Updated Endorsements for the 2026 Wisconsin Primary: Dual Endorsements for Governor

Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses these candidates in the August 11 Wisconsin Primary Election.

Governor’s Race: David Crowly and Kelda Roys

Being governor is an extraordinarily complex and difficult job managing a $100 billion budget to best serve Wisconsin’s approximately six million residents. Being governor is definitely not a job for amateurs. To successfully serve the six million Wisconsinites, the governor needs to have hands on managerial experience, understand complex financial decisions and have the respect of members from both chambers of the legislature so he or she can get their legislation passed and to the governor’s desk for signature.

Dual Endorsements

The Shepherd encourages our readers to consider supporting either Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley or State Senator Kelda Roys. They are both very experienced and qualified, and either one could do a good job as governor. The winner of the August 11 primary will face Republican Tom Tiffany who is 100% with Donald Trump. Tiffany enthusiastically supported Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill which cut taxes for the millionaires and billionaires and added an estimated $3.4 trillion to our national debt while making the largest ever federal cuts to health care, educational programs and food assistance programs.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley 

David Crowley’s life history is a classic American success story. He grew up in the inner-city of Milwaukee and his parents struggled with narcotics addiction issues. As a child he saw his family suffer the trauma and humiliation of three home evictions.  On an upbeat note, Crowley’s parents recovered from their addiction issues. As a very smart child, he quickly learned that “grit, resilience, and hope for a better future tomorrow can carry us through even the toughest challenges.” Crowley graduated from Bay View High School and UWM. He is the classic self-made man. He held a few public service nonprofit jobs building community and then was elected twice to the state assembly. In 2020 during the pandemic, Crowley was elected Milwaukee county executive. He is married with three children.

David Crowley was straight forward about something all voters should know. “The Republican Governors Association is bankrolling millions right now, not to attack a Democrat, but to boost one, because they’ve decided which Democratic nominee they can beat in November. We cannot let the GOP choose the Democratic nominee they can beat in November.” Crowley continued, “Democrats cannot afford to head into the general election with a nominee who lacks the experience, the record, or the coalition necessary to win, especially with Republicans actively trying to hand us that outcome. This election is too important to gamble on.”

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 As Milwaukee County Executive, Crowley inherited a county in some disarray after several years of a weak county executive leaving the county with a number of problems. Crowley has done more than just discuss these problems, he immediately worked to start solving them. For example, he strengthened public health, invested in public safety and delivered some tax relief. Milwaukee County provides the largest amount of tax revenue to the State of Wisconsin. It is definitely a donor rather than a recipient of revenues to the state.

Please consider supporting Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley for Governor.

Wisconsin State Senator Kelda Roys

Kelda Roys was born and spent her early years in Taylor County. Her family moved to Madison when she was starting first grade, and she continued in Madison public schools graduating from Madison East High School. She went to New York University and graduated in three years. She returned to Madison and graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School. She is married and has five children. Kelda is serving in her second term in the state senate and previously served two terms in the state assembly.

After law school, she spent four years as executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin getting important management experience. In the legislature, one of her first bills that became law was the bill that prohibited baby bottles and sippy cups that contained Bisphenol A. Over a decade ago, Kelda was one of the first legislators in the country to call for abolishing ICE. She was also one of the first to refuse corporate PAC money. She is very strong advocate for education and is currently being endorsed by Wisconsin’s largest teacher’s union, WEAC.

Some progressives talk about great ideas but have few, if any, actual accomplishments that improve the lives of the average working families. Kelda gets things done.

Please consider supporting State Senator Kelda Roys for Governor

Publisher's Note on the Governor's Race

We originally endorsed Sara Rodriguez for governor. She is a very qualified person with an impressive history and breadth of experience that we felt would have made her a great governor. There were also a couple of other very qualified individuals running for governor who she narrowly edged out for our endorsement. Unfortunately, shortly after our endorsement, Rodriguez discovered that her campaign manager represented seriously inaccurate financial numbers on her state campaign finance report. Rodriguez took responsibility for the inaccuracies, fired her campaign manager, and then withdrew from the race. We hope she will consider running in an election again since she has a lot to offer Wisconsin.

Rodriguez’s exit from the race left five individuals vying for the Democratic Party nomination for governor. After spending a few days in many Zoom meetings, phone calls and serious research re-evaluating the qualifications, experience and electability of the remaining five candidates, the Shepherd Express is making a dual endorsement.

Congressional Races

The Shepherd Express endorses Democrat Rebecca Cooke for the 3rd Congressional District

The 3rd Congressional District which runs along the Mississippi River from the Illinois border to a little north of Eau Claire is Wisconsin’s Republican held congressional seat where Democrats can have an impact on the national scene. The Democrats need to flip a net three seats to gain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Western Wisconsin voters can make a real difference if they defeat perhaps the worst congressperson, Derrick Van Orden, Wisconsin has had in recent history. Democrat Rebecca Cooke almost ousted him in 2024 but unfortunately was heavily outspent by rightwing out-of-state money and money buys negative advertising. The national Democrats seem to have learned a lesson and are currently helping her raise money.

Currently the Third District residents are suffering under poor representation by Van Orden who is a cheerleader for President Trump and his damaging policies. Gas and grocery costs are rising, health care is being cut, and billions of taxpayer dollars are wasted on Middle East wars. Van Orden repeatedly voted to cut Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act which is seriously hurting his constituents while cutting taxes for the rich, especially the super-rich. He supports war with Iran and did nothing to prevent gas prices rising at the pump, while district dairy families go out of business and local hospitals face bankruptcy.

If elected to replace Van Orden, Rebecca Cooke will fight to reverse his health cuts and restore medical coverage, work to reduce gas prices, and stop wasting taxes on Middle East conflicts. She will help return control of the House of Representatives to the working people and away from the special interests. Polling shows Cooke in a very close lead. Republicans recently flew President Trump and HHS Secretary Kennedy into the District in a desperate try to save Van Orden.

Please vote for Rebecca Cooke if you live on the west side of Wisconsin. If you don’t live in the district and want to help, contact her campaign and do some door-to-door canvassing in western Wisconsin. It’s lovely in the Fall when the leaves are changing colors.

Re-Elect Gwen Moore to the 4th Congressional District

The Shepherd strongly endorses Congresswoman Gwen Moore for re-election to Congress. She has served Milwaukee in the U.S. Congress since 2005, and she gets re-elected for two reasons. Gwen is in tune with her constituents and invariably supports and votes the position of the majority of the people in her district. Secondly, she and her staff are very responsive to the needs of her constituents and the problems and challenges many of them face.

Please Support Representative Gwen Moore for re-election to congress.

State Assembly Endorsements

8th Assembly District: Ismael Luna

The Shepherd is strongly endorsing Ismael Luna for State Representative in 8th Assembly district which encompasses Historic Mitchell Street neighborhood, Walker’s Point Historic District and Lincoln Village. Luna is a community advocate and nonprofit professional who grew up on the South Side. He had a tough upbringing, becoming homeless at age 14. He persevered and worked hard and now works as a community advocate on the South Side. He works at a shelter helping people who are experiencing homelessness find a stable housing situation.

If elected to the Assembly, Luna would focus on fully funding public schools, working to make health care more affordable, making housing more available and repairing our city streets which are destroying our cars.

Please vote for Ismael for State Assembly on August 11.

19th Assembly District: Ryan Clancy

The Shepherd enthusiastically endorses Ryan Clancy who is running for re-election in his very liberal district that includes the East Side and Bayview. He is very popular in his district because he is willing to fight for the social justice issues his district cares about. He identifies as a democratic socialist and tries to live his politics. He served in the Peace Corps. He has taught as a substitute teacher in Milwaukee and worked as an organizer for the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association. Clancy is also willing to put himself at risk such as the time in 2003 when he traveled to Iraq to protest what he correctly predicted was going to be a US invasion.

We could go on with a list of the many noble causes he has publicly fought for, but the bottom line is that he is a very good fit for his district and deserves to be re-elected.

Please Vote for Ryan Clancy for re-election to Wisconsin’s 19th Assembly District on August 11.

21st Assembly District: Dan Bukiewicz

The Shepherd strongly endorses Dan Bukiewicz for State Representative in the 21st Assembly District. For the past 12 years, he has been the President of the Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council representing over 15,000 union tradeswomen and tradesmen. He is also in his third term as mayor of Oak Creek after serving five terms as an alderperson. He obviously does well in his jobs since he continues to get re-elected. We believe he would be a very good addition to the Milwaukee County delegation in the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Please vote for Dan Bukiewicz for State Representative in the 21st Assembly District on August 11.

61st Assembly District: Ben Brist

The Shepherd enthusiastically endorses Ben Brist for State Assembly in the 61st Assembly District. He was raised in a family that believed in public service. Ben graduated from West Point and Army Ranger School and then served as an Army paratrooper and infantry officer. After the service, he received a graduate degree from Harvard and then returned to his home state of Wisconsin and found the community where he and his wife plan to build a family.  He is running for State Assembly to continue his desire to serve the public. Right now, Brist sees the most important issue being Affordability. A large percentage of our population who have full-time jobs are having trouble just making ends meet. In the richest country in the world, if you work hard at a full-time job, Ben strongly believes that one should be able to live at least a modest middle-class life.

Please vote for Ben Brist for State Representative in the 61st Assembly District on August 11.