The Capital Times published an admiring profile of Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley on July 8, just hours before he announced he was dropping out of the Democratic primary for governor.
An editor’s note was tacked on after Crowley’s campaign statement made clear he had no path to the nomination, but the outlet left the rest of the story untouched.
The piece leans heavily on Crowley’s self-described “boyhood nickname” of “Governor Crowley,” earned for serving elders at family gatherings. It portrays the 40-year-old as a pragmatic progressive shaped by a difficult upbringing on Milwaukee’s north side and positions him as a servant leader focused on expanding healthcare, housing programs and education funding. The profile also notes his support for raising the minimum wage and legalizing marijuana.
Crowley had entered the race with minimal support, polling at just 3 percent in one early survey and finishing near the bottom in a party straw poll. He ultimately concluded he could not win the Aug. 11 primary and stepped aside.
Despite the timing of his exit, the Capital Times ran the full profile rather than holding it or significantly updating it.
