12 Takeaways from Wisconsin’s Discombobulating Democratic Primary (NO PAYWALL)
FREE VERSION: Our post-election deep-dive breakdown on everything from David Crowley's comeback to Francesca Hong's campaign to the looming electability question and everything in between.
The Recombobulation Area is a 19-time 21-TIME! Milwaukee Press Club award-winning opinion column and online publication founded by Milwaukee journalist Dan Shafer.
This is the free version of Dan Shafer’s deep-dive mega-breakdown of the election results from Wisconsin’s Aug. 11 partisan primary. Read the full column with all 12 takeaways here.
This column will feature a standalone post for each individual “takeaway,” conveniently rounded up here in one place, with shareable links for each. The full version for subscribers was published Friday, Aug. 14.
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The Aug. 11 partisan primary has come to an end. David Crowley pulled off a remarkable comeback victory to win the Democratic nomination.
But there’s much more going on, to learn from, to analyze, to break down, as we reflect on the results of this discombobulating Democratic primary.
We’ve livestreamed, we’ve podcasted, we’ve covered the news, we’ve taken photos, video, and posted all over.
Now, it’s time — as per tradition here at the Recombobulation Area — to really dive in.
These are our 12 takeaways from the primary. Let’s recombobulate.
1. Like the phoenix, Crowley’s campaign rises from the ashes
Thirty-five days after David Crowley ended his campaign, he formally accepted the Democratic nomination in another place known for coming back in the face of adversity -- the Sherman Phoenix.
2. Do not underestimate Tony Evers
The governor went all-in for David Crowley — and it worked.
3. Francesca Hong is a legend
She may have come up just short, but every last statewide campaign going forward is going to be learning something from the wildcard who out-hustled the field.
4. The echoes of David Crowley’s 2020 county executive election win in his 2026 primary victory
As the saying goes, history does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes. There are some similar stanzas in Crowley’s 2020 victory in Milwaukee County as in his win to become the Democratic nominee.
5. Waukesha County remains crucial
The suburban county was a critical piece of David Crowley’s victory in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.
6. Did Kelda Roys win Dane County votes that could have gone to Francesca Hong?
The State Senator from Madison outperformed her statewide vote share of 7.5% in one key part of the state -- Dane County, where she gained 11%.
7. Let Her Cooke: The now-Democratic nominee in the 3rd Congressional District wins big in primary
It’s going to be “Van Orden vs. Cooke: Part II” in western Wisconsin, in a district that could determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
8. WISGOP-endorsed candidates fall flat in August primary
The Republican Party of Wisconsin endorsed candidates in statewide races for Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State. Both lost.
9. We desperately need to fix Milwaukee’s central count process
The votes were counted accurately in the end. Legislative Republicans keep blocking an obvious, important fix. But there still needs to be more accountability in Milwaukee.
10. 5 takeaways from downballot results in Wisconsin’s August primary
There were many competitive primaries in state legislative elections, particularly in the Milwaukee area, where incumbent Sylvia Ortiz-Velez lost big and Democratic challenger Ben Brist won in the primary to take on Bob Donovan.
11. The moment in Wisconsin’s Democratic primary campaign that changed everything
The full story of Wisconsin’s discombobulating Democratic primary cannot be told without the key turning point — the campaign finance crisis that derailed Sara Rodriguez’s campaign.
12. David Crowley, Francesca Hong, and the electability conundrum
Yet another conversation about the top two candidates in Wisconsin’s Democratic primary being unfortunately oversimplified.
ICYMI: Revisit more of our coverage of Wisconsin’s Aug. 11 partisan primary here:
Dan Shafer’s work this week has been referenced nationwide, from places like The Guardian, HuffPost and beyond.
Dan Shafer is an independent journalist from Milwaukee who writes and publishes The Recombobulation Area. He worked with Civic Media from 2024 to 2026. He’s written for The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Heartland Signal, Belt Magazine, WisPolitics, and Milwaukee Record. He previously worked at Seattle Magazine, Seattle Business Magazine, the Milwaukee Business Journal, Milwaukee Magazine, and BizTimes Milwaukee. He’s won 24 Milwaukee Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards. He’s on Twitter at @DanRShafer.
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