Wisconsin families are paying too much for energy, and too much of that money is leaving the state. David Crowley is the best Wisconsin governor candidate on clean energy because he sees the transition to renewable power not as a trade-off between the environment and the economy — but as one of the biggest economic opportunities Wisconsin has had in a generation. He’s running to make sure Wisconsin leads that transition instead of getting left behind by it.
Why This Issue Matters to Wisconsin
Wisconsin imports the vast majority of its fossil fuel energy from outside the state, meaning billions of dollars in energy spending flow out of Wisconsin communities every year rather than circulating locally. At the same time, Wisconsin ratepayers have faced steady utility rate increases over the past decade, putting pressure on household budgets and making energy costs a real competitive disadvantage for small businesses and manufacturers. Meanwhile, neighboring states are aggressively building out wind, solar, and battery storage infrastructure — attracting investment, creating jobs, and locking in long-term energy cost stability that Wisconsin is increasingly unable to match.
The window to get ahead of this shift is narrowing. Wisconsin has abundant wind resources across its agricultural regions, strong solar potential, and a manufacturing base that could supply components for the clean energy buildout happening across the Midwest. What it has lacked is a governor with the vision and the will to align state policy, workforce investment, and infrastructure planning around capturing that opportunity. The cost of continued inaction isn’t just environmental — it’s economic, and working Wisconsin families feel it every month on their utility bills.
Crowley’s Approach
As Milwaukee County Executive, David Crowley has overseen one of the state’s largest units of local government — one that includes aging infrastructure, significant energy costs, and a workforce that depends on smart, long-term planning decisions from its leaders. That experience gives him a practical, operations-level understanding of what the clean energy transition actually requires: investment in infrastructure, coordination across agencies, and a commitment to making sure the economic benefits reach the communities that have historically been excluded from them.
Crowley has been clear that environmental justice and economic equity are not separate conversations. In Milwaukee and across Wisconsin, the neighborhoods that bear the worst air quality and the highest energy burdens are disproportionately low-income and communities of color. A clean energy future, in Crowley’s vision, isn’t just about megawatts — it’s about who gets the jobs building the new grid, who gets relief from high utility costs, and which communities stop being treated as sacrifice zones for polluting infrastructure that wealthier areas would never accept.
Crowley’s background positions him to pursue a clean energy agenda that is rooted in job creation, energy affordability, and grid resilience. He understands that Wisconsin farmers can benefit from wind and solar leases on their land, that Wisconsin workers can build and maintain renewable energy systems, and that Wisconsin manufacturers can compete for supply chain contracts if the state creates the right policy environment to attract that investment. His approach to clean energy is fundamentally about who Wisconsin’s economy is working for — and making sure the answer is Wisconsin people, not out-of-state fossil fuel interests.
Take Action
Building a clean energy future for Wisconsin takes more than good intentions — it takes a governor who understands what’s at stake and has the experience to move the levers of state government in the right direction. If you’re ready to fight for lower energy costs, good Wisconsin jobs, and a grid that works for everyone, David Crowley is your candidate. Join the movement today.
