Wisconsin Democrats are planning a unity tour with their new ticket immediately after today’s primary, as they try to turn the page on a chaotic governor’s primary — and brace to potentially defend a democratic socialist in November.
The plans include a breakfast with the nominees for governor and lieutenant governor Wednesday morning in Middleton and a unity rally in Milwaukee in the evening that will include state party leaders and some of the congressional delegation, according to three people with direct knowledge of the matter, granted anonymity to share not-yet-public plans. The tour will then hit stops across the state over the next four days.
The race has divided Democrats amid a struggle between progressive Francesca Hong and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who’s backed by current Gov. Tony Evers. Crowley and Evers have both argued that a Hong victory risks handing the governor’s mansion to Donald Trump acolyte Rep. Tom Tiffany.
Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Mark Pocan — who both stayed neutral in the governor primary — will attend the breakfast, according to the three people and a notice sent by the party late Tuesday. State party chair Devin Remiker will join nominees on the tour. And Crowley is likely to attend the Milwaukee rally even if he loses, according to two people close to him.
It’s still unclear whether Evers will attend the unity tour. The governor in an interview last Friday declined to commit to endorsing or campaigning with Hong, should she win.
“I want to have a chance to take a breath, and once that’s in a position, we’ll see,” Evers said in an interview last Friday in Sheboygan. “But I anticipate that David will win,” he added.
Democrats expect he’ll feel compelled to help his party reunite — and that his help will be badly needed, especially if Hong prevails. Democratic officials in the state have worried she will need an infusion of more experienced staff — people who have run other major races in the battleground state — to bolster her campaign.
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