Wisconsin's Lone Governor Debate Puts Taxes, Abortion and the 2020 Election in the Spotlight
Wisconsin's open gubernatorial race produced its one and only televised debate Wednesday night, as Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, the Democrat, and U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican, squared off for roughly an hour at Marquette University Law School's Eckstein Hall in Milwaukee, hosted by WISN 12. It is Wisconsin's first open governor's race since 2010, with Gov. Tony Evers not seeking re-election.
Moderated by WISN 12 Political Director Matt Smith and "UPFRONT" co-host Gerron Jordan, the debate covered cost of living, taxes, education, data centers, immigration enforcement, election security, abortion and marijuana legalization. The two traded repeated jabs: Tiffany accused Crowley of dodging questions and shifting positions, while Crowley painted the congressman as aligned with former President Donald Trump.
Tiffany proposed a 10% income tax cut for families earning under $150,000, ending taxes on tips and overtime, and returning the state's roughly $3 billion surplus to taxpayers. He also said eliminating the individual income tax—which generated more than $10 billion last fiscal year, over 45% of the general fund—could be a longer-term goal. Crowley countered with increased state funding for schools to help lower local property taxes. Neither candidate attached specific numbers to how they would pay for their plans.
Wisconsin law bans abortion after 20 weeks, a limit Tiffany voted for as a state legislator and later sought to tighten to six weeks in Congress. In the debate he said he would not sign legislation limiting abortion to about six weeks and would maintain the 20-week standard. Asked whether he would sign a bill with no abortion limits, Crowley did not answer directly, saying such decisions belong between women and doctors, adding he did not believe such a bill would reach his desk.
Tiffany defended his congressional vote to overturn Wisconsin's 2020 electoral votes, citing concerns about private funding in local election offices. Crowley accused him of trying to throw out hundreds of thousands of Wisconsin votes. Crowley was also pressed on his ties to the Democratic Socialists of America; he replied, "I'm a Democrat, period."
A Marquette Law School poll found 74% of registered voters believe the costs of data centers outweigh the benefits, with opposition holding at 70% or more through 2026. Both candidates said local communities should have the final say on data centers and that companies—not ratepayers—should cover energy and grid upgrade costs. Wisconsin's general fund surplus stood at $3.3 billion last fiscal year.
The Marquette Law School poll, surveying 843 registered Wisconsin voters Sept. 16-23, 2026 (margin of error plus or minus 4.3 percentage points), showed Crowley at 49% and Tiffany at 46% among likely voters, with 5% undecided; among registered voters the two were nearly even at 46% to 45%. With the Nov. 3 election less than two weeks away, both candidates treated the debate as their final pitch.