The Recombobulation Area is a 21-time Milwaukee Press Club award-winning opinion column and online publication founded by Milwaukee journalist Dan Shafer.
David Crowley has made history as Wisconsin’s first Black governor. He was asked about this at his first press conference as Governor-elect. Here’s what he said:
“I didn’t run to be the first black governor. I didn’t run to make history. If anything, I want to make child poverty history. I want to make income inequality history. I want every young kid, no matter what ZIP code that they live in or what their last name they may have or a kid who may be facing eviction, I want them to dream and understand that they too can work hard, be kind and build relationships where you may be elected to move into the governor’s residence as I am. And while I understand the historical nature, my job is making sure we deliver for the people. People have been hurting. They’ve been suffering. They don’t feel like there’s an end in sight when it comes down to prosperity and being able to keep a little bit more money in their pocketbooks and being able to save for a vacation. My focus is on them, whether you live in an urban community like Milwaukee or whether you live in a farm community or rural community like Kewaunee or in Wausau. We’ve got to deliver for the Wisconsin folks who call this state home because they’ve been hurting so much. This was not about making history. This is about making sure we can move forward just like our state motto says.”
For many reasons, Crowley will bring a perspective to the governor’s office like no one who has ever held the role before. He is a groundbreaking leader, making history here in this election. Like he said, he didn’t run to make history, but this sure is something that is going to resonate for people across generations.
His personal story is an incredible one, too, and he made mention of this in his victory speech.
“A boy who grew up facing eviction will now live in the governor’s residence,” he said.
Perhaps the goal might not be to make history, as Crowley himself said, but that doesn’t make this history any less important. This is something that people will look back on as a momentous achievement in Wisconsin’s history. What a remarkable Milwaukee story — one that will now be told for generations to come.
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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