You can just talk to me.
If there's a major issue then
we can well we can edit, but
otherwise don't worry about it.
We'll just have a conversation here.
All right. Well David Crowley,
thanks for joining us.
So happy to be here. Thank you for
having me.
So for voters who don't know you,
give us the thirty second elevator
pitch. Introduce yourself and
why are you running?
Well, I'm a I'm a husband, I'm a
father, I'm the Milwaukee County
executive and a lifelong
Wisconsinites.
And I was born and raised in the
city of Milwaukee and I know there's
so much that our entire state
has to offer. And so I'm running
for governor 'cause I believe in the
state. I believe in its people.
But more importantly, I know how to
deliver results.
And I know that there are a lot of
people who are dealing with the
affordability crisis.
And you know, there are many
families who are getting less, even
if they're making more need to t
more money today.
And so with life getting more
expensive and families getting
strees, it doesn't mean that we
can't help Wisconsinites out, and
that's where I'm running for governor
to be a governor for all of us.
Is there a single issue that drives
you, or perhaps a lane within the
Democratic Party that defines you?
Well, I think th through the
affordability crisis specifically,
right? Uh 'cause things are
rising in costs, whether we're
talking housing, whether we're
talking groceries, we're seeing it
the utilities, and and people are
seeing the rising of inflation under
this current administration.
And they want somebody who's going
to be there for them.
Not not just the governor who's
going to listen, but who's built
solutions from the ground up, who's
going to make sure that people are
at the table who are directly
impacted by the issues we face
to make sure that they can be a part
of the decision making at the same
time.
How much money do you need to raise
in order to be competitive and win
this primary?
Well, I'll be the first to tell you
that it's it's unfortunate how much
money is being spent in elections
to this day.
We're we've seen that we have been
breaking many, many different
records when it comes down to
campaign spending.
We've seen that in the two Supreme
Court races here locally.
But I d also don't think that we
should play behind the eight ball.
And so I'm going to continue to
fundraise here locally to
make sure that we have enough
resources to get us over not just
the the primary election, but to get
us through the general as well.
We haven't seen a competitive
democratic primary in a while.
Do you think you'll be able to
compete against your other
democratic opponents in terms of
fundraising?
Well, I think it's it's great for
our democracy to have this many
amount of candidates in in this
race, right? Gives our voters the
options that, you know, what is the
agenda that folks are going to be
putting on the table.
And and I do think that this is
gonna be good for our democracy, but
it's also gonna make the nominee
that much better.
And so my job is to make sure
that I'm continuously knocking on
doors, making as many phone calls as
possible to in order to earn
every single vote that is out.
When it comes to a primary like
this, what is the line for you
personally between negative
campaigning against a member of your
own party versus defining
maybe some flaws or some issue
differences between you and an
opponent?
You know, these elections there are
are opportunities for the electorate
to know who each person is.
And so we're gonna just stick to the
facts, stick to the things that you
know we have done on this on this
campaign trail, what I have done as
the Markey County executive.
This isn't about mudslinging.
This is really about focusing on how
we are going to deliver results
for those that we represent.
No matter if you live in an urban,
suburban, or rural area.
This is about how to make sure that
we're gonna make life easier for
those families, for those
individuals, for those workers every
single day. And that's what we're
gonna focus on because that's what
matters. That's not a Republican or
a Democratic agenda, it's about the
Wisconsin agenda.
So for voters who only care
about winning of seeing their party
win, do you think they should be
focusing more on the issues that
candidates represent or simply
electability?
Well, we gotta focus on on both.
We gotta focus on the issues that
are are are affecting communities
all across this entire state.
But we also need someone who who
has experience. You know, I bring
a very unique executive leadership,
spending seven years in the state
capitol, but also serving as
the county executive for the past
five years. And so I'm the only
candidate in this race that has
experience in the legislature, but
actually running a government,
balancing billion dollar budgets
and really tackling the issues
head on. So I think it's a it's a
combination of both.
But it's about how do we continue
again to step outside of our comfort
zone, go all across the entire
state of Wisconsin to let voters
know what we're putting on the
table.
Most of the Democrats in this race
have connections either to Madison
or Milwaukee.
How do you reach the rest of this
state? Rural Wisconsin, outstate
Wisconsin?
Well, I think it's no secret.
I'm uniquely positioned to bring
out more Democratic votes out of
Milwaukee County than than any other
candidate in this race, especially
winning with eighty-five percent of
the vote with my last reelection
just in twenty twenty-four.
But it's about showing up.
Folks want a governor who's going to
listen, who's gonna be there for
them, and make sure that they're at
the table when it comes down to
figuring out those solutions.
And I'm the only candidate that has
the that has a proven track record
that I can deliver on the things
that we're talking about throughout
the campaign trail.
In twenty twenty-three, you know,
I worked together to build a
coalition all across the state of
Wisconsin, building stakeholders,
government, business leaders,
to pass Act twelve, which allowed
for more money to come from
Madison to go to every local
municipality, no matter its size, so
they can invest in things that
matter for them.
Things like fire, police,
housing, transportation,
the quality of life issues
that matter to those local
residents. And I'm going to continue
to do that as the next governor of
Wisconsin.
What impact do you think Donald
Trump will have on this primary
first of all and on the election in
general?
Well, I think that, you know, no
matter who is in the highest office
in the land, whether that's a
Democratic Joe Biden or
President Donald Trump, they're
going to put their thumb on on this
scale.
But I think it's extremely important
that it's not just about fighting
back against many of these dangerous
policies that we're seeing coming
out of Washington, D.C.
It's about what vision, what agenda
as Democrats are we going to put on
the table.
I know that I'm frustrated with
who's occupying the White House like
many others, but there also is
a healthy level of frustration with
Democrats and Republicans
not being able to put an agenda
on the table, not put bringing a
cohesive message to really energize
the base and put something, put
an alternative out there.
And we're going to do this on this
campaign, making sure that folks
understand that this is going
to be a a new campaign.
Whether you're a Democrat,
Republican, or an independent, don't
care about politics in general,
there's room on this campaign race
for you.
The Democratic field is an
incredibly diverse field of
candidates, but it seems like there
still must be some people in the
Democratic Party that are looking
for a white guy to run.
Is that a sentiment or why why is
that?
Well, I think that folks want to
make sure that we have, you know, as
many candidates out there as
possible to make sure that the
options are out there.
You know, whether there's a black,
white, or whatever color that
candidate it is, we need to be
focusing on the issues at
hand. That's about how do we make
sure that we're putting more money
in the pockets of families all
across the state?
How are we making sure that
childcare is not just accessible,
but it's affordable, that our public
schools have enough funding to make
sure they can take care of our
children and be the best cornerstone
of of learning for every
student that is out there.
That's what really matters.
And when it when I think about my
campaign, this is about making sure
that we bring as many people to
the table as possible, letting them
know that their voices will be heard
and they will have a seat when
it comes down to figuring out the
solutions for their community.
If elected as governor, you could
have a legislative majority in the
Democrats behind you.
What would your A B one be?
What do you want the first thing you
want to sign?
Well, the first thing I want to sign
is is is about you know how do we
really tackle this affordability
crisis? You know, I would love for
us to focus on affordable and
attainable housing in every corner
of of the state of Wisconsin.
I would like for us to focus on
fully funding our public schools,
making sure that there are good
paying jobs no matter
where they are in our state, and
making sure that our our young
people are ready for the jobs of
today and tomorrow.
I want Wisconsin to be
that healthy community, and not just
when it comes down to the physical
and mental health, but having
a home over a roof over your
head is health.
Having access to public
transportation is health.
Having access to clean water and
clean air is health.
And those are the things
these aren't partisan issues.
This is not a Milwaukee agenda, this
is not a Democratic or Republican
agenda, it's something that all
Wisconsinites can get behind.
Now it's also possible that the
Republicans still control one or
more houses in the assembl in the
legislature.
What's your track record for working
across the aisle?
You know, I spent seven years in in
the state capitol.
So, you know, having worked under
both Governor Evers administration
as well as Governor Walker's
administration, I've had to to
navigate these political landmines,
if you will.
And as the county executive of
Milwaukee County, I've worked with a
Republican-controlled legislature
not only to benefit Milwaukee, but
every community across the state
with the passage of Act 12,
but continue to work across the Yao,
even in this most recent budget
where we're going to receive
reimbursements for our
highway patrol, giving us
the ability to invest in our
public safety building, in our
courtrooms to make sure that we can
deliver justice for those who
need it and take care of those who
are in our care.
And so I'm going to always show up
and deliver for those that I
represent, and I want communities
all across the state to know I'm
gonna be a governor for everybody,
not just one party.
Right now the Public Service
Commission is looking at rate
increases across the state for
ratepayers.
There's data center proposals all
across that could up use more energy
and land. What's your policy?
What would you like to see happen as
far as data centers, utility
regulations to make sure that the
average rate payer doesn't be paying
for this?
I believe that we should have growth
happening here in the state of
Wisconsin. This is a great
opportunity to look at what this
economy looks like in the near
future. But that doesn't mean
that we have to give up the farm.
We also need to make sure that there
are environmental protections.
There are protecting the the the
environment that is around us, but
also protecting those individuals
who also live live in those
communities.
This is an opportunity for us to
utilize new technology,
leverage the legacy
industries that we have here locally
when you think about manufacturing
and agriculture and and water
technology and things of that nature
to really make it a community
benefit.
You know, bringing in the tech tech
centers and data centers and AIs
can be good, but we have to make
sure that we have those protections
in place while also making sure
that there's community benefits that
are going to be tied to
this level of development.
How do we utilize this
for our schools?
How do we utilize this to expand
broadband? How do we utilize
this to to to expand the access
that our entrepreneurs have in every
corner of the state of Wisconsin?
You've mef referenced increased
funding for public education.
Is that just more money or do you
think there needs to be an overall
overhaul in how the money gets
spread out to different districts?
I think in recent years we've all
seen how the state of Wisconsin has
has really backtracked on this
promise, not just to local
governments, but also our schools,
right? Local units of government,
cities, towns, villages, counties
aren't getting enough shared revenue
to pay for the services that are
either mandated by the state or
they know that they're they're their
residents care for every single day.
And the same goes for our our school
systems. We used to fund our
public schools to the tune of
two-thirds, and we no longer do
that. And now not just our teachers,
but our young people are hurting
every single day.
And I think that we need to actually
take a step back.
We need to take a step back and look
at not just our revenues, but how
we're spending money.
I think that we should put in place
a blue ribbon commission on taxes.
This isn't something, this is
something that hasn't happened since
the mid-80s, but this gives
an opportunity for university
officials to be at the table,
business leaders, government
folks, you know, just the public,
to have a a a transparent
conversation.
What's working in other states?
What can we bring here to make
sure that we have a system
of revenue and spending
that works for everyone and works
to the future?
What would you like to see in terms
of vouchers?
Obviously they started in Milwaukee.
Would you like to continue the
expansion? Should they be rolled
back?
I think one, we need to fully fund
our public school systems.
You cannot get rid of the voucher
system unless our schools are in the
place to actually educate all of
our our our students in every
community across Wisconsin.
And that means fully funding our
public school systems.
But any system that is
receiving public dollars should be
held to the same standards
of our public schools.
They need to be transparent, they
need to be held accountable, and
they need to make sure again to be
held to the same standards that
public schools are held to no matter
what community they're in in
Wisconsin.
Over the sorry
We gotta do that last question
again. Okay.
Just give me a second here.
It was that bad?
No, it was a very technical
difficulty. It's not unusual.
You say he'll take you seriously
when you say that.
He's a military guy.
No, no, you're fine, sir.
Just a card issue?
Yeah, must be.
Oh.
Too much turkey?
I guess.
That's got that tryptophane.
Yeah.
Overhead chocolate chip.
No.
What's it Bad.
So The punny
governors
to make sure we got what we thought
were recorded.
So Governor Evers plays Euchre
on election night. Do you have a
card game or what's your past the
time?
I have not thought about that.
I have ac I actually learned how to
play Euchre with the government.
Okay.
Really? Yeah.
Okay. It's a fun game.
It is a fun game.
When his
first his first election,
he would host game nights actually
in the mansion.
At the governor's mansion.
And that's when I actually learned
how to play Euchre.
Okay.
There was there were a number of
people I said girl.