David Crowley and Tom Tiffany wasted no time after winning their respective primaries, spending their first day as Wisconsin's major party gubernatorial nominees making speeches around southeast Wisconsin to rally supporters and define their campaigns ahead of November.
WATCH: Voters energized as Tiffany, Crowley begin campaigns as governor nominees
Crowley, a Democrat and Milwaukee County Executive, made stops in Milwaukee, Dane County and Racine on just hours of sleep, riding the momentum of an underdog primary comeback. His margin of victory over Francesca Hong came down to the early morning hours, with just a few thousand votes separating the two candidates.
His message on day one: unity.
"This is about winning in November, we have to win in November," Crowley said.
Crowley started his day with a breakfast alongside other Wisconsin Democrats, including Hong. He is making history as the first Black man to earn a major party nomination for governor in Wisconsin, and is describing himself as the candidate to unite democrats under a big tent.
That message landed with supporters in Racine.
"We're here to support him, or Hong if she had we were here to support the democratic candidate," Brauna Wollman said.
Wollman said the motivation is clear — keeping Republican Tom Tiffany out of the governor's office.
Racine supporter Ethel Gates said Crowley's platform spoke directly to her concerns.
"Extend medicare and medicaid, cause I am a retired person who depends on social security and see social security is my living, my wages for my life," Gates said.
Gates said she is ready to do more than just vote.
"I'm going to vote for him, get all my family and my friends and everybody I know, I'm going to ask them to support him too," Gates said.
Crowley acknowledged he will need grassroots help to win in November.
On the Republican side, Tiffany spent his first day as the GOP nominee making stops in West Allis — Crowley's backyard — and DeForest, where he talked property taxes, farmland, data centers and education. He is leaning into his rural roots to connect with conservative voters.
"We raised our family up in the beautiful north woods, our daughters went to the local public schools they got a great education there. We live the American dream here in Wisconsin, and the commitment that I make to you and your children and grandchildren they are going to be able to live the American dream in Wisconsin," Tiffany said.
Supporters say they see a candidate who reflects their own values and background.
"I come from a family of 13, and my dad's dad had a farm, and we came up the hard way. I think [Tiffany's] from the same kind of cut that he just had to earn every penny he had, and he had to go out make a name for himself," Tim Newman said.
After spending much of the primary campaign directing criticism at Hong, Tiffany is now turning his attention to Crowley.
"David Crowley will do the same stuff that Francesca Hong would've, he just didn't say it," Tiffany said.
Some Tiffany supporters say their party enters the general election with an advantage.
"We rallied behind Tiffany because our party is unified. Their party is not unified," Jack Molaison said.
Others are still getting to know more about the candidate, but are confident they will vote for him in November.
"Tom seems like he could be the real deal," Terence Stickelmaier said. "He came across as being from Wisconsin, you know?"
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