Closer to Home

August 6, 2026

This morning, the AP website published an article about the Democratic gubernatorial primary in Wisconsin next Tuesday. The article mentions only two candidates: David Crowley and Francesca Hong. It focuses on the whole “establishment” vs. “progressive” thing, and who will be more “electable” in November. The article completely omits the other two candidates who are still in the race: Joel Brennan and Kelda Roys. This omission presents an inaccurate picture of the race and is unfair to Brennan and Roys. They are serious contenders and at least as well qualified as Hong and Crowley. It’s also questionable as supposedly unbiased journalism.

Brennan and Roys may be low in the polls, but that doesn’t mean voters should count them out. In the last Marquette Poll, released on July 29, about 32% of voters were still undecided. That was before the debate, before the town hall on data centers, and before Mandela Barnes dropped out. And as we saw in Michigan’s primary this week, election results don’t always reflect the polls. El‑Sayed was way ahead of Stevens in the polls, but beat her by only one point.

Also in Michigan, in a Republican primary race for a House seat, Thomas Smith, who had dropped out of the race, but whose name still appeared on the ballot, won the race with 50% of the votes. Smith defeated Al Lemmo, whom he had endorsed, and Amir Hassan, whom Trump had endorsed.

Lessons learned: take poll numbers with a grain of salt, and don’t count out anyone whose name appears on the ballot. It ain’t over ’til the last vote is counted.

The important thing is that the people, the voters, choose their candidates. So do your homework and get to know all the candidates. Watch debates, town halls, and interviews; read what’s on their websites. Make an informed decision. The constituents decide whom they want to represent them, and the parties need to keep their noses out of the primaries.

But after the primary, then the Democratic party must back the winner 100% for the midterm election. If they do not, and Tom Tiffany wins, the Democratic party will be to blame, and rightly so. And in November, everyone who does not want Tiffany to win—Democrats of all stripes, independents, and disaffected Republicans—must vote for the Democratic candidate. It’s the only way to stymie Trump while he’s still in office.


AP article: https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-michigan-democrat-socialist-hong-crowley-0bce50eb0e4b49f33aeae42f0f58578e

Debate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHGvHPb46Q0

Town hall on data centers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqmH8L0VVdQ

WisconsinEye Kelda Roys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzcLZex9ddU

WisconsinEye Francesca Hong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdAVPGONURk

WisconsinEye Joel Brennan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoVPHAXsXz0

WisconsinEye David Crowley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re7ueNCl2lE

Republican race in MI: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/05/republican-trump-rival-michigan-primary