Crowley holds narrow four-point edge over Tiffany in Wisconsin governor poll
A poll of 500 likely Wisconsin voters finds Democratic candidate David Crowley ahead of Republican Tom Tiffany by four points, with a larger margin among independents.
A survey of 500 likely general-election voters in Wisconsin conducted on Aug. 12-13 shows Democratic nominee David Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive, leading Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany by four percentage points, 48% to 44% overall. The poll, commissioned by Platform Communications, a firm founded by former Republican strategist Keith Gilkes and Democratic strategist Tanya Bjork, also indicates a wider gap among independents, where 42% favor Crowley and 30% support Tiffany. Crowley’s strongest backing came from Democrats and college-educated voters, while Tiffany performed best among Republicans and voters without a college degree.
"What we’re seeing here is a very tight general election matchup," said Platform Communications CEO Brian Reisinger, noting the poll’s margin of error of ±4.4 points. He added that Crowley’s modest lead reflects a post-primary boost, while Tiffany remains competitive in an evenly divided state.
Favorability ratings show Crowley with a net-positive score (43% favorable, 26% unfavorable) and Tiffany with a net-negative rating (38% favorable, 43% unfavorable). Among independents, both candidates’ favorability declined, though Crowley retained a positive balance while Tiffany’s negative rating widened.
The poll also asked respondents about party preference in a generic Wisconsin Assembly race, finding 47% favor Democrats and 44% favor Republicans overall; among independents, 41% preferred Democrats versus 32% for Republicans. Reisinger linked these results to broader midterm trends that typically benefit the party not holding the White House.