Outgoing Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele isn't on the ballot this year, but that doesn't mean he isn't part of the race for the county's top job.

Leadership MKE, an independent campaign spending organization started and funded by Abele, on Friday threw support behind state Rep. David Crowley in the form of an ad buy valued in the six figures.

Video ads and a website, www.mkefordavid.com, launched Friday and mailings will be coming next week.

"You spend any amount of time with David Crowley and you immediately pick up on his genuine desire to address our community's big problems and bring positive change to Milwaukee County," Andy Suchorski, spokesman for Leadership MKE, said in a statement. "But unlike his opponents, his leadership style is collaborative, not combative."

Abele announced in October that he wouldn't seek re-election.

Abele had been expected to support former state Sen. Jim Sullivan, having already donated the maximum $6,000 for his campaign. But Sullivan and Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy were bumped from the race for county executive over a problem with their nomination papers.

The ad buy is worth more than each of the remaining four candidates in the race has raised, according to campaign finance reports.

By the end of December, state Sen. Chris Larson raised $61,016, including $19,750 that he transferred from his state campaign account. He reported having $46,517 in the bank.

Crowley reported raising nearly $54,000 while Milwaukee County Board Chairman Theodore Lipscomb Sr. had slightly less than $14,000 in donations, and businesswoman Purnima Nath had $2,559.

Leadership MKE has a mixed record. The group spent heavily in unsuccessful efforts to unseat Lipscomb and support Acting Sheriff Richard Schmidt's failed election bid. Overall, the group has won 12 of the 19 races in which it has spent money.

Journal Sentinel reporter Daniel Bice contributed to this report.

Contact Alison Dirr at 414-224-2383 or adirr@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter @AlisonDirr.