competing interests, building consensus and making decisions that won't make everyone happy. Those are the same challenges every governor faces.
Crowley also has a strong record. He helped secure passage of Wisconsin Act 12, the bipartisan law that overhauled state-local revenue sharing and helped stabilize Milwaukee County's long-term finances. His administration also oversaw the largest property tax cut in county history, invested millions in affordable housing, lead abatement and mental health services, and secured funding to modernize the county's transit system.
Whether you agree with every decision or not, those are the kinds of governing choices a governor must make.
One decision especially stood out to me.
Crowley expanded the Office of African American Affairs into the Office of Equity, broadening its mission to serve older adults, veterans and residents from every community.
To me, that reflected a governing philosophy. Instead of narrowing the office's focus, he expanded it.
Not long ago, one of Milwaukee's Black elders asked why I supported Crowley instead of Barnes or another Democratic candidate.
My answer came quickly.
I wasn't looking for the best speech.
I was looking for the strongest record of governing.
That doesn't mean Crowley has gotten every decision right.
I was disappointed when he suspended his campaign and endorsed Rodriguez. It struck me as a decision made too quickly. Based on what later emerged about Rodriguez's campaign finances, I wish Crowley had stayed in the race and let Democratic voters make the decision at the ballot box.
If he's elected governor, I hope he'll show that same willingness to compete and fight through adversity when the stakes are high.
I've told Crowley's story before.
He grew up in one of Wisconsin's poorest ZIP codes. His parents struggled with addiction. His family was evicted several times. As a child, classmates teased him because of his dark skin and called him "Dirty."
For too many children, those hardships become barriers that last a lifetime.
Crowley didn't let them define him.
He became Milwaukee County's youngest and first Black county executive.
What I want in Wisconsin's next governor
I'm not here to knock the other candidates. Whoever wins this election will inherit a state facing real challenges, and I hope Wisconsin's next governor moves us forward.
I want a governor who will invest in affordable housing and fight to raise Wisconsin's minimum wage, which has remained at $7.25 an hour since 2009. During that same period, the cost of living has climbed by more than 55%, meaning paychecks that barely stretched then fall even shorter today.
I want someone who will attract new businesses while helping existing employers grow, strengthen public education, improve adult literacy and expand opportunities for people who have too often been left behind.
That also means investing in our most vulnerable children. If a child isn't safe or thriving at home, we shouldn't wait until they're caught up in the criminal justice system. Whether it's expanding mentoring programs, strengthening foster care or creating more residential schools that provide stability, education and support, Wisconsin should be willing to make those investments now instead of paying a much higher price later.
Most important, I don't want a governor whose first question is, "What does my party want?" I want one whose first question is, "What's best for Wisconsin?" If that means working with President Donald Trump, do it. If it means standing up to him, do that, too. A governor's first responsibility is to the people of Wisconsin, not to a political party.
I know the events of the past two weeks have been frustrating for many Democrats. Don't let them discourage you from voting.
I've met every Democratic candidate in this race. While I've decided to support David Crowley, I believe each of them wants what's best for Wisconsin.
I've told you why I reached my decision.
Now make your own.
Read about the candidates. Watch a debate. Attend a forum if you can. Challenge your own assumptions. Ask tough questions.
Then vote.
I walked into that forum undecided. I walked out supporting Crowley. I don't expect every voter to reach the same conclusion. I do hope they'll wrestle with the decision the way I did.
Because Wisconsin deserves governors chosen by informed citizens, not by people who stayed home on Election Day.
Reach James E. Causey at [email protected]; follow him on X @jecausey.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Candidate forum helped form my choice for Wisconsin governor | Opinion
