David Crowley’s comeback is complete. The Democrat and Milwaukee County Executive has won the race for governor of Wisconsin, defeating Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, according to The Associated Press.

Crowley will become the first Black governor in Wisconsin’s history, succeeding two-term Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who chose not to seek reelection.

It’s a victory few would have predicted just months ago. In March, Crowley was polling at 3% among Democratic primary voters. In July, he suspended his campaign and endorsed Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez. But when Rodriguez exited the race just over a week later, Crowley jumped back in, picked up Evers’ endorsement and went on to narrowly win the August primary over state Rep. Francesca Hong by less than half a percentage point.

Tuesday night, he finished the job, overcoming Tiffany’s significant fundraising advantage in a state President Donald Trump carried in 2024.

Evers summed up the moment in a statement, calling Crowley a man who “was born a Comeback Kid.” He noted that, growing up in “our state’s poorest ZIP code,” Crowley’s family used to call him “governor.”

That upbringing is central to Crowley’s story. Born in Milwaukee in 1986, he grew up watching his parents struggle with addiction. His family lost their home when he was 10, and he was evicted twice more before graduating from high school.

He later turned that experience into public service, winning a seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2016. In 2020, at 33, he became Milwaukee County’s first Black county executive and the youngest person ever elected to the office. As county executive, he created Right to Counsel Milwaukee, which provides free legal representation to residents facing eviction or foreclosure.

On the campaign trail, Crowley promised to be a “governor for all of us,” focusing on lowering costs for families, making health care and housing more affordable and fully funding public schools. He also tied Tiffany closely to Trump and blamed Republican-backed policies for rising costs.

Crowley’s win adds to a historic night for Black leadership in governor’s mansions across the country. Republican Byron Donalds won in Florida to become that state’s first Black governor, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore secured a second term.

From eviction notices to the governor’s office, David Crowley’s journey is the kind of story Wisconsin voters chose to write into history.