The Root: David Crowley's Primary Win Sets Up Historic Midterms for Black Democrats Across the US

According to Ofirah Yheskel, Director of External Affairs for the Democratic Governors Association, the country is on the brink of doing the unthinkable

Just one day after Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley became the Democratic nominee for governor in Wisconsin, DGA Director of External Affairs Ofirah Yheskel sat down with The Root to discuss how Democrats are poised to make history by quadrupling the amount of Black governors in this country - including in the key presidential battleground states Wisconsin, Georgia, and Nevada.

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The Root: Expert: David Crowley's Primary Win Sets Up Historic Midterms for Black Democrats Across the US

• David Crowley is celebrating after winning Wisconsin's Democratic primary. Now, he's one step closer to becoming the state's first Black governor - and potentially one of three Black Democrats to win governors' races in presidential battleground states this fall.

• Crowley joins two other Black Democratic nominees running for governor in battleground states this fall, alongside Georgia's Keisha Lance Bottoms and Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford.

• Only three Black Americans have ever been elected governor in the country's 250-year history, and currently, just one is sitting in office: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

• According to Ofirah Yheskel, director of external affairs for the Democratic Governors Association, the country is on the brink of doing the unthinkable.

• "We have a real shot to do it with these three candidates," Yheskel told The Root. "And we look forward to making history this year."

• The potential history is especially striking because all three candidates are running in states that could play an outsized role in the 2028 presidential election.

• While all three Black Democratic nominees have the potential to make history, Yheskel said each candidate brings something to the table for American voters that truly matters - a plan to address everyday issues like cost of living and inflation.

• "[What] we're hearing from people in the states is that the economy is the number one issue on their minds," she said, stressing that for any candidate to win, they'd have to put up a two-front battle. "How are you talking about how you're going to focus on the issues that are really impacting people, but also how are you going to stand up for them on their fundamental freedoms?"

• As we previously told you, Americans, particularly Black folks, continue to feel the heavy weight of the economy under President Donald Trump. That's why, for Yheskel, the three gubernatorial races are part of a broader fight over the role of Democratic governors under Trump.

• "We've seen that Democratic governors really are the backstop against a lot of the dysfunction and chaos of the Trump administration," Yheskel said. "Governors really do have a lot of power as executives to push back against that."

• In the meantime, Maryland Gov. Moore is holding down the fort. And in less than 85 days, he might not have to be the only Black Democrat doing so.

• Yheskel continued, "He's really on the campaign trail, showing up for folks and making sure that he's not the only one in the country."

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