Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
David Crowley (Wisconsin politician)
American politician, Milwaukee County Executive From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
David C. Crowley (born May 14, 1986) is an American politician and the current county executive of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, since May 2020. He is the first African American to serve as the county's top official, and also the youngest (having taken office at age 33).[1] He previously served 3 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the west side of the city of Milwaukee from January 2017 to June 2020.[2][3][4]
Remove ads
Early life and education
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, but left to pursue politics before obtaining a degree.[1] Crowley later completed his degree at Milwaukee, earning a bachelor's degree in Community Engagement and Education in 2024[5]
Remove ads
Political career
Summarize
Perspective
While attending college, he began working in politics as a campaign organizer for U.S. Senator Russ Feingold's 2010 re-election campaign. After the election, he took a job as a legislative aide to Milwaukee County supervisor Nikiya Harris Dodd. When Harris Dodd was elected to the Wisconsin Senate in 2012, Crowley suspended his education to work as her policy director at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin.[1]
Crowley made his first attempt 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 Assembly member 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.[6] 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.[7][8] 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.[9][10] 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.[11] 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.[12] 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][13]
In January 2021, Crowley was named to the Milwaukee Business Journal's "40 under 40" class of 2021.[14] He was easily re-elected in 2024, defeating perennial candidate Ieshuh Griffin.[15][16]
In 2024 and 2025, the Wisconsin political class began speculating about whether Governor Tony Evers—then in his early 70s—would run for a third term; Crowley was considered a potential candidate to succeed him.[17] Evers formally announced on July 24, 2025, that he would not run for re-election in the 2026 election. Shortly after that announcement, Crowley announced he was exploring a gubernatorial campaign.[18]
Remove ads
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.[7]
Electoral history
Milwaukee City Council (2016)
Wisconsin Assembly (2016, 2018)
Milwaukee County Executive (2020)
Remove ads
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads