With Rodriguez out of race, Crowley weighing a return to campaign for governor

CBS 58

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Multiple massive dominos could fall Friday in the race to be Wisconsin's Democratic nominee for governor. The first fell Friday morning when Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez suspended her campaign amid fallout from a major money mishap that left her with significantly less funding that the four other candidates currently in the race.

Rodriguez's announcement comes just eight days after Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley exited the race and endorsed Rodriguez.

Now, multiple Democratic sources told CBS 58 on the condition of anonymity that several high-level Democrats, including top legislators, have pushed for Crowley to get back in the race.

Those sources say Crowley set two key conditions for his return to the campaign; first, Rodriguez would have to drop out of the race, then Gov. Tony Evers would endorse Crowley in the primary.

With Rodriguez in the race, a Democratic source said Crowley's return is "on the table," and added an Evers endorsement is now "likely" because the governor and people close to him have reservations about whether the remaining Democratic frontrunners, State Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison) and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes can win the general election against presumptive GOP nominee, Congressman Tom Tiffany.

State Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) and former Department of Administration secretary Joel Brennan are also in the race, and they've vowed to campaign to the finish, believing they can still make a late push in the final four weeks of the campaign.

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