Milwaukee County executive race: State Sen. Chris Larson, State Rep. David Crowley move on to April election

Updated: 8:50 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- State Senator Chris Larson and State Representative David Crowley will move on to the April election, according to results in the primary on Tuesday, Feb. 18. 

Larson led from bell to bell Tuesday night, despite what he calls a shotgun campaign, getting in late last year. 

He says it's time to end the division in politics and cited Trump and former governor, Scott Walker.

Larson lost this race to Chris Abele two years ago. When asked how he can win this time around, he he says he'll continue to push the issues he sees as important.

"What we want to do with our parks, what we want to do with our transit system, how we can end family homelessness, how we can tackle big things like systemic racism and the racial divide in our community and where to go for the next generation."

When he lost four years ago, he was outspent about 20-1, but despite that, Larson says he will not accept any outside money.

Senator Larson will face representative David Crowley in the April general election. 

Crowley himself was not present at a celebration with supporters Tuesday night. His wife says he's in Madison working. She spoke to the crowd on his behalf.

"Tonight we celebrate, but tomorrow we get back and we work hard, we have to make history and in order to make history, I need your guys' help so David Crowley will be the next county executive," Ericka Crowley said.

Crowley has received endorsements from the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County, Black Leaders Organizing Communities, several Milwaukee County mayors and Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm. 

"Just a whole host of issues that he's taken a very engaged approach with, and I just know he's a person I can work with to take the county into the future," Chisolm said.

Current County Executive Chris Abele was also at the celebration, supporting Crowley.

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Published: 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The race for Milwaukee County executive will be narrowed down Tuesday night, Feb. 18. Four people are running to replace Chris Abele, who decided not to run again.  

Click here for current election results.

The race should have included a bigger field of candidates. If you remember, two candidates were thrown off the ballot after hundreds of names on their nominating papers were disqualified. 

The candidates who are left after a mix of state lawmakers and business people from both political parties. 

Assemblyman David Crowley and State Senator Chris Larson are running. Larson lost to Abele in 2016. 

Milwaukee County Board Member Theo Lipscomb is on the ballot, as well as political newcomer Purnima Nath. Nath is thought to be the only conservative-leaning candidate. 

Two will advance to the April election.