Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley’s early‑morning primary win may be official, but the path he took to get there, the polling gap, the drop‑out drama, the establishment ties, the unanswered ethical questions and legitimate concerns about whether he’s prepared to lead the state of Wisconsin.
Crowley’s behavior throughout this race was erratic. He dropped out, endorsed a candidate who wasn’t properly vetted, then jumped back in only after being urged by political allies.
That pattern matters. It signals hesitation, lack of conviction, and an unwillingness to face a challenge until external pressure forces his hand. If he didn’t want the challenge then, why should voters trust him with it now?
His campaign presence was so shaky that Governor Tony Evers practically had to hold his hand through recent public appearances. Wisconsin doesn’t need an Evers wannabe administration. We need someone who stands on their own two feet.
Crowley still hasn’t deactivated his old X account, “Dirt McGirk @No_pork_plz.” If others wrote these offensive tweets, why hasn’t he taken the account down?
If he had no control over the content, why leave it online during a campaign?
If he wants to lead Wisconsin, why not show basic accountability?
Leadership means taking full responsibility for what you can control. Leaving that account up signals negligence and avoidance. Neither inspires confidence. Neither reflects accountability. Neither reflects the kind of judgment Wisconsinites deserve.
Crowley has dismissed concerns about being labeled the “establishment candidate,” even calling the label racist. But the fundraising trail tells a different story. His fundraising paints a picture of “pay to play” access.
He’s taken hundreds of thousands from special interest groups, including $350,000 from organizations building data centers.
He was the only candidate who refused to repeal the $2 billion tax cut for data centers, a tax cut even Tom Tiffany doesn’t support.
He backed Governor Evers’ budget surplus bill, which was bipartisan but deeply flawed.
The bill shortchanged Milwaukee and some of our needed programs. He didn’t negotiate. He didn’t push back. He simply aligned himself with the establishment and called it leadership.
Under Crowley’s watch, Wisconsin enacted Act 12. While the law included some strong provisions such as restoring School Resource Officers, it also ended “Right‑to‑Counsel” funding for residents facing eviction.
Milwaukee’s Right‑to‑Counsel program provided free legal representation for residents facing evictions.
Milwaukee has one of the highest eviction rates in the country, especially in Black communities. The County has not found replacement funding.
This wasn’t a minor loss. These were protections for vulnerable people. Crowley did not fight to preserve them.
Meanwhile, the county is spending hundreds of thousands on a PR firm to promote the nearly $1 billion courthouse project, branded as “Investing in Justice: Courthouse Complex.” Crowley is seeking state help, but ultimately all taxpayers will carry the burden.
The Heartland Post also reported on the county budget.
“There is a budget deficit, despite Crowley’s claims of a “balanced budget.” The county faces a projected $47 million deficit in 2026 and a $168 million shortfall by 2031.”
Those numbers aren’t small. They’re structural. And they’re happening under Crowley’s watch.
The Heartland Post also reminded people about the county healthcare scandal.
“Milwaukee County allowed a $450 million UnitedHealthcare contract to lapse without notifying the County Board.
The contract covered benefits for the county’s 5,000-plus employees and county retirees.
The Benefits Director was fired but residents still ask how did oversight fail so badly? Who else was responsible?”
County employees lost healthcare for about a month. Crowley did not respond in a timely fashion. He pivoted and was evasive with his actions during that period. When did he find out, and what immediate steps did he take to correct the problem?
Crowley created a DEI office and implemented a Racial Equity Budget Tool. Critics argue the tool could disadvantage businesses deemed “too white,” raising legitimate concerns about fairness, transparency, and statewide applicability.
Do voters want this system expanded statewide? What businesses would be prioritized, and which might be left behind?
Crowley’s win may be official, but the questions surrounding his leadership are not resolved. He has not won the trust of the most of people he wants to govern. We see through his failed leadership.
Wisconsin deserves a governor who is transparent, steady, accountable, and independent. We do not want someone who wavers, deflects, and leans on establishment backing while claiming to be an outsider.
Nothing in Crowley’s record suggests he’s ready for the weight of statewide leadership. The mismanagement, contradictions, establishment ties, policy failures, and ethical lapses laid out here demand answers.
Wisconsin cannot afford a governor who wavers when pressure rises, who dodges accountability when mistakes surface, who leans on establishment backing while insisting he’s an outsider, and who shrinks from responsibility when residents need answers the most.
We deserve better than evasive answers, PR advertising, budget crises, and vanished protections
Wisconsin has every right to question whether David Crowley and Dirt McGirk should ever be anywhere near the governor’s office.
The Heartland Post has documented, the receipts are there. The pattern is there. The consequences are real.
And the stakes for Wisconsin could not be higher.
