Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Wisconsin's prominent DNC delegates include Tony Evers, Tammy Baldwin, Ben Wikler

By Hope Karnopp, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,

2 days ago

When approximately 5,000 delegates descend on Chicago this week for the Democratic National Convention, about 100 of them will be representing Wisconsin.

While the speaker schedule hasn't been announced yet, it's possible that a Wisconsin Democrat will take the stage. Wisconsin's U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin is running for reelection and maintains about a seven-point lead over Republican challenger Eric Hovde. Senators and Senate candidates were featured heavily as speakers at the Republican National Convention.

Wisconsin — a crucial battleground state for both parties — could again get its moment in the national spotlight. Vice President Kamala Harris will travel north to Milwaukee to hold a rally at Fiserv Forum on the second day of the DNC, the same spot Republicans held their convention a month earlier .

Here's what to know about some of the most prominent Democrats in Wisconsin's delegation, including Baldwin, Gov. Tony Evers and local Milwaukee leaders. They could appear frequently at the convention, whether as speakers or as surrogates on national and local television.

More: What to know about the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago: when, where, speakers, VP announcement

Gov. Tony Evers

Evers became Wisconsin's governor in 2018 when he defeated Republican Gov. Scott Walker. He was reelected in 2022, winning over Republican Tim Michels by about three percentage points.

Evers hasn't made any announcement about whether he'll run again in 2026, but he floated the nickname "Three-Term Tony" at the state party's convention in June . Evers is 72.

Before becoming governor, Evers was the state superintendent of public instruction. He often calls himself the "education governor." Evers is often at odds with the state Legislature in Wisconsin, which is controlled by Republicans but could flip after redistricting this year .

First lady Kathy Evers is also a delegate. She and Evers both grew up in Plymouth, Wis., and have three adult children and nine grandchildren.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Baldwin is Wisconsin's junior senator. She was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and is running for a third term, facing a challenge from banker and real estate mogul Eric Hovde . Baldwin is 62.

Baldwin has a long history in Wisconsin politics . At age 24, she was elected to the Dane County Board of Supervisors and served four terms. She also held seats in the state Assembly and U.S. House of Representatives. She is the first woman to represent Wisconsin in the Senate and the first openly gay member of the Senate.

Baldwin's margins in her past Senate victories are larger than typical statewide elections in Wisconsin. Baldwin has performed better in rural areas than other Democrats in previous elections, making it difficult for Republicans to make up that advantage.

More: Winning big and losing small. How Tammy Baldwin's electoral formula makes her a tough target for Republicans

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley

Crowley was elected in 2020 as the first Black Milwaukee County executive, and the youngest, at 33. He was easily reelected in 2024 and is now 38.

Crowley's career in politics began as a statewide African-American organizer for Russ Feingold's U.S. Senate campaign in 2010, aiming to boost Black voter turnout. He later worked as a legislative aide to county supervisor and state senator Nikiya Harris Dodd. Crowley served two terms in the state Assembly.

Like Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Crowley grew up in Milwaukee's 53206 ZIP code, where two-thirds of children live in poverty . He lives in Milwaukee with his wife, Ericka, and their three daughters.

More: 'People felt like this was my path': David Crowley's journey to becoming the first African American elected as Milwaukee County executive

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson

Johnson became Milwaukee's acting mayor in 2021 and was elected in 2022, becoming the city's first Black mayor. He cruised to reelection this spring. Both he and Crowley are considered rising stars in the party who could one day run for higher office.

Johnson worked as a staff assistant in the mayor's office and later served as a city alderman before becoming mayor. He worked for Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board, now Employ Milwaukee, after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

More: Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson hints at possible speaking slot at the DNC in Chicago

Johnson is 37. He and his wife, Dominique, live on the Near West Side with their son and twin daughters.

U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore

Moore is one of Wisconsin's two Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the Milwaukee area. In 2004, she became Wisconsin's first African American elected to Congress . Before that, she served in the state Assembly and Senate.

Moore is 73 and the longest-serving member of Wisconsin's current House delegation. She sits on the powerful Ways and Means Committee and has focused on Social Security, Medicare, welfare reform and foster care. Moore is considered a mentor for other Wisconsin Democrats.

Moore has three children, including state Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde, and is a grandmother and great-grandmother.

More: 'I still got that fire in my belly': Democrat Gwen Moore, Wisconsin's longest tenured House member, says she'll run again

U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan

Pocan is Wisconsin's other Democratic representative in Congress. Elected in 2012, his district includes Madison and surrounding areas in southern Wisconsin.

Similar to Baldwin, Pocan's background in politics includes serving on the Dane County Board of Supervisors and in the state Assembly. Pocan is a small-business owner — he and his husband run a sign printing business — and has focused on labor issues in Congress.

Pocan has been among Congress’ most outspoken critics of Israel’s response in Gaza. He was also the first Wisconsin Democrat to call for President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race. Pocan is 60.

More: The story behind the blue rubber gloves framed in Rep. Mark Pocan's office

State party chair Ben Wikler

Wikler is the chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, a role he has held since 2019. At age 11, he stuffed envelopes for godmother Ada Deer's congressional campaign. He also volunteered for Baldwin while she was in the state Assembly.

Wikler is considered a prolific fundraiser. The party hosted popular virtual fundraisers with celebrities during the 2020 election, featuring cast members from "Happy Days" and "The Princess Bride," for example.

Wikler has also worked for MoveOn, a progressive advocacy group. He lives with his wife and three children in Madison, where he grew up.

Former Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry

Alex Lasry, 37, is the son of Marc Lasry, who co-owned the Milwaukee Bucks until selling his ownership stake in 2023. Lasry was a senior vice president for the organization. He led the host committee for the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, though the events largely turned virtual amid the pandemic.

In 2023, Lasry was named a deputy assistant secretary in the Biden administration . He worked in the Obama White House for several years. Lasry also formed a political action committee to invest in races for mayor and county executive.

Lasry competed in the 2022 Democratic primary to take on Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, finishing second but well behind former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who lost in the general election.

Other big names include statewide officials, mayors

Other statewide elected officials are delegates to the DNC. Those include Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Attorney General Josh Kaul, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski and Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly. All have spoken at recent rallies for Biden or Harris.

Two other mayors are also part of the delegation: Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Sheboygan Mayor Ryan Sorenson. Ann Jacobs, a Democratic appointee to Wisconsin's bipartisan elections commission and a personal injury attorney in Milwaukee, is also a delegate.

Trevor Jung, the transit and mobility director for the City of Racine, is also a delegate. Jung has gained recognition while dating former "Farmer Wants a Wife" star and Caledonia resident Grace Girard .