Cavalier Johnson, Bob Donovan advance to general election for mayor

MILWAUKEE — Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Former Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan will go head-to-head in April to become Milwaukee's next mayor.

Initial results from the election show Johnson receiving 42% of the votes and Donovan receiving 22%.

Milwaukee is on the hunt for a new mayor after former mayor Tom Barrett resigned from the position and became the new ambassador to Luxembourg.

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Now, the city is one step closer thanks to the conclusion of the Spring Primary Election.

The election knocked down the number of candidates from six to two, with acting Mayor Johnson and candidate Donovan receiving the most votes Tuesday.

Johnson and Donovan were running against community activist Ieshuh Griffin, Milwaukee entrepreneur Michael Sampson, State Senator Lena Taylor, Milwaukee County Sheriff Earnell Lucas, and Milwaukee Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic.

Johnson was born and raised in Milwaukee. He has spent much of his life in local politics and as a community organizer. In 2016, Johnson was elected to the Milwaukee Common Council to represent the 2nd District. In 2020, he was re-elected and chosen to be the Common Council President. He became the acting mayor on Dec. 23 when former Mayor Tom Barrett became Ambassador to Luxembourg.

Donovan was born and raised in Milwaukee. He held various jobs at the beginning of his career. In the 1990s, he became involved in community activism and organization. Donovan became the District 8 alderman in 2008. He served in that position for two decades and retired in 2020. In 2016, he launched an unsuccessful bid for Milwaukee mayor.

The two will now go head to head in the general election this April. The winner will fill the remaining two years on the term left open by Barrett.

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